Phillies FINALLY Win Hall of Fame Game

By Bob Warrington

The Philadelphia Phillies squared off against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on June 16th in this year’s Hall of Fame Game at historic Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, NY. Played annually since 1940, this year’s contest marked the first time that the Hall of Fame Game did not coincide with the Hall of Fame Induction Weekend. The latter took place in late July. Scheduling conflicts prevented the two events from occurring together.

The Phillies beat the Devil Rays 7-5 behind the pitching of Cole Hamels-the team’s first-round draft pick in 2002 and now a top-rated prospect in the farm system. Pat Burrell’s home run in the seventh inning broke a 5-5 tie, and Nick Punto homered in the eighth to give the Phillies an insurance run.

This was the sixth time the Phillies represented the National League in the Hall of Fame Game, and the first time they have won a game. Prior to this year’s contest, the team’s record was:

• 1948 — St. Louis Browns 7; Phillies 5
• 1958 — Washington Senators 5; Phillies 4
• 1965 — New York Yankees 7; Phillies 4
• 1977 — Minnesota Twins 8; Phillies 5
• 1994 — Seattle Mariners 4, Phillies 3

The Phillies were the only one of the original eight National League teams never to have won a Hall of Fame Game before this year’s victory. Also by winning, the Phillies helped redeem the honor of the Philadelphia Athletics, who played in two of the games before moving on to Kansas City and lost both of them:

• 1942 — St. Louis Cardinals 5; Athletics 2
• 1951 — Brooklyn Dodgers 9; Athletics 4

Philadelphia’s record of failure in the Hall of Fame Game has ended thanks to the Phillies’ victory in this year’s game. We can hope that putting this specter of defeat to rest will bode well for the Phillies’ chances to appear in post-season playsomething we’re also waiting to have happen.