This question has several answers. December 30, 1967 marks the first bowl game under Joe Paterno, the Gator Bowl. One player passed for both touchdowns, kicked both extra points and kicked a field goal but only passed for 69 yards. Can you name him? As a bonus, who did the Nittany Lions play and what was the final score?
Philly Pressbox is proud of our association with the Kisses for Kyle Foundation. Please check out their link at http://www.shop.com/kissesforkyle Every purchase you make helps families battling childhood cancer in the Delaware Valley.
With Spring Training 2014 quickly approaching the boys gathered at the Philly Pressbox for a few cold beverages and some baseball talk. We recently posted a note that it was Mike Lieberthals birthday and received both positive and negative comments about Lieby and him being honored on the Phillies Wall of Fame. That led us to the conversation of Who’s the Best Phillies Catcher of All Time. We quickly decided on the four finalists, Bob Boone, Darren Daulton, Leiberthal and Carlos Ruiz. This pretty much covers the last 40 years of full time Phillies catchers.
We’re going to provide some statistical information, as Phillies only, on each of the four and allow you, the fans, to vote on your favorite. The players are listed in alphabetical order.
BOB BOONE
Boonie was the Phillies full-time starting catcher from 1973-1981. He caught 100+ games in 7 seasons.
He ranks 2nd to Lieberthal in games caught in the modern day with 1125. He caught 100+ games 7 times
He is 3rd in Batting Average, .259, behind Lieberthal and Ruiz.
He is 3rd in Home Runs, 65, behind Lieberthal and Daulton.
He ranks 3rd in RBI’s with 456.
Boone struck out the least of the four with 365 behind Daulton, Lieberthal and Ruiz.
Boone won 1 World Series with the Phils, made 3 All Star Teams and won 2 Gold Gloves.
Defensively Boone led the NL in these categories during his Phillies career:
Boone was traded by the Phillies after the 1981 season. He played 9 more seasons, making 1 more all star team and winning 5 more Gold Gloves. He actually played more games after he left the Phils than he did as a Phillie.
He was inducted in to the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2005.
DARREN DAULTON
“Dutch” was the Phillies starting catcher for the Phils for the most part from 1985-1995 although he only played more that 100 game 4 times in his career. His best 2 seasons came in 1992 and 1993 when he drove in more than 100 runs in both of those seasons helping lead the Phils to the 1993 World Series.
Daulton ranks 3rd in games caught behind Lieberthal and Boone.
He ranks 4th in batting average, .245, behind Lieberthal, Ruiz and Boone
He ranks 2nd in Home Runs with 134 behind Lieberthal.
He ranks 2nd in RBI’s behind Lieberthal with 567.
Daulton struck out the most of the four with 709 career k’s.
Daulton went to one World Series, 1983, was selected to 3 All Star games and won one Silver Slugger Award.
Defensively, Daulton led the NL in the following categories during his Phillies career:
1990- Assists, 1993 – Putouts, 1990 & 1993 – DP’s by a catcher, 1992- Runners Caught Stealing.
Dutch was traded to the Florida Marlins in the middle of the 1997 season, his final one. The Marlins went on to win the World Series.
He was inducted in to the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2010.
MIKE LIEBERTHAL
“Lieby” started splitting time behind the plate in 1995 and 96 before becoming the full-time guy in 1997. He caught 100+ games 7 times before his last season with the Phillies in 2006.
He is the Phillies all time leader in games caught with 1174 games.
He leads in batting average with a .275 average.
He leads in Home Runs with 150.
He leads in RBI’s with 609.
He is 2nd in strikeouts to Daulton with 560.
“Lieby” made 2 All Star teams and won 1 Gold Glove Award.
Defensively, Lieberthal led the NL in the following categories during his Phillies career:
Lieby spent the final season of his career with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Lieberthal was inducted in to the Phillies Wall of Fame in 2012.
CARLOS RUIZ
“Chooch” took over as the Phillies full time catcher in 2007. He has been a work horse ever since. He’s caught more than 100 games in 6 of his 7 seasons. The only time he didn’t was last season when he caught 92 games after being suspended. He signed a 3-year contract extension this off-season so his stats are a work in progress.
He is last of the four on the Phillies all time leader in games caught with 825 games.
He is 2nd in batting average to Lieberthal by .001, with a .274 average.
He is last in Home Runs with 57 which is 8 behind Boone.
He is last in RBI’s with 336. He is 120 behind Boone for 3rd.
He has struck out the 3rd most behind Daulton and Lieberthal with 325.
“Chooch” has won 1 World Series in 2008, made it to another in 2009 and made 1 All Star team. He has not won any Gold Gloves or Silver Slugger Awards.
Defensively, Chooch has never led the NL in any category.
Now you have some numbers to ponder. Now it’s time to cast your vote.
Philly Pressbox is proud of our association with the Kisses for Kyle Foundation. Please check out their link at http://www.shop.com/kissesforkyle Every purchase you make helps families battling childhood cancer in the Delaware Valley.
Randall Cunningham will be doing a rare private signing. The deadline is quick to get these pre-order prices. deadline Tuesday January 21, 2014 by 12 noon!!
RANDALL CUNNINGHAM PRIVATE SIGNING.
Full Size Rep Helmet $140,
Mini Helmet $65,
16×20 – $60,
8×10 – $45,
Logo Football – $65.
Shipping will be additional.
Thanks for the interest!!!! Signing is 2/1. Prices include the item with the autograph it’s not just for the ticket.
When old-time Philadelphia Eagles fans talk about the greatest Eagles players of all time the first two names spoken are Steve Van Buren and Chuck Bednarik or Chuck Bednarik and Steve Van Buren, and rightfully so. However, lost in the history of the Eagles and the NFL is the legend of Peter Louis (Pete) Pihos. Why should Pihos be mentioned in the same breath as Van Buren and Bednarik? Lets look at the numbers and career of the man.
Pihos played his entire professional career with the Eagles from 1947-1955. During that time the Eagles went to the NFL championship game in ’47 and lost, before winning the championship in ’48 and ’49. In the ’47 playoff game, to reach the championship, Pihos blocked a punt that set up a touchdown in the 21-0 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the ’49 championship game he caught a 31 yard touchdown pass. He made 6 Pro Bowls, 4 as a Tight End and 2 as a Defensive End. He was also named 1st Team All Pro 5 times. All the while he missed one game in his 107 game pro career. Pete Pihos excelled on offense, defense and special teams throughout his career.
So what else sets Pihos aside from the rest that he should be considered a legend. When he retired Pete was #4 in every receiving category behind fellow Hall of Famers Don Hutson, Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch and Donte Lavelli, the difference is that Pihos, 373 receptions, 5,619 yards and 69 touchdowns, was a tight end while the other three were wide receivers. Pihos was the pioneer of the Tight End position in the NFL. He led the NFL in receptions 3 times and receiving yards twice. He also had a 1,000 yard receiving year in 1953 with 1,049 yards. What fans have seen through the years from John Mackey, Mike Ditka to todays Tony Gonzalez all started with Pete Pihos.
Prior to joining the Eagles, Pihos was as a 5th round pick in the 1945 draft, he was a 2 time All American at Indiana University as an end and fullback.
Before he could join the Eagles and the NFL, Pihos served his country in World War II, 1944-46, for 14 months in Europe on the front line in the 35th Infantry Division under General George Patton as a 2nd Lieutenant. He was awarded the Bronze and Silver stars for bravery.
Pete Pihos did it all on the football field for the Philadelphia Eagles and deserves to be mentioned right there with the legends of Van Buren and Bednarik.
Following are some of Pihos career honors:
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1970
Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1966
Selected to the NFL 75th Anniversary All Time Team
Selected to the NFL 1940’s All Decade Team
Inducted in to the Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame in 1987
Inducted in to the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2005
2 NFL Championships
6 – Pro Bowls, 4 on offense and 2 on defense
5 – 1st Team All Pro Selections
3 time NFL reception leader
2 time NFL receiving yardage leader
2 time NFL yards/game receiving leader
1 time NFL receiving TD leader
A Bronze Star from the US Army
A Silver Star from the US Army
The only thing missing from the career of Pete Pihos is to have his #35 retired by the Philadelphia Eagles along with his teammates Van Buren and Bednarik.
Pete Pihos passed away in 2011 at the age of 87 from Alzheimer’s disease.
Philly Pressbox is proud of our association with the Kisses for Kyle Foundation. Please check out their link at http://www.shop.com/kissesforkyle Every purchase you make helps families battling childhood cancer in the Delaware Valley.
The Philly Pressbox would like to thank all of our readers, friends, followers and those that take the time to comment on our posts and articles. When we wrote our first article on January 1, 2012 about the Flyers Winter Classic, there were no readers except my family members, we opened a Facebook account the same day that had no friends. 442 posts and we’re still going at it. It’s been allot of fun meeting people and interacting with them about my favorite subject, Philly Sports. The 2 years have flown by.
Also, we appreciate our association with Talk Sports Philly, shop.com/bobsullivan, The Kisses for Kyle organization as well as many others we’ve gotten to know.
We look forward to an even more exciting 3rd year.
If you would like to view any of our past articles they are all posted in the “Archives” section. Feel free to take a look and comment. Comments are always welcome.
I’m a lifetime Philladelphia sports fan. I have spent my entire life watching and attending Philly sporting events. I’m presently an Eagles season ticket holder and a Phillies Sunday season ticket holder and a Penn State footbal season ticket holder. I attend 6-8 Flyers games a year. I’ve seen the good ... Continue reading →
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