That Balls Outta Here
FanSided

Phillies Wall of Fame candidate: Bake McBride

By Kerry Kauffman

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 28: A baseball with MLB logo is seen at Citizens Bank Park before a game between the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies on June 28, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 28: A baseball with MLB logo is seen at Citizens Bank Park before a game between the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies on June 28, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 10: Former Phillies catcher and Wall of Fame inductee, Mike Leiberthal addresses the crowd as he is watched by (L-R) Larry Bowa, Tony Taylor, his four year old son Merek and Greg Luzinski during ceremonies before the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citizens Bank Park on August 10, 2012 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images) /

Bake McBride was a major piece to the Phillies 1980 championship season.

Former Phillies outfielder Bake McBride has an opportunity to enter the team’s Wall of Fame this summer. A critical piece to the 1980 World Series team, McBride began his career in St Louis. He won Rookie of the Year honors in 1974, batting .309 with 30 stolen bases and 56 RBI.

McBride hit over .300 the next two seasons as well, with a career-high .335 in 1976, earning him his only All-Star appearance.

McBride was hitting .262 with the Cardinals in 1977 through 42 games before being traded to the Phillies for Tom Underwood, Dane Lorg, and Rick Bosetti.   McBride finished the season hitting .339 with 11 home runs and 27 stolen bases in 85 games. He went on to be a starter for the Phillies in right field for the next three seasons, posting a career-best 87 RBI along with a .309 average for the 1980 World Series champions.

His biggest moment in a Phillies uniform and perhaps his career was in the first game of the 1980 World Series. After falling behind 4-0 in the third inning against the Royals, the Phillies pulled to within two. McBride then launched a three-run bomb to right field, putting the Phillies up 5-4. The Phillies went on to win 7-6.

If not for McBride’s home run, perhaps the Phillies don’t win that game and the tone of the entire Series could have changed.

McBride remained with the Phillies through the 1981 season and played for the Indians in 1982 and 1983. An eye infection caused him to miss much of 1982 season and knee injuries and surgeries cut McBride’s career short, retiring at the age of 33.

McBride retired with 1153 hits, 63 home runs, 183 stolen bases and a .299 average. In five seasons with the Phillies, McBride hit .292 with 44 home runs and 258 RBI.

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