Legendary Phillies president being awarded team's highest honor

On August 17, the Philadelphia Phillies will honor and celebrate former team president and CEO David Montgomery posthumously with his induction into the team’s Wall of Fame.

Montgomery’s induction will take place during Alumni Weekend, which will also commemorate the 20th anniversary of the opening of Citizens Bank Park in 2004.

Legendary Phillies president being awarded team's highest honor

Montgomery’s career with the Phillies spanned almost five decades. He rose up the ranks from a ticket office representative to president and CEO, serving in the latter position from 1997 until 2014. During his time as team president, he oversaw perhaps the most dominant era in Phillies history, which included five NL East championships, 257 straight home sellouts and a World Series championship in 2008.

Prior to his time as president, he was a scoreboard operator for the 1980 World Series team, making him one of the few individuals to be a part of both World Series championship teams. In addition to the on-field success, Montgomery was also a vital part of the team’s move to Citizens Bank Park. He had a huge impact on the design and construction of the now-famous ballpark.

Montgomery took a leave of absence from the organization in 2014 while he underwent treatment for jaw bone cancer. He later returned to the team in 2015 as chairman, while former general manager Pat Gillick assumed the full-time role of team president. He would later step down permanently before passing away in 2019 after fighting cancer for over five years.

David Montgomery's impact continues to be felt in Philadelphia

Even after his passing, Montgomery still continues to have an impact on the organization as he played a major role in the city landing the 2026 All-Star Game, which will commemorate the 250th anniversary of Philadelphia as the birthplace of America. This was announced one month before his death and was an idea that Montgomery pushed for dating back to 2004, the year that Citizens Bank Park opened. The last time the Phillies hosted the All-Star Game was in 1996 in Veterans Stadium, which was one year before he took the reins as president. 

Montgomery will become the 48th member of the Phillies Wall of Fame and is being inducted one year after former team executives Ruly Carpenter and John Quinn posthumously received the honor along with former third baseman Scott Rolen. Other team executives to receive the honor include Pat Gillick, Dallas Green and Paul Owens. Players from Montgomery’s tenure who are enshrined in Ashburn Alley include Rolen, Pat Burrell, Roy Halladay, Jim Thome and Bobby Abreu. 

Festivities for the honor will take place before the Phillies-Nationals game on August 17 at 6:05 p.m. ET. Attendees for the ceremony will include members of Montgomery’s family and Phillies Wall of Famers, including those who were with the organization during his tenure.

Montgomery’s induction into the Phillies Wall of Fame is long overdue. His contributions to the team and city of Philadelphia will now live on forever on display in Ashburn Alley, a fitting tribute to the man who made Citizens Bank Park the place it is today.