History of The Philadelphia Phillies - "Phold" of 1964

"Phold" of 1964

The Phillies remained competitive for most of the first half of the 1950s, only to sink back to mediocrity for most of the second half of the decade. However, during 1962 and 1963, the Phillies began to climb back to respectability. Throughout the 1964 season, they seemed destined to make it to the World Series, with excellent performances from players such as rookie third baseman Dick Allen, starters Jim Bunning (obtained from the Detroit Tigers at the start of the season to shore up the pitching staff) and Chris Short, and star right fielder Johnny Callison. On Father's Day, Bunning pitched a perfect game against the New York Mets, the first in Phillies history. TV Guide went to press with a World Series preview that featured a photo of Connie Mack Stadium. However, from a 6 1⁄₂-game lead on the Cincinnati Reds with 12 games remaining in the season, Philadelphia collapsed in a 10-game losing streak (the first seven played at home). The crucial series came when the now second-place Phillies traveled to St. Louis to play the Cardinals after their losing home stand. They dropped the first game of the series to Bob Gibson by a 5–1 score, their eighth loss in a row, dropping them to third place. The Cardinals would sweep the three-game set and assume first place for good. The Phillies still had a chance to force an unprecedented three-way tie for first after the Cardinals dropped the first two games of their last season series to the New York Mets. However, the Cardinals won their last game of the season, leaving the Phillies tied with the Reds for second place—just one game out of first. The "Phold", as it is known, is one of the most notable collapses in sports history.