The first logo, which means "Philadelphia Baseball Club" is a few years into the history of the Phillies. The original name of the team, Quakers, was dropped in 1889. Since then, 134 years of City of Brotherly Love (Hah!) is defined by the unoriginal, but understandable name.
The Phillies.
The history of the team can be summed up as Decades of Frustration followed by a few Years of Near Misses.
It took the Phils 32 years from their inception to finally make it to a World Series, 1915.
They won one game against the Babe Ruth (yes) led Red Sox.
Another 35 years of cellar-dwelling followed. In 1950 they finished first by one game in front of the Brooklyn Dodgers . . . by winning the last game of the season . . . in extra innings.
Then got swept by the loathsome Yankees.
The Phillies had been in existence for 67 years and had one World Series victory to show for it. Lotsa second division occupancy, but not much else.
Chuck Klein, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Ed Delahanty, Richie Ashburn, Robin Roberts. A few Hall of Famers in that time, but not many.
Meanwhile, across town, the Philadelphia Athletics represented the American League in the World Series nine times in 31 seasons, winning five. Connie Mack was the most recognizable manager in baseball, and that's saying something given the presence of John McGraw, Leo Durocher, and Miller Huggins in nearby New York City.
In fairness, the last 73 years of Phillies' baseball (1951 - 2023) lists the following successes:
- Six World Series with two wins
- Fourteen playoff appearances
- Hall of Famers; Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Pete Rose (sorta), Curt Schilling
- 1993 and 2022 provided rosters filled with a buncha guys not familiar with
deodorant, but very familiar with a sense of humor
Is it any wonder when a Phillies team comes along and competes for the championship, the city turns into four million Mister Hydes? Nearly a century and a half of existence and Philly celebrates two parades down Broad Street.
Two.
And while I have the older guy sensibility of loving a team and being happy as long as they are competitive, I'll pass on seasons such as 1961. The Phils went 47-107 and finished 46 games behind Cincinnati. They averaged 100 losses a year from 1939 through 1946. Blame the war, if you like. I blame the Phillies.
No matter what happens this year, be happy for the Phils. They'll slip back into mediocrity, or worse; bring minor leaguers up too soon; and pay too much for veterans on the other side of the peak.
Get loud Phillies fans.
You've earned it.
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