After watching a disappointing 1 point 76ers lose to the Clippers last night we woke up to several inches of snow on the ground and it’s still snowing. It made me think that we’re only a week from Pitchers and Catchers reporting to Spring Training in Clearwater. Opening day of April 5 is not far away!!!
What a great time to look back at our favorite Phillies of all time.
Depending on how old you are there are different groups of Phils that you would probably consider your favorites. I’m sure you have your own list but here are a few to jog your memory. Remember you only get to pick 5. It makes it a lot tougher.
1950’s – Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts, Del Ennis, Andy Seminick, Jim Konstanty, Willie “Puddin Head” Jones
1960’s – Jim Bunning, Johnny Callison, Richie Allen, Tony Taylor, Cookie Rojas
1970’s & 80’s – Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Pete Rose, Gary Maddox, Larry Bowa, Bob Boone, Tug McGraw, Greg Luzinski
1990’s – John Kruk, Darren Daulton, Lenny Dykstra, Curt Shilling, Dave Hollins, Jim Eisenreich, Mitch Williams
2000’s – Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, Roy Halliday, Cole Hamels, Brad Lidge, “Chooch” Ruiz
Here are my 5 favorites Phillies of all time:
- Mike Schmidt – I could switch 1 and 2 with no problem. Schmitty played every day, hit 548 Home Runs, won 10 Gold Gloves and 3 MVP’s.
- Steve Carlton – There was no one better. Lefty won 329 games with 4,136 strikeouts. He won 4 Cy Young Awards. To put his career in perspective he has 141 more wins and over 1,200 more strikeouts than Halliday who’s arguably the best pitcher of this era.
- Brad Lidge – His perfect season in engrained in my head. In 2008 he was 2-0, 1.95 ERA, and 41 saves in 41 opportunities in the regular season and added 7 more saves in the playoffs. This is possibly the greatest season ever by a Phillie at any position. In 4 seasons with the Phils he had 41, 31, 27 and 1 save for 100 regular season saves and 12 post-season saves.
- Johnny Callison – My first favorite Phillie as a kid. He played for the Phils from 1960-1969 and hit 185 Home Runs. He was a runner up MVP in 1964 and the All Star game MVP.
- Chase Utley – Although it doesn’t look like Chase is going to get the Hall of Fame numbers I thought he was I still just like everything about the way he plays. He’s fundamentally sound player you love to coach and have on your team. As “Harry The K” would say “Chase Utley you are The Man”!!!
phillypressbox 
I will give a vote for ” starting at catcher Bob Boone”.
How about the other 4?? Is Boonie your #1???
Richie “Dick” Allen
Steve Carlton
Mike Schmidt
Chase Utley
Cookie Rojas
Can’t argue with this list. Don’t you mean “Crash” Allen. Gosh could he hit!!! Octavious “Cookie” Rojas, a blast from the past. I think you forgot your boy LC.
My Favorite:
Garry Maddox- I get furniture installation work from his company, POMERANTZ
Willie Montinezzzzz!
Bob Boone
Darren Daulton- Because Furman hates him and his first wife made Hooters famous
Pete Rose- We know why we had a parade. Nothing would have changed without him. Eagles? never mind.
I forgot about Willie the Phillie and another one of my favorites from that time , Dave “Action Dog” Cash. He had 2 straight 200 hit seasons at the top ofthe lineup. The best thing about Dutch was his wife. He was a fraud!! No aruguements with the others.
1. Pete Rose
2. Lonnie Smith
3. Tug McGraw
4. Steve Carlton
5. Mike Schmidt
Thanks Jimmy for the list. You’re giving away age like me I think. Those late 70’s early 80’s teams were so fun to watch. Love “Skates” Smith. Good player that got several rings.
Boone
Rose
Tug
Lenny Dykstra
Cole Hamels
Great list but surprised you don’t have “The Bull” on the list. As I recall you had a different name for him that I won’t print. Hamels is really good, Lenny was juiced and what can you say about Boonie and Pete??
George Foster question of who was hit by more baseballs. Foster at the plate or the Bull in left field? Always comes to mine when I think of the “Bull”.
Reluctantly over the years I have come to the same conclusion about Rose that Mr. Sullivan has already posted.
Bob Boone was a pro.
So a man takes supplements that are not band, pushes himself at the Gym and plays hard every day. He is now judge by todays standards. Short guys never get a break.
Hamels position in Philly folklore is already secured.
If The Bull wasn’t playing LF we would’ve never gotten the great Gary Maddox quote, “2/3 of the earth is covered by water and the other 1/3 is covered by Gary Maddox” But hhe could crush a baseball.
Just watched the Phillies packing up the Wayne Moving tractor trailer to head down to Florida. Here we go!!!!!
EVERYBODY HITS!!!!!!
I can only pick from the 70s on as I do not remember any games from the 60s. Richie Allen should have been at the top of this list, but he just couldn’t get his act together off the field. Looking back, it was great to have him be a part of the 1976 season (My favorite Phillies team of all time that did not win a title)
My 5 favorite Phillies are as follows:
1. Carlton.
2. Schmidt.
3. Ryan Howard
4. Darren Daulton
5. Bake McBride
Kevin, nice list. I have to say of all of the people either on here on Facebook you are the first to put Howard in their Top 5. His HR and RBI numbers are staggering. Just strikes out way too much. I like the Shake & Bake pick.Never a Daulton fan. He’s actually my most over rated Phillie of all time.
Daulton was the fifth choice, but I thought I had to put one player from that 93 team on here. That team is beloved by many fans as their favorite, but I would take this current group of Phillies and the teams from the 70s-early 80s every day of the week and twice on Sunday over them. The 1993 team was overrated, but i felt i had to include at least one player from that team. That team was A flash in the pan that got lucky one season. The Manager was a jerk and most of the players stole money from the club in every season after 1993. I’ll take consistent winners over a group that got lucky one season.
Kevin, I wasn’t a fan of the 93 team either. They were fun to watch but history proved that they were average. Dykstra was juiced up. Daulton was a fraud, Kruk was a good hitter, Hollins, Inky average. Eisy was a warm story. Schilling was solid. After that there wasn’t much.
Bill, I have not seen any comments on a sentimental favorite of yours, Jay Johnstone.
“Play Jay Every Day”. None for another favorite of mine, Dave Cash. The Action Dog had 3 straight 200 hit seasons at the top of the lineup.
Cash should get credit for bring a positive attitude and spark that a young team needed back then, Larry Bowa needs some recognition.
You should publish the Oracle of Pitman Ave. choices. I am guessing he does not log on very often.
I will check with “The Dean” today and get his Top 5.
1 Schmidt 2Carlton 3Bowa 4 Utley 5 tie between Luzinski and R.Howard
Can’t go wrong with that list Kevin!!!