Number One: There's a catch, I could not decide on a clear cut number one "unknown" Philadelphia Phillie. So I will leave it up to you, the readers. Which one should be number one? I'll provide you the stats for each ballplayer listed below, en which you can make your decision.
Del Ennis, Outfielder, 1946-1956
About Del Ennis: A natural outfielder from birth. Played the majority of his career in Philadelphia as a Phillie or back in those days, as a Philadelphia "Blue Jay". Born in Philadelphia in 1925, started his career in Philadelphia in 1946. At one point held the Phillies all-time Home Run record with 288 Home Runs, which was later surpassed by the great, Michael Jack Schmidt.
Career numbers with Philadelphia: 1603 Games, 6327 AB, 1809 Hits, .286 BA, 259 HR, 1160 RBI, Three time All-Star.
Career (Overall: 14 seasons): 1903 Games, 7254 AB, 2063 Hits, .284 BA, 288 HR, 1284 RBI,
Billy Hamilton, Outfielder, 1890-1895
About Billy Hamilton: William Robert Hamilton known as "Sliding Billy", invented the modern day stolen base. Played during the "Dead Ball Era" of baseball. Born in 1886, in Newark, New Jersey. Hamilton started his career as an amateur with the Kansas City Cowboys of the now defunct American Association.
Career numbers with Philadelphia (6 seasons): 729 Games, 2993 AB, 1079 Hits, .361 BA, 23 HR, 367 RBI, 508 SB
Career (Overall: 14 seasons): 1591 Games, 6268 AB, 2158 Hits, .344 BA, 40 HR, 736 RBI, 902 SB. Hit over .400 once (.404 in 1894), Hall of Famer (1961)
Ed Delahanty, Second Baseman, 1888-1889, 1891-1901
About Ed Delahanty: Edward James Delahanty known as "Big Ed" started his career with the Phillies in 1888. Played during the "Dead Ball Era" of baseball. Born in 1867, one year after the United States Civil War (or in the South, "The War of Northern Aggression) had ended. Had four other brothers, all of which played baseball.
Career with Philadelphia (13 seasons): 1555 Games, 6359 AB, 2213 Hits, .348 BA, 87 HR, 1286 RBI, 411 SB. Hit over .400 three times with the Phillies (.407 in 1894, .404 in 1895, .410 in 1899). Hit over .370 six times.
Career (Overall 16 seasons): 1835 Games, 7505 AB, 2596 Hits, .346 BA, 101 HR, 1464 RBI, 455 SB. Hall of Famer (1945).
And there you have it. You are now richer in the knowledge of the Philadelphia Phillies history of baseball and their ballplayers.
Of course what do I know? I am just a knuckle headed 19 year old kid.
Thanks for reading.
Posts
To those of us old enough to remember the Whiz Kids, Del Ennis WAS NOT a Phillie you never knew about. He was the clean up hitter who led the Phils for years in RBI as well as home runs.
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, like all establised Phila. heros, he was booed whenever he did not produce( and we only boo those we know about). As the Phila. Bulletin once said, Del could hit home runs in each of his first three at bats, strike out in his forth at bat and we would boo him.
See if you can find some Bio material on Ossie Osborn - not the Rock god/Prince Of Darkneess, but a Phillies Outfielder from 100 years ago
ReplyDelete(1907-1909 to be exact). Rather than the ones you cited - who are some of the best players in Phillies history and have their plaques on the Phillies Wall Of Fame - this namesake to the Black Sabbath star is truly "A Phillie You Never Knew About".