The Year of Blue Snow: The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies (SABR Digital Library)

356 pages, over 70 photographs Catcher Gus Triandos dubbed the Philadelphia Phillies' 1964 season "the year of the blue snow"€"a rare thing that happens once in a great while. The Phillies were having a spectacular season in which everything was going right. They held a 6 1/2 game lead on September 20, with just 12 games to play. But the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals never gave up, and when the Phillies lost 10 consecutive games, it became a horrific collapse for Phillies fanatics. But wait a minute. When it was seemingly too late, the Phillies finally won a game€"and the first-place Cardinals lost two to the lowly Mets, so on the last day of the season there might be a three-way tie for first place. On the final day, the Phillies beat the Reds, 10-0. Could the Mets knock off the first-place Cardinals for a third straight game? The Mets carried a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth, but succumbed, 11-5. But what a season for Phillies fans. Jim Bunning threw the first NL perfect game in 84 years. The hero of the 1964 All-Star Game was Johnny Callison, who hit the third walk-off home run in the history of the All-Star Game. The team also boasted the electrifying NL Rookie of the Year, slugging third baseman Richie Allen (later called Dick Allen). In Philadelphia, the '64 campaign left an ache that lasted for years. This book sheds light on the facts for the reader to determine answers to lingering questions they may still have about the Phillies team in the 1964 season€"but any book about a team is really about the players. A collaborative effort by 37 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), this work offers life stories of all the players and others (managers, coaches, owners, and broadcasters) associated with this star-crossed team, as well as essays of analysis and historical recaps. Includes: Foreword by Mel Marmer Introduction by Mel Marmer Opening Day 1964 Dick Allen by Rich D€Ambrosio Rub©n Amaro by Rory Costello The Amaro Chronicles by Rory Costello Two Gold Glove Shortstops by Rory Costello Jack Baldschun by Chip Greene Dave Bennett by Mark Armour Dennis Bennett by Mark Armour John Boozer by Andy Sturgill Johnny Briggs by John Saccoman Jim Bunning by Ralph Berger Johnny Callison by John Rossi Danny Cater by Brian Englehardt Pat Corrales by James Ray Wes Covington by Andy Sturgill Ray Culp by Mark Armour Clay Dalrymple by Rory Costello Ryne Duren by Gregory H Wolf Tony Gonz¡lez by Jos© Ram­rez and Rory Costello Dallas Green by Gregory H Wolf John Herrnstein by Brian Englehardt Don Hoak by Jack V Morris Alex Johnson by Mark Armour Johnny Klippstein by Gregory H Wolf Gary Kroll by Neil Poloncarz Bobby Locke by Paul Geisler Art Mahaffey by Ralph Berger and Mel Marmer Cal McLish by Joe Wancho Adolfo Phillips by Rob Neyer Vic Power by Joe Wancho Ed Roebuck by Paul Hirsch Cookie Rojas by Peter Gordon Bobby Shantz by Mel Marmer Costen Shockley by Chip Greene Chris Short by Andy Sturgill Roy Sievers by Gregory H Wolf Morrie Steevens by Len Levin Tony Taylor by Rory Costello and Jos© Ram­rez Frank Thomas by Bob Hurte Gus Triandos by Neal Poloncarz Bobby Wine by Bob Bloss Rick Wise by Bill Nowlin Gene Mauch by John Vorperian Peanuts Lowrey by Dick Rosen George Myatt by John Green Bob Oldis by Dan Even Al Widmar by Gregory H Wolf Bob Carpenter by James Ray John Quinn by Rory Costello The Origins of the 1964 Phillies by Jim Sweetman How the 1964 Phillies Were Built by Mel Marmer Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium by James Ray Richie Ashburn by Seamus Kearney Bill Campbell by Curt Smith By Saam by Neal Poloncarz Jim Bunning€s Perfect Game by James Ray Johnny Callison€s All-Star Home Run by Mel Marmer In Defense of Chico Ruiz€s €œMad Dash€ by Rory Costello Pennant Was Stolen by Clem Comly Beyond Bunning and Short Rest: An Analysis of Managerial Decisions That Led to the Phillies€ Epic Collapse of 1964 by Bryan Soderholm-Difatte Epilogue by Clem Comly