Occasional Glory

Book excerpt: With more losses and last-place finishes than any other club in Major League Baseball, the Philadelphia Phillies have earned a reputation as one of the most unsuccessful teams ever to take the field. Even so, the Phillies have boasted many unforgettable players and achieved a number of notable triumphs. This history of the Phillies begins with the club's inception in 1883 and goes through the 2012 season, highlighting the team's finer moments and players but also covering less memorable times. Among the people and events it recounts are the great outfield of the 1890s, Chuck Klein's slugging feats, the 1980 World Series, the surprise 1993 pennant win, and the very successful years in Citizens Bank Park, including the world champions of 2008. An exploration of the Phillies' special relationship with Philadelphia and numerous historic photographs complete this comprehensive celebration of the oldest continuous one-name, one-city franchise in professional sports history.