The Forgotten Rivalry in Philadelphia Phillies History

Fans of the Philadelphia Phillies usually look at the New York Mets or the Atlanta Braves as their top rival. The proximity of the Big Apple means heated interaction between fan bases. Atlanta’s dominance in the National League East over the past three decades makes them an obvious target of venom.

Does Phillies-Pirates even enter the conversation? Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can duke it out in hockey, but the baseball teams don’t bring as much intensity. Things used to be very different.

Baseball fans adjusted to three divisions in each league after 1994. Long before the Pirates joined the newly-created NL Central, however, they sustained a run of dominance at the top of the NL East in the early 1970s.

Roberto Clemente took home the MVP honors after Pittsburgh’s fourth World Series championship in 1971. The future Hall of Famer’s tragic death in 1972 didn’t stop the Pirates’ run to five of six NL East pennants from 1970-75.

The Phillies, meanwhile, spent more time in the division's basement during the early ‘70s. Danny Ozark soon helped a historically underachieving franchise back to respectability. The Phillies finished the 1975 season in second place, six games behind Willie Stargell and their cross-state rivals.

Mike Schmidt and Greg “The Bull” Luzinski helped bring the NL East flag back to the eastern side of Pennsylvania. The Phillies won three straight division crowns with the Pirates in second place each season from 1976-78.

The upper hand in the rivalry disappeared when the Pirates won their fifth World Series in 1979. The Phillies trudged through a disappointing season. They hadn’t reached the promised land in 76 tries since the first World Series in 1903. Along came Dallas Green.

The new manager added some fire behind Schmidt, Luzinski, Steve Carlton, and Pete Rose on the way to the 1980 World Series.

Baseball cherishes its records and memories like no other sport. Two legendary home runs of the Phillies-Pirates rivalry help define the legacy of two of the all-time greats for the respective franchises.

The concrete in Section 601 at Veterans Stadium displayed a giant black and gold star until the concrete giant closed in 2003. Younger fans might not have realized that it honored the longest home run in the Vet’s history. It came off the bat of a rival opponent, however.

Willie Stargell established himself as a big-time slugger through the late 1960s. He retired with 475 career homers and seven All-Star appearances that ultimately sent him to the Hall of Fame. One of the most memorable swings of his career came on a moon shot in Philadelphia off Jim Bunning in 1971.

No video scoreboards displayed the  “How far did it fly?” sponsorship in 1971. The world will never know the real distance, but don't underestimate the intensity of Phillies fans. Two plaques went missing from Section 601 before the sticker finally occupied the spot for good.

Although a long-time rival owned a moment of glory at the Vet, Mike Schmidt returned the favor at Three Rivers Stadium.

The Phillies trailed the Bucs 6-5 on April 18, 1987. The greatest third basemen ever to play the game stepped into the box with 499 career home runs. Phillies fans of all ages know the call from the late, great Harry Kalas.

The Phillies jumped out of the dugout in Pittsburgh to greet Mike Schmidt at home plate after his 500th career home run. A fierce rival crowd at Three Rivers Stadium tipped their caps with a respectable standing ovation.

Olders fans might remember it for themselves. Younger fans have probably watched the “Unintentional Walk” special during a Phillies rain delay broadcast at one point or another.

The Pirates jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the top of the first inning at the Vet on June 9, 1989. Jim Rooker, Pittsburgh’s color commentator and former pitcher, jokingly wrote off the rest of the game. He jumped the gun with a foot in the mouth comment about walking back to Pittsburgh if the Bucs lost.

The Phillies slugged their way to a 15-10 victory. Rooker put his money where his mouth was.

He walked across the state of Pennsylvania with overnight stops the following offseason. His stunt raised thousands of dollars for charity causes. It took him 10 weeks to complete.

The Pirates have faded away from contention. Their ownership hasn’t made the effort to construct a playoff-caliber roster.

The Phillies took control of the cross-state matchup after signing Bryce Harper in 2019. They won three and split one season series against the Pirates with a 17-9 advantage through the 2023 season.

Despite the lack of venom in the modern era, fans from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh still enjoy road trips every time the teams play. Citizens Bank Park instantly became one of the best ballpark experiences when it opened in 2004. PNC Park sits in a great location that allows fans to enjoy the surrounding area of the city.

When fans of the Philadelphia Phillies think about the World Series, their minds probably flash to 1980 or 2008. The euphoria of the most passionate sports city in the world created memories that will last a lifetime and pass through generations.

The Phillies are one of the oldest franchises in professional sports. You might hear more often about how they were the first to lose 10,000 games, but they've also reached the World Series eight times.

The Fightin’ Phils waited nearly a century of existence and 77 years after the first Fall Classic before winning their first championship ring. The early years included runs from some of the all-time greats, including the renowned “Whiz Kids” in 1950.

The great teams of the 1970s and 1980s captured two more National League pennants. Legends of the game like Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, and Pete Rose reached the level of franchise allure. One decade later, one of the most beloved teams in Philly sports history took the town by storm.

Cole Hamels, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard, and Chase Utley carried the torch during the 21st century. Bryce Harper has taken over and led the Phillies into a new era.

Baseball cherishes its history more than any other sport. Memories of America’s (former?) Pastime help maintain the love that fans have for the sports and for their teams. When a long summer culminates in a World Series run in October, they get to witness an event for the history books.

Phillies fans have of course suffered through more losses than any other professional sports franchises. The hardships of the past allow them to cherish the memories of success that they’ve hung around long enough to enjoy.

Grover Cleveland Alexander led the Phillies to their first World Series appearance in franchise history in 1915. He went 31-10 in 49 starts for a team that called the Baker Bowl in North Philadelphia their home. The Phillies won Game 1 of the World Series with Alexander on the mound, but the Red Sox rallied for four straight to take the title.

The “Whiz Kids” shocked the world by winning the National League pennant on the backs of stars Del Ennis, Richie Ashburn, and Robin Roberts. The miracle season didn’t have a happy ending, however. Joe DiMaggio and the New York Yankees swept the underdog Phillies to win their second of five consecutive World Series.

The franchise began as the Philadelphia Quakers in 1883, and the first World Series took place 20 years later. However, Phillies fans had to wait until 1980 to celebrate their first World Series.

Mike Schmidt led the team with two home runs and seven RBIs in the series. Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson for the final out in Game 6 at Veterans Stadium end the drought.

Schmidt led the Phillies to another National League pennant three years later. A 3-1 series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS sent the Phillies back to the World Series for the second time in four tries during the most successful era in franchise history.

The stars of the team didn't appear as ripe as the 1950 Whiz Kids, so the Wheeze Kids moniker fit them a little better.

Future Hall of Famer Eddie Murray helped the Orioles break the dreams of Philadelphia fans. They took down the Phillies in five games, including a 5-0 whimper at Veterans Stadium in the clincher.

The 1993 Phillies became one of the most beloved teams in Philadelphia sports history because of the “Macho Row” mentality that landed so perfectly with the fan base. A colorful mix of personalities like Curt Schilling, Lenny Dykstra, and John Kruk helped push the Phillies past the Braves in the NLCS.

One of the most infamous moments in franchise history ended the memorable ride. Mitch Williams surrendered a walk-off home run to Joe Carter in the 9th inning of the Game 6 clincher.

The Phillies announced a new era of dominance in 2007 by storming back on the New York Mets for their first playoff appearance in 14 years. However, they left the fan base hungry for more with a quick playoff exit. Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Cole Hamels delivered one year later with an unforgettable playoff run.

Shane Victorino’s grand slam helped the Phillies to a commanding lead in the NLDS. Matt Stairs hit an absolute moonshot at Dodger Stadium. Utley made the best heads-up play in MLB history for the third out of the 7th inning in the clincher.

Mother Nature made them wait two extra days, but Brad Lidge eventually threw the final strike to break a 25-year championship drought for major professional sports teams in Philadelphia. Hamels took home the hardware as the World Series MVP at age 24.

The defending NL champions sunk the Dodgers again in the NLCS to advance back to the World Series. Cliff Lee dominated a stacked Yankees lineup in Game 1, but the Phillies ultimately ran out of gas just short of the finish line.

Cole Hamels ended his disappointing 2009 season with a Game 3 loss. Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Hideki Matsui overwhelmed a pitching staff that didn’t have enough behind Lee to win consecutive titles.

The Phillies backed into the 2022 MLB Playoffs, but their first postseason trip in over a decade made the fan base forget quickly. A 9th inning rally in the postseason opener raised some eyebrows, and the Phillies set themselves up for the triumphant return of Red October at Citizens Bank Park.

The Atlanta Braves didn’t know what hit them in an NLDS stunner, and Bryce Harper capped off the NLCS with the swing of his life against the San Diego Padres.

Only the Houston Astros stood in the way. The Phillies slugged their way to a 2-1 lead in front of a raucous crowd in Philadelphia, but the Astros responded with a combined no-hitter in Game 4 to suck the momentum out of the miracle Red October run. The series ended with another heartbreaker in a Game 6 loss in Houston.