Beyond the 'glory' of 10,000 Phillies' losses
By: Mike Mazzeo
Issue date: 7/27/07 Section: Sports
Originally published: 7/28/07 at 12:53 AM EST
Last update: 7/28/07 at 12:52 AM EST
Originally published: 7/28/07 at 12:53 AM EST
Last update: 7/28/07 at 12:52 AM EST
Isn't 10,000 just some number in an infinite set? Or does it have greater meaning?
Sure, like millions of other Americans, I watched the Phillies get shellacked 10-2 while Phillies' pitchers served up six gopher balls on the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball Game of the Week. Sure, when Ryan Howard finally struck out I knew that the Phillies had achieved the rather dubious honor of losing 10,000 baseball games in their history.
However, I came to the conclusion that this number "10,000" had more meaning.
Obviously the team had garnered an immense amount of media coverage due to the record and while it wasn't all positive, it did in fact give people a reason to want to research the history of the team. I know I did.
Being from North Jersey and rooting for the Yankees my whole life, I had only been an outside observer of the lovable team of losers from Philadelphia. I felt I almost had an obligation to figure out how one of the original franchises in baseball had collected 10,000 losses.
My research took me no further than a sign at the Phillies game I was at on Friday which read "7 Stadiums, 52 Managers, 2150 Players, 10,000 Loses" (I didn't make up the "Loses" part - that's what the sign said).
That amounts to 125 seasons from the Philadelphia Quakers of 1883 to the Phillies of 2007. From Recreation Park on the Corner of 24th and Ridge to Citizens Bank Park off Pattison and Broad Streets. From Harry Wright to Charlie Manuel. From Al Reach to David Montgomery. From Ed Delahanty to Chase Utley.
125 years and only one World Series title in 1980. Most of us at Drexel weren't even born when that happened. I certainly don't remember the 1993 World Series but I'm sure most of you die-hards remember when you were 6-8 years old staying up late watching the Phightin' Phils lose in heart break fashion when Joe Carter hit the walk-off homerun in Game 6.
What I realized was that the Phillies have just as big a tradition as anyone, but I think it took a number 10,000 for people around the country to realize that tradition.
Sure, like millions of other Americans, I watched the Phillies get shellacked 10-2 while Phillies' pitchers served up six gopher balls on the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball Game of the Week. Sure, when Ryan Howard finally struck out I knew that the Phillies had achieved the rather dubious honor of losing 10,000 baseball games in their history.
However, I came to the conclusion that this number "10,000" had more meaning.
Obviously the team had garnered an immense amount of media coverage due to the record and while it wasn't all positive, it did in fact give people a reason to want to research the history of the team. I know I did.
Being from North Jersey and rooting for the Yankees my whole life, I had only been an outside observer of the lovable team of losers from Philadelphia. I felt I almost had an obligation to figure out how one of the original franchises in baseball had collected 10,000 losses.
My research took me no further than a sign at the Phillies game I was at on Friday which read "7 Stadiums, 52 Managers, 2150 Players, 10,000 Loses" (I didn't make up the "Loses" part - that's what the sign said).
That amounts to 125 seasons from the Philadelphia Quakers of 1883 to the Phillies of 2007. From Recreation Park on the Corner of 24th and Ridge to Citizens Bank Park off Pattison and Broad Streets. From Harry Wright to Charlie Manuel. From Al Reach to David Montgomery. From Ed Delahanty to Chase Utley.
125 years and only one World Series title in 1980. Most of us at Drexel weren't even born when that happened. I certainly don't remember the 1993 World Series but I'm sure most of you die-hards remember when you were 6-8 years old staying up late watching the Phightin' Phils lose in heart break fashion when Joe Carter hit the walk-off homerun in Game 6.
What I realized was that the Phillies have just as big a tradition as anyone, but I think it took a number 10,000 for people around the country to realize that tradition.
