The Year of Blue Snow: The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies

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 at the conclusion of play on

September 20. With just 12 games to play, they seemingly had it made.

But the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals never gave up, and

when the Phillies lost ten consecutive games, it became a thrilling

pennant race for Cardinals and Reds fans, but 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 games to the

lowly New York Mets, so on the last day of the season there was the

distinct possibility of a three-way tie for first place. It would have

been a first in baseball history. On the final day of the season, the

Phillies beat the Reds handily, 10-0. All eyes and ears were fixed on

the Mets-Cardinals game. 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 inning, but finally succumbed, 11-5.



But what a season for Phillies fans. Jim Bunning had thrown the first

perfect game in the last 84 years of NL history. The hero of the 1964

All-Star Game was the team's right fielder Johnny Callison, who

brought the National League victory with 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 - the team's slugging third baseman

Richie Allen (later called Dick Allen).



St. Louis won the pennant, and went on to beat the Yankees in the

World Series. But in Philadelphia, the '64 campaign left an ache that

lasted for years. The 1964 Phillies not only "lost" the pennant but,

following 1964, they got steadily worse.



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

Rubén 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 González by José Ramírez 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 José Ramírez

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 C