Phillies in All-Star Game : Detailed Look by the Numbers
By Jason Slater
The Philadelphia Phillies have a rich history of player performances over the history of the MLB All-Star Game.
As a self-proclaimed numbers junkie, I decided to put together a fun piece where we look at various single-game and career accomplishments from various players who’ve suited up in the Phillies red pinstripes over the 88-game history of Major League Baseball’s celebration of the best that the game has to offer at its unofficial half-way point, the MLB All-Star Game.
Some facts you may be familiar with, while others, well, not so much. We’ll start by taking a look at the players who have either been named and/or appeared most frequently as Phillies in the Mid-Summer Classic
Leading the way is Mike Schmidt, who was named to 12 NL all-star teams, played in ten, and started 7 times at third base. Michael Jack, the Phils’ all-time leading home run hitter who led MLB in homers six times, never appeared in a Home Run Derby, despite his career encompassing the first 3-4 years of the event.
He’s followed up by two hurlers, Robin Roberts, who was named to seven NL squads, and started more times on the mound, five (1950-51, 1953-55), than any other pitcher in Phils history. ‘Lefty’ Steve Carlton was also selected seven times, appearing in three, and starting the 1979 ASG for the senior circuit.
Right behind them is perhaps the greatest second baseman in team history, Chase Utley, who was selected six times, and started in five from 2006-2009, and again in 2014.
Larry Bowa was named to five in a row, from 1974 to 1979, and was the starting shortstop three times for the National Leaguers. Richie Ashburn, Greg Luzinski, and Pete Rose were each tabbed four times apiece.
There have been 15 other players named to three NL All-Star squads during their tenure with the Fightin’ Phils: Dick Allen, Bob Boone, Johnny Callison (playing in both 1962 affairs), Dave Cash, Darren Daulton, Lenny Dykstra, Del Ennis, Cole Hamels, Granny Hamner, Ryan Howard, John Kruk, Art Mahaffey (who also played in both ’62 games), Jimmy Rollins, Curt Schilling, and Curt Simmons.
The only Phillies to actually start in three or more All-Star games have been Chase, Schmidty, Bowa, and ‘The Bull’. Only two Phils’ hurlers were selected to start in multiple ASG’s: Robin Roberts (five times), and Curt Simmons, who started in 1952 and again in 1957.
Joining them in drawing the starting pitching assignment for the National League have been Lefty in ’79, Terry Mulholland in the memorable 1993 season, Curt Schilling, who was upstaged by a legendary performance from Pedro Martinez in 1999, and Roy Halladay during the dominant 2011 campaign.
Just four Phillies players have homered in a Mid-Summer Classic. The first was Johnny Callison’s dramatic walkoff 3-run blast (after donning a Mets helmet, off all things) in 1964. Dick Allen went deep in 1967, followed by Greg Luzinski in 1977, and finally Schmidt going yard in 1981.
Callison’s three RBI are still the most by a Phillies player in an All-Star game, with Luzinski (1977), Bob Boone (1978), Schmidt (1981), and Ozzie Virgil (1985) as the only other Phillies to drive in two runs in the same game.
Willie Jones came to the plate seven times for the NL in 1950, the most by a Phillies all-star in franchise history. Puddin’ Head went 1-for-7, but at least put the ball in play all seven times. ‘Whitey’ Ashburn is the only other player to come to plate at least five times, when he went 2-for-4, with two runs, a double and a walk in 1951.
Mike Schmidt is still the only Phillie to triple in an All-Star Game, when he hit a three-bagger back in 1979. Schmidt is also the only Phils player to ever walk more than once in an ASG. He drew two free passes in his very first selection back in 1974.
Three Phillies have swiped a base in the mid-season exhibition: Ashburn, all the way back in 1948, Larry Bowa in 1978, and Jimmy Rollins in 2001.
Only three players have scored twice in the same game as members of the Phillies: Whitey in ’51, Schmidt in ’79, and J-Roll in 2002.
Dick Allen is the only Phillies player to strike out three times in one ASG, when he whiffed thrice back in 1967. Del Ennis (1946), Schmidt (1984), and John Kruk in 1993, including his near heart attack facing ‘Big Unit’ Randy Johnson‘s barrage of wild 98 mph fastballs, have been punched out more than once in the same game.
Three Phillies pitchers have notched All-Star Game victories, all in relief: Ken Raffensberger in 1944, and in then decades later in back-to-back years, both Doug Jones in 1994 and Heathcliff Slocumb in 1995.
On the other hand, four Phils hurlers have been tagged with a loss: Curt Simmons (1957), Art Mahaffey (Game #2 in 1962), Schilling when matched against Pedro in ’99, and Brad Lidge‘s 2008 extra inning loss that would give the Tampa Bay Rays home field advantage in the World Series against the Phillies later that year. So he wasn’t actually perfect that season after all.
The single game pitching record book is essentially reserved by Roberts. The Hall of Famer has allowed the most hits (5 in 1954), earned runs (4 in both 1954 and the following year in 1955), and faced the most batters of any Phillies pitcher in an ASG with 16, also in 1954.
Roberts (1954) and Mahaffey (1962) are the only two Phils hurlers to surrender two gopher balls in a single game. Only Simmons in 1952 along with Roberts, who did it four times (1950, 1953-55) ever pitched three innings in one All-Star contest.
Roberts also leads the way with five strikeouts in a midsummer classic, accomplishing that in 1954 as well. Three others have punched out four in a game: Lefty in ’82, Jim Bunning in ’64, and Turk Farrell, in relief, back in 1958. The Curt’s, Schilling in both 1997 and 1999, and Simmons in 1952, each sent three back to the A.L. dugout in shame.
The Phillies have had six different managers lead the National Leaguers, five coinciding with a World Series appearance the year before: Eddie Sawyer in 1951, Dallas Green in 1981, Paul Owens in 1984, Jim Fregosi in 1994, and Charlie Manuel, in both 2009 and 2010.
The lone Series managerial exception was Gene Mauch in 1965, who got the honor after the ’64 Phils had coughed up a 6 1/2 game lead with 12 left to play, and handed the NL pennant to Johnny Keane‘s St. Louis Cardinals. Keane defected to the Yankees the following year, giving way for Mauch to be selected as the NL manager to replace him.
I couldn’t really find a Phillies career All-Star batting and pitching register anywhere, so I’d like to conclude with the career All-Star Game numbers (while playing as members of the Phillies) of several of the most memorable and decorated players in franchise history, Enjoy !
BATTING: (0-0 = H/AB)
Bobby Abreu: 1-3, BB, K
Dick Allen: 2-8, R, HR, RBI, 5K
Richie Ashburn: 5-9, 3R, 2B, RBI, SB, BB, K
Bob Boone: 2-5, 2R, 2RBI
Larry Bowa: 2-7, 2R, SB, BB, K
Johnny Callison: 2-4, R, HR, 3RBI, BB
Dave Cash: 1-3, R
Darren Daulton: 0-6, R, K
Lenny Dykstra: 1-6, CS, BB, K
Del Ennis: 0-5, 4K
Granny Hammer: 0-4, BB
Ryan Howard: 0-4, 2K
Willie Jones: 1-9, BB, K
Chuck Klein: 1-4
John Kruk: 2-5, R, 2K
Mike Lieberthal: 1-3, R
Greg Luzinski: 2-8, R, HR, 3RBI, BB, K
Scott Rolen: 0-3, K
Jimmy Rollins: 3-3, 2R, SB, BB
Pete Rose: 1-7, RBI
Juan Samuel: 0-4, K
Mike Schmidt: 5-18, 4R, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 3RBI, CS, 3BB, 4K
Manny Trillo: 1-4
Chase Utley: 3-10, R, 2B, RBI, K
Shane Victorino: 1-2, R, K
PITCHING :
Jim Bunning: 4 IP, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 6K, 15 BF
Steve Carlton: 4 IP, 3H, 3R, 3ER, HR, 4BB, 4K, 17 BF
Gene Conley: 2 IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 1BB, 2K, 7 BF
Roy Halladay: 2.2 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K, 9 BF
Cole Hamels: 2 IP, 2H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 0K, 7 BF
Cliff Lee: 2.2 IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 0K, 12 BF
Art Mahaffey: 4 IP, 2H, 3R, 3ER, 2HR, 2BB, 1K, 17 BF
Robin Roberts: 14 IP, 17 H, 10R, 10 ER, 3HR, 6BB, 9K, 1WP, 62 BF
Curt Schilling: 4 IP, 5H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 6K, 1WP, 17 BF
Chris Short:3 IP, 3H, 2R, 2ER, 1BB, 2K, 13 BF
Curt Simmons: 6 IP, 4H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, 4K, 26 BF