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The Top 10 Most Heartbreaking Losses In Phillies History

I recently came across a sports illustrated article commemorating the Phillies for their long history of losing. So long in fact that the Phils, the losingest franchise in all of sports, now stand just 6 losses away from the greatest milestone in futility yet accomplished, 10,000 losses in franchise history. With the heartbreak of yesterday's doubleheader, and that milestone looming, I though it might be interesting to take a look back at some of the Phils toughest losses. By definition heartbreaking means causing or marked by grief and anguish, and experiencing or marked by or expressing sorrow especially that associated with irreparable loss. In other words these 10 losses are those that Phils will never live down. The ones that they want to forget but never will. So all that said lets get started.

10. All of them.

Yes that's right I said all of them. Whether you're a player, coach or just a diehard, any loss by your team hurts. Some may hurt more than others, but in the end they all do. When you are the losingest franchise in sports, you learn pretty quickly that you have to be able to forget about them and move on, but as these next few losses can attest that's not always easy to do.

9. October 13, 1915 World Series Game 5, Boston Red Sox 5 - Phillies 4

Okay so only you 100 year olds out there probably remember this one, but that doesn't make it any easier swallow. The original "worst to first" team, the 1915 Phils had finished in 6th place a year earlier, but now with Grover Cleveland Alexander winning 31 games and Gavvy Cravath slamming a then single season record 24 homers, they romped to 90 wins and their first NL Pennant by 7 games over the Braves. Still, most experts didn't give them a chance in the World Series against the powerful Boston Red Sox. That didn't phase the Phils who shocked Boston by taking game 1, 3-1 behind Alexander's complete game. The Philadelphia A's had been heavily favored to win the 1914 series, but the Boston Braves swept them, would the Phillies now return the favor against Sox? not so fast. Boston won the next 3 games 2-1, twice knocking in the winning run in the 9th inning, then came the real crusher. For the first time since game 1 the Phils actually led late 4-2 on a two run double, and a homer by team captain and 1st baseman Fred Luderus, but it wouldn't be enough. Eppa Rixey, pitching in relief of Erskine Mayer, had shut down the Sox through 7, but in the 8th he was undone by a fatal move by owner William F.Baker. In an effort to increase ticket sales, Baker had placed extra seats in front of the left-field bleachers and right center field, reducing the size of the playing field at his namesake the Baker Bowl. In the 8th and 9th inning the Sox twice homered into the new seats, with Duffy Lewis tying it on a 2 run homer in the 8th, and future Hall of Famer Harry Hooper putting the Sox ahead with a solo shot in the 9th and just like that the Phils first word title had slipped away to Boston. It would be 35 years before they would have another shot at it.

8. October 16, 1983 World Series Game 5 Baltimore Orioles 5 - Phillies 0

3 years after their first and only World Championship in 1980, The Phils returned to the fall Classic led by a new cast of characters known as "the wheeze kids" because of their extraordinary old age. 42 year old Pete Rose, 41 year old Tony Perez, and 39 year old Joe Morgan reignited the big the red machine in Philly, and led the Phils to a division title and then a dramatic NLCS victory over the L.A Dodgers who had beaten them twice before in the 1977 and 1978 NLCS. Then Cy Young award winner John Denny, one of the few younger players on the team, pitched a complete game to help the Phils take game 1, 2-1 in Baltimore. Unfortunately, Baltimore was just too much for the Phils. They took the next 3 games by excruciatingly close margins, including consecutive 1 run losses in games 3 and 4. Game 5 by contrast was no contest, which was made it so tough to endure. It all just felt so final, as the Phils gave no indication that they any fight left in them. Future Hall of Famer, Eddie Murray hit two towering homers and Scott Mcregor pitched a complete game shutout in the all too convincing 5-0 clincher. The Wheeze kids had wheezed their last, and their fans were forced to watch another road team celebrate a world title in their house.

7. October 4-7, 1950 every game of the 1950 World Series.

Most people will still say that all they remember from 1950, was Dick Sisler's "shot hear round Philadelphia" which gave the Phils the pennant on the last day of the season, but its only because they don't want to remember what happened in the series. Unfortunately, that clinching victory required a monumental 10-inning effort from staff ace Robin Roberts, pitching his 3rd game in 5 days. Thus, the exhausted Roberts was unavailable to pitch game 1 of the series. So instead the "whiz kids" as they were known due their average age of under 30, went with one of their few older players, 31 year old Jim Konstanty, who was actually a rookie, and their closer for that matter. Although Konstanty had not started a game all season, he looked as if he had, going 8 innings while allowing only 1 run, but the Phils offense ran into Yankee Ace Vic Rashi who threw a 2 hit shutout for the 1-0 win in Philly, at Connie Mack stadium(although no one called it that then, as it was still known as Shibe Park). In Game 2 Robin Roberts returned to pitch a 9 inning 1-1 duel with Allie Reynolds. Then the yankee clipper, Joe Dimaggio clipped a solo shot in the 10th inning to put the Yanks up 2-1 and that was enough to win yet another game in Philly. In game 3 the Phils called on Ken Heintzelman who won 17 games for them in 1949, but in 1950 he was only 3-9. On this day though he looked like the old Heintzelman, carrying a 2-1 lead into the 8th, the Phils only lead of the series. Unfortunately, he chose then after 2 quick outs to come back down to earth walking 3 straight batters. In came Konstanty to save the day, which he did inducing a ground out, but Granny Hamner booted it and the tying run scored. Somehow Konstanty got the next batter to end the inning, but it didn't matter as the Yanks scored again in the 9th to win 3-2, and just like that the Phils had lost 3 in a row by 1 run. Then in game 4 the Phils ran into a young lefty in his 1st world series. He was none other than future Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, and he breezed into the 9th inning with 5-0 lead, poised to shutout the Phils, but a Jerry Woodling error opened the door for the Phils to score 2 and cut the lead to 5-2. Unfortunately that woud be as close they would get and so ended the closest 4 game sweep in world series history.

6. October 2, 2005 Astros 6 - Cubs 4.

Over the last 4 years the Phils have come excruciatingly close to reaching the playoffs as the wildcard. They never came closer though than they did in 2005. Late in the season they found themselves 5 games behind the Astros in the wildcard with only a week to play and things didn't look so good, but then a funny thing happened. After a string of dramatic victories, and surprising losses for the Stros, the Phils suddenly found themselves just one game back on the final day of the season. All they needed was a win and an Astros loss to the Cubs to force a one game playoff for the wildcard, which incidentally would have taken place in Philly at Citizens Bank Park. The Phils got their win easily against the Washington Nationals, 10-1 and for a while it looked as if the Cubs would provide the loss. After trailing 3-0 for 4 innings, the Cubs surged ahead 4-3 in the top of the 6th. Then in bottom of the 6th Neifi Perez committed a rare throwing error and Houston went back ahead 5-4 and later added another run to go ahead 6-4 heading into the 9th. The Cubs got their leadoff man aboard in the 9th, but couldn't get the hit they needed tie it up again. The last batter Jose Macias, lined what appeared to be an RBI single to cut the lead to 6-5, but it went right into the glove of second baseman Eric Bruntlett to end the game, and just like that the Bank's first playoff game had slipped away.

5. October 7, 1978 NLCS Game 4 L.A Dodgers 4 - Phillies 3, final in 10 innings.

The Phils had already lost the last 2 NLCS including a 4 game heartbreaker to the Dodgers the year before. Now they were back for the 3rd year in a row, but initially it just looked like more of the same. The Dodgers won the first 2 games of the series in Philly easily, 9-5 and 4-0, but suddenly the Phils and Steve Carlton(god only knows why Manager Danny Ozark waited until now to give him the ball) took game 3 9-5 and Phils fans were at the edge of their seats all over again. Game 4 started well, as the Phils took a 2-1 lead in 3rd on a homer by Greg Luzinski. The Dodgers tied it in the 4th on a Ron Cey solo homer, then Steve Garvey put them ahead 3-2 in the 6th with his 4th and final homer of the series. The Phils tied it one last time in the 7th on a solo homer by Bake Mcbride, but after that the two team's bullpens dueled all the way into the tenth inning. Try as they might, the Phils just couldn't get that one run they needed to force a decisive game 5, and instead in the bottom of 10th the Dodgers struck. With 2 outs in the inning Tug Mcgraw walked Ron Cey, Dusty Baker reached on a rare error by Gary Maddox, and Bill Russell ripped a single into centerfield to score Cey with the winning run. Once again for the 3rd year in a row the Phils had failed to reach the world series.

4. October 20, 1993 World Series Game 4 Toronto Bluejays 15 - Phillies 14.

Most people will tell you that the Phillies lost the 1993 World Series in the 9th inning of game 6, but the series truly got away from them in this game. Trailing 2-1 in the series, the Phils desperately needed this one to pull even at two games a piece. They quickly fell behind 3-0 in the 1st inning, but the Phils came right back with 4 in the bottom of the inning. A 2 run homer by the dude, Lenny Dykstra pushed the lead to 6-3 in the 2nd inning. Toronto came right back with 4 of their own in 3rd inning for a 7-6 lead. Mariano Duncan tied it at 7 with an RBI single in the 4th. Then the Phils exploded for 5 runs in the 5th inning, on a 2 run homer by Darren "Dutch" Daulton, a double by Milt Thompson, and another 2 run homer by Lenny Dykstra. Now it finally seemed as if the Phils might have put it out of reach with a 12-7 lead, but Toronto just wouldn't go away. They put up 2 in the 6th to cut the lead to 12-9, then after the Phils had scored a run each in the 6th and 7th innings to up the lead to 14-9, Toronto erupted in the infamous 8th inning. The "wild thing" Mitch Williams had come in to close out the game for a 2 inning save, but he and his exhausted slide step were no match for the Toronto onslaught. The Jays scored 6 in the 8th to go ahead for good 15-14. The Phils had a shot to come back one more time in the 9th, but they had nothing left, and went down in order. Toronto thus had itself a 3 games to 1 lead at the expense of a depressed city and team.

3. October 23, 1993 World Series Game 6 Toronto Bluejays 8 - Phillies 6.

Thanks to Curt Schilling's complete game shutout in game 5, the Phils returned to Toronto for game 6, and most experts felt that if they could just pull this one out, they would win it all with Danny Jackson on the mound in game 7. At first it didn't look so good, as the Blue Jays again went ahead 3-0 in the first inning. The 1993 Phils were fighters though, and they did just that. Jim Eisenreich singled in a run in the 4th to cut the lead to 3-1. Toronto came back with runs in the 4th and 5th for a 5-1 lead, but the Phils were game enough to battle back one last time. In the 7th, Lenny Dykstra hit a 3 run homer to cut the lead to 5-4, then Dave Hollins singled in a run to tie it at 5 and then scored on a pinch sac fly by Pete Incaviglia to put the Phils ahead 6-5. That lead stood until the bottom of the 9th, as a tired Mitch Williams entered the game, with the Phils just 3 outs away from game 7. The "wild thing" walked leadoff man Ricky Henderson, then after inducing a flyout, a single by Paul Molitor put the winning run on first with just one out. Still, Williams had pitched out of bigger jams all year long, and he could certainly do it again couldn't he? Not this time. In came Joe Carter to bat with 2 on and 1 out and well, you know what happened next. "Touch em all Joe, you'll never hit bigger homerun in your life."

2. "Black Friday" October 7, 1977 NLCS Game 3 L.A Dodgers 6 - Phillies 5.

For the second year in a row the Phils had won a franchise best 101 games and many thought they were the best team in baseball. The year before they'd been swept easily by Cincinatti's "big red machine" but now there was no doubt they were going to beat the Dodgers. After splitting the first 2 games in L.A the Phils returned to the Vet, for what supposed to be the greatest moment in their history. Initially, it looked like it would live up to its billing. The raucus home crowd booed Dodger starter Bert Houton so heavily in the second inning, that he walked in 3 straight runs. The Phils the breezed through the rest of the game, taking a 5-3 lead into 9th. Unfortunately, all most Phillies fans remember is what happened next. Gene Garber (Unfortunately, Tug Mcgraw didn't become the team's regular closer until 1978, but they could've used him here) came into in to close it out in the 9th and got two quick outs, but then everything that could've gone wrong did. With 2 outs 41 year old Vic Davilillo came up for the Dodgers, and bunted, yes bunted, and somehow beat it out, but no matter Garber would surely get next guy right? Well not quite. In every similar situation throughout the season manager Danny Ozark had lifted leftfielder Greg "the bull" Luzinski in favor of defensive replacement Jerry "Mud" Martin. Tonight, Ozark apparently fell asleep, leaving the Bull in the game, and the next batter, 39 year old Manny Mota lofted a high fly ball right at him. Luzinski backed up, got under the ball and actually had it in his glove for a second, but he couldn't handle it, allowing Davalillo to score from first. Then Ted Sizemore threw away the relay throw from Luzinski and Mota moved up to third, putting the tying run on 3rd for current Phillies first base coach Davey Lopes. Lopes hit a rocket right off the shoulder of Mike Schmidt into the glove of Larry Bowa who fired to first, beating Lopes by a stride, and finally ending game, or so he thought. Umpire Bruce Froemming, the original Denkinger, called him safe, although replay cameras clearly showed Lopes out. Things only got worse from there. Gene Garber apparently lost his mind for a second and threw wildly to first, in an effort to pick off Lopes, instead the ball got through 1st baseman Richie Hebner and Lopes moved up to 2nd. Next up was Bill Russell, the same Bill Russell who would end the 1978 NLCS, although Phils fan only remember him for what he did next. Russell singled to score Lopes and just like that the raucus crowd had gone totally silent and the Phils were behind 6-5. They had one more chance to come back in the bottom of the 9th, but the Phils were still too stunned to do so as they went down in order. L.A then took game 4 to the win the series and Phils fans were left to ponder what might have been.

1. "Say it ain't so Chico" September 21, 1964 Cincinnati Reds 1 - Phillies 0.

Okay so this game sounds innocent enough, I mean it's a September game, how bad could it be. Well, let's just stay it what's happend after the game that put this one on the list. The year was 1964, and it was going to be the Phillies year. Everything was going their way, Dick Allen had clubbed 29 homers to win rookie of the year, Jim Bunning had pitched a perfect game on Father's day, Johnny Callison had won the all-star game with a 3 run homer and was named MVP of the game, still the only the Phillies player to be so honored, and now with just 12 games to play they were leading the NL by 6 and 1/2 games and seemed well on their way to their first pennant since the whiz kids 14 years ago. Everyone was sure they'd win the pennant and the series. In fact the Phils and their delirious fans had already begun printing out World Series tickets. Then came this game. It started fairly innocently with the two teams sailing through 5 and 1/2 scoreless innings. Then in the 6th inning with Art Mahaffey on the mound for the Phils and Frank Robinson at the plate, and a runner on 3rd everything still seemed normal, but something suddenly caught Mahaffey's eye as he readied to throw his next pitch. The runner on 3rd, little known rookie Chico Ruiz had suddenly broke crazily for home plate. Was he going to steal home, with Frank Robinson at the plate? Mahaffey sure thought so. He freaked out at the sight of Ruiz and threw wildly towards catcher Clay Dalrymple. Dalrymple never had a chance, and the ball got away from him, allowing Ruiz to score for a 1-0 Reds lead. It proved to be the difference as the Reds got the win, but it wound up as so much more than that. The Phils apparently never got over the shock of Ruiz stealing home and well, by you've probably heard about the rest. Manager Gene Mauch panicked and began repeatedly starting aces Chris Short and Bunning on two days rest, as the Phils went on to lose 10 in a row and drop out of the lead in the NL. Still, an exhausted Short and Bunning somehow won the Phils last 2 games and all they needed was one more Cardinals loss to the Mets in order to force a one game playoff for the pennant. Of course the Mets fell to St. Louis 11-3, and so ended the greatest late season collapse in the history of sports. Adding further insult to the Phils collapse, the Cards led by Bob Gibson, wound up beating the Yankees in 7 games in the world series, leaving the Phils and their fans to wonder yet again. Why oh why couldn't that have been the Phils winning in 7 and not the Cards?

Well, that ends this list so now that all these losses are out of your memory, its time to flip on the Phils game and wait for some much better moments.