Who are the only Phillies to hit 40 home runs in a season?

Cy Williams

After starting his career by playing six years with the Chicago Cubs, Williams was traded to the Phillies prior to the 1918 season. He continued his solid career in Philadelphia and was near the top of the home run leaderboard every year at a time when round-trippers were in extremely short supply. Then, in 1923, Williams absolutely exploded for 41 home runs to lead the National League (the second best total that year was 22). Williams became the first Phillies player to ever hit 40 in a season, although his team record would only stand for six seasons before Chuck Klein broke it.

Even today, 93 years after he took his final swing in an MLB game, Williams still ranks in the top 15 in Phillies history in games played, hits, runs scored, home runs, and other categories. Williams never won any major awards as a player, but he did lead the National League in home runs on four different occasions, so he was no slouch. He wasn't a Hall of Fame player, but Cy Williams was one of the top sluggers in the game as baseball emerged from its 'deal ball era' and realized that it was fun to embrace the home run.

Perhaps Kyle Schwarber and all of these great Phillies of yesteryear can be joined in the team's pantheon of 40-homer players in future years. We're especially looking at you to get here soon, Bryce Harper. It remains to be seen if anyone currently within the Phillies' organization has what it takes to get there someday, but you never can quite tell, and that's part of the beauty and allure of baseball. Yes, 40 home runs is just a number, and there's a lot more to baseball than just reaching a nice, round figure. But, wow, is it impressive.