Thursday, October 19, 2006
The Wiz Kids, Part IV: April 18, 1950 – July 9, 1950
The Phillies began the 1950 campaign full of promise. 
The team was branded the “Wiz Kids” because of how young it was: the average age for a player on the team’s roster was 26. The Phils also began the season with new uniforms, so it was a new era at Shibe Park.
The first few weeks of the season were a mess, as the Phillies struggled to get out of the gate. The Phillies ended the month of April splitting a double-header with the Dodgers, which set their record at 6-6, good for a three-way tie for fourth place.
The Phillies got a hot hand in May, going 17-9 for the month. At one point the Phillies went 15-4, and jumped from sixth place to first
. Then the Phillies dropped a double-header to the Dodgers and lost 
eight of their next thirteen games, sliding third place, four games behind the St. Louis Cardinals.
For the rest of June the Phillies struggled to stay with the rest of the pack. Importantly the Phillies swept the Dodgers in three games and nearly made it four until an 8-8 tie was ended because of Philadelphia’s curfew law on July 2nd. In the days before the All-Star Game the Phillies took two of three from the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The Phillies entered the All-Star Break at 44-29, with a one game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals, a two game lead on the Braves and a four game edge on the Dodgers. The Giants were ten games back.
National League
Philadelphia: 44-29
St. Louis: 43-30
Boston: 42-31
Brooklyn: 39-32
Chicago: 33-38
New York: 34-40
Cincinnati: 29-44
Pittsburgh: 27-47
It was anyone’s race.
Tomorrow I'll preview the 2006 World Series.
The team was branded the “Wiz Kids” because of how young it was: the average age for a player on the team’s roster was 26. The Phils also began the season with new uniforms, so it was a new era at Shibe Park.The first few weeks of the season were a mess, as the Phillies struggled to get out of the gate. The Phillies ended the month of April splitting a double-header with the Dodgers, which set their record at 6-6, good for a three-way tie for fourth place.
The Phillies got a hot hand in May, going 17-9 for the month. At one point the Phillies went 15-4, and jumped from sixth place to first
. Then the Phillies dropped a double-header to the Dodgers and lost 
eight of their next thirteen games, sliding third place, four games behind the St. Louis Cardinals.For the rest of June the Phillies struggled to stay with the rest of the pack. Importantly the Phillies swept the Dodgers in three games and nearly made it four until an 8-8 tie was ended because of Philadelphia’s curfew law on July 2nd. In the days before the All-Star Game the Phillies took two of three from the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The Phillies entered the All-Star Break at 44-29, with a one game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals, a two game lead on the Braves and a four game edge on the Dodgers. The Giants were ten games back.
National League
Philadelphia: 44-29
St. Louis: 43-30
Boston: 42-31
Brooklyn: 39-32
Chicago: 33-38
New York: 34-40
Cincinnati: 29-44
Pittsburgh: 27-47
It was anyone’s race.
Tomorrow I'll preview the 2006 World Series.
Comments:
Some cool pics there. Do you know when the use of the term "fightin' Phillies" started? I have a 1950 fightin' Phillies NL champions pennant. Its awesome. In my book, its the best team nic in sports!
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