On Matt Stairs' 50th birthday, relive the NLCS homer that turned him into a Philadelphia legend
Matt Stairs, who turns 50 today, played for 13 teams during his 19-year career. He started his career playing two seasons with the Expos and would go on to spend time with the Red Sox, Brewers, Pirates, Royals, Cubs, Rangers, Tigers, Blue Jays, Phillies, Padres, A's and Nationals. His longest tenure was for five years in Oakland, where he hit 122 dingers, slashed at a .268/.363/.509 line and routinely looked like a dude you did not want to mess with.
When a player dons so many uniforms, it's generally hard to decide which team he might call his true home. (Something that would've been even more pressing had he not been snubbed by the Hall of Fame.) But after the night of Oct. 14, 2008, it's safe to say that the man known as the Wonder Hamster became an honorary Philadelphian.
"I can't take easy swings," Stairs told the New York Times the next day. "I have to swing as hard as I can and come out of my shoes. It's just part of me."
The then-40-year-old, who was only acquired as an end-of-season rental on Aug. 30, went on to win a World Series with the team, signed a one-year contract in 2009, became a Phillies broadcaster, became the Phillies hitting coach and never, ever paid for a drink within the Philadelphia city limits again. He's now a hitting coach with the Padres -- the team with which he set the all-time mark for pinch-hit homers .
Either way, whether you're a Phillies fan, or just a big-time, dinger-digesting Matt Stairs fan, do a little flex in honor of his Golden Jubilee. He'd appreciate it.
