Presented by the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
The Phillies beat their old pal Ranger Suarez and the Red Sox last night to take their fifth straight series thanks to another Kyle Schwarber homerun. The Eagles’ schedule was officially released after a week’s worth of leaks. What’s the over/under on the amount of snowballs at Santa jokes against the Texans on Christmas Eve? May 15 was a big day for Bobby Clarke and Smarty Jones
Happy Bobby Clarke Day #1
In Game 1 of the 1975 Stanley Cup Finals the Flyers beat the Sabres 4-1, all five of the goals in the game being scored in the 3rd Period. Bill Barber scored twice and Bobby Clarke added another to go along with two assists as the Flyers moved within three games of their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.
Happy Bobby Clarke Day #2
Five years later the Flyers were back in the Stanley Cup Finals and looking to even the series at a game apiece when they took on the Islanders at the Spectrum. The Flyers won 8-3 thanks in part to a goal and three assists by Bobby Clarke. Mike Holmgren had a hat trick becoming the first U.S. player have a hat trick in the Stanley Cup Finals.
Happy Bobby Clarke Day #3
Bobby Clarke, the Flyers personified, officially hung up his skates on this day in 1984. He wasn’t away from the team for long though as he accepted the general manager position. Clarke is the Flyers all-time leader scoring and worked in various capacities with the team over the years. Bobby Clarke is Mr. Flyer.
Unusual Walk Off
The Phillies and Giants played a thriller at the Vet in 1989 – as thrilling as a game that was scoreless through eleven innings could be anyway. In the top of the twelfth, Will Clark and Kevin Mitchell hit back-to-back homers to give the Giants the lead. In the Phillies half Dickie Thon and Steve Lake singled and were on base when Bob Dernier came up with two outs. Dernier hit a ball to left that Kevin Mitchell misplayed and eventually scored for the walk-off, inside-the-park homerun. The Phillies won it 3-2.
Trivia – The Phillies have been involved in three walk-off inside-the-park homeruns in their modern history. Dernier’s and last season when they were on the losing end against the Giants were two. Who hit the other one to give the Phillies a win? (Answer Below)
Smarty Mania
Smarty Jones won the 2004 Preakness by a whopping 11 ½ lengths to win the second leg of his bid for a Triple Crown. Starved for a winner, the Philly region embraced Smarty as Smarty Mania and Triple Crown Mania ran wild.
Thanks Obama
The 2008 Phillies were honored by President Obama on this day in 2009 for winning the 2008 World Series. Later that night they beat the Nationals 10-6 in 12 innings thanks to a 2-run single by Raul Ibanez and an RBI double by Pedro Felize.
Trivia Answer – Bobby Abreu hit a walk-off inside-the-park homerun in the 10th inning against the Giants on August 27, 2000.
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