Rolen joins Schmidt, Jones on Wall of Fame
The Toyota Phillies Wall of Fame began at Veterans Stadium as the Philadelphia Baseball Hall of Fame on Sept. 8, 1978. Robin Roberts was inducted for the Phillies and Connie Mack posthumously for the Athletics that first year.
From 1978 through the final year of the Vet (2003), members of the A’s were also selected yearly. A total of 25 former A’s were part of the Philadelphia Baseball Hall of Fame, starting with Mr. Mack. With the opening of Citizens Bank Park, the Wall of Fame continued with only Phillies legends.
Scott Rolen is the 39th Phillies player in the WOF. He joins Mike Schmidt and Willie Jones as the only third basemen. Dick Allen began his career at that position but played the most games at first base. (WOF plaques in bold).
Mike Schmidt
Third baseman
Phillies 1972-1989
Inducted 1990
One of baseball’s top home run hitters with 548. Won or tied for eight home run crows. Three-time MVP (1980, 1981, 1986). MVP of 1980 World Series. Won 10 Gold Gloves. Selected to 12 All-Star teams. Spent entire career with Phillies, collecting 2,234 hits, 1,595 RBI, and hitting .267 in 2,404 games. All-time club leader in games, at-bats, runs, hits, RBI, home runs, total bases, extra-base hits. Set club record with 48 homers in 1980. Holds NL records for most career innings played, assists, chances, double plays by a third baseman. Inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1995.
Born: Sept. 17, 1949, Dayton, Ohio
Michael Jack Schmidt was a shortstop at Ohio University when the Phillies selected him in the second round of the 1971 Draft and signed by scout Tony Lucadello. He played his entire 18-year-career with the Phillies, establishing himself as the greatest overall third baseman in the game’s history. Needless to say, he’s the greatest player in Phillies history. He held 18 NL hitting records and 10 league fielding records when he retired, an indication of his all-around skills. His No. 20 was retired in 1990. Schmidt was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Phillies fans turned Cooperstown into a sea of red during that induction, which included Richie Ashburn.
Willie Jones
Third baseman
Phillies 1947-59
Inducted 1995
Known as “Puddin’ Head,” Willie was the regular third baseman for a decade starting in 1949. As a rookie, he tied a club record and Major League record with four consecutive doubles in a game. Holds National League record for most consecutive years (four) leading league’s third basemen in fielding percentage. Tied NL record for most years leading in putouts (seven). Member of two All-Star teams. Hit .267 with 25 homers, 88 RBI with 1950 Whiz Kids. Was .285-22-81 the following year. Had 180 homers, 753 RBI in 1,520 Phillies games.
Born: Aug. 16, 1925, Dillon, S.C.
Died: Oct. 18, 1983, Cincinnati
Phillies scouts discovered Willie “Puddin’ Head” Jones playing sandlot baseball in his native South Carolina. Prior to the 1947 season, he received a $16,500 bonus to sign with the Phillies. His Major League debut came that September as a 22-year-old, hitless in one at-bat as a pinch-hitter in St. Louis. He was considered an excellent defensive third baseman. His 2,045 career putouts at third are the most in Phillies history. Starter at third for the NL All-Stars in 1950. A right-handed hitter with power, Jones hit .258 with the Phillies and had more walks than strikeouts, 693-493. He ended his career with Cleveland (1959) and Cincinnati (1959-61). He died at age 58.
Scott Rolen
Third baseman
1996-2002
Inducted 2023
Rolen won four of his eight Gold Gloves in Philadelphia (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002). NL Rookie of the Year in 1997, first Phillie since Dick Allen. Selected to his first of seven career All-Star teams in 2002 while playing for the Phillies. Among third basemen, Rolen ranked third in franchise history in home runs (150), extra-base hits (376) and walks (426), fourth in doubles (207), runs (533) and RBI (559) and fifth in hits (880) and games (844) at the time of his Wall of Fame induction. True five-tool player who batted .282 over parts of seven seasons in Philadelphia during his 17-year Hall of Fame career.
Born: April 4, 1975, Evansville, Ind.
Scott Bruce Rolen was an outstanding athlete at Jasper (Ind.) High School. During his senior year (1993), he was named Indiana “Mr. Baseball” and also selected to the Indiana All-State basketball team. A flurry of basketball scholarship offers included the University of Georgia. He committed to Georgia, but was signed by scout Scott Trcka when the Phillies made him a second-round selection. His pro debut came with the Martinsville Phillies in the Appalachian Rookie League, hitting .313 in 25 games, no homers and 12 RBIs. Rolen made his Major League debut on Aug. 1, 1996. He fell one at-bat short of exhausting his Rookie of the Year eligibility when he was hit by a pitch on Sept. 7, ending his season. He was the unanimous NL Rookie of the Year the following season. His 6 1/2 years with the Phillies were the longest of 17 seasons. In addition to the Phillies (1996-2002), he played in St. Louis (2002-07), Toronto (2008-09) and Cincinnati (2009-12). Rolen was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2023.
Career: Slashed .281/.364/.490 with 2,077 hits, 517 doubles, 316 home runs and 1,287 RBIs. All 17,479 1/3 innings were at third base. One of only 35 players with at least 2,000 hits, 300 homers and 500 doubles. Became 22nd of that group in the HOF. Among HOF third basemen, 517 doubles rank fifth; 316 home runs, sixth; career slugging percentage, fourth--Chipper Jones (.529), Mike Schmidt (.527), Eddie Mathews (.509), Rolen (.490).