The Whiz Kids and the 1950 Pennant

by Roberts, Robin; Rogers, C. Paul, III; Williams, Pat; Michener, James A.

• ISBN13: 9781566394666
• ISBN10: 156639466X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 1996-11-15
• Publisher: Temple Univ Pr

Summary

The 1950 Phillies unexpectedly captured the hearts and imaginations of Philadelphians. A young upstart team -- in fact, the youngest major league baseball team ever fielded -- they capped a Cinderella season by winning the pennant from the heavily favored Brooklyn Dodgers in Ebbets Field on the last day of the season. It was the first National League pennant for the team since 1915. With that dramatic victory the 1950 Phillies went into the history books, known forever as the Whiz Kids.

This inspiring era in Phillies history comes alive with the personal reflections of Robin Roberts, a Hall of Famer and arguably the best right-handed pitcher in Phillies history. Roberts recounts the moves, the trades, and the developments that put this young and talented team together. Co-author C. Paul Rogers III interviewed many of the other players from that memorable season, and even manager Eddie Sawyer. Their recollections, accompanied by more than 80 black-and-white photographs, offer an uncommon look at what went into building the extraordinary Whiz Kids. Rich with an

Table of Contents

A Special Tribute	ix
James A. Michener
Foreword	xiii
Pat Williams
Introduction	1	(7)
The Whiz Kids Win a Pennant	8	(8)
A Dismal Team History	16	(12)
The Carpenters Take Over	28	(19)
1947: Jackie Robinson, Treading Water, and Building for the Future	47	(18)
Cy and Me	65	(33)
Phenoms, the Hat, and the Babe Ruth of Cuba	98	(24)
Professor Sawyer Assumes Control	122	(27)
Near Tragedy	149	(29)
The First Division	178	(16)
Spring Training 1950: The Whiz Kids Give Notice	194	(23)
A Tense Pennant Race	217	(26)
August: The Whiz Kids Take Command	243	(38)
September Adversity	281	(28)
The Final Weekend	309	(30)
Epilogue The World Series and Beyond	339	(10)
Appendix A What Happened to the Whiz Kids	349	(10)
Appendix B Box Score of Pennant-Winning Game, October 1, 1950	359	(2)
Appendix C Individual Statistics for the 1950 Phillies	361	(2)
Appendix D The 1950 National League Race Month by Month	363	(2)
Appendix E Game-by-Game Summary of the 1950 Phillies' Season	365	(4)
Afterword	369	(4)
Select Bibliography	373	(6)
Index	379