Phillies Alumni: Outta Heeeree at The Vet
What follows is a large bundle of Phillies home run nuggets from the 33-year history of Veterans Stadium. From first to last, longest and career most to an ultimate grand slam. There’s even a category for homers hit by Phillies pitchers who batted during the Vet’s time.
To set the scene, the Vet’s playing dimensions of 330’ (LF); 408’ (CF); 330’ (RF) never changed.
3B Don Money hit the first homer, 6th inning, inaugural game (Bill Stoneman, Expos, 4/10/1971).
Last one goes to 1B Jim Thome, 8th inning (Will Cunnane, Braves, 9/27/2003). It was Thome’s 28th, most for any one Vet season.
Final tally for Phillies, 2,303. The enemy? Unknown.
Most for Phillies in one season, 101 in 1977. Fewest (full season) 47 in 1990 (Mike Schmidt’s first year of retirement).
Individually for Phillies: 265, Schmidt; 130, Greg Luzinski; 77, Von Hayes; 73, Scott Rolen; 69, Bobby Abreu. The enemy, 27, Barry Bonds.
Schmidt’s first homer (Balor Moore, Expos, 9/16/72) and last (Jim Deshaies, Astros, 5/2/89) came at home. Oddly, his 100th, 200th, 300th, 400th and 500th milestone homers all happened on the road.
Luzinski hit the most upper deck home runs, eight. His first big league home run landed in the upper deck in left field (Reggie Cleveland, Cardinals, 9/7/71). He also is the only player to hit a home run off the Phil and Phyllis/Liberty Bell home run display in dead center field.
A bull’s eye was painted on the backs of seats where Luzinski hit home runs in the upper deck. An “S” was painted on the backs of seats where Schmidt hit them, upper deck only.
Willie’s Star
Longest belongs to Willie Stargell, the Pirates' slugging first baseman. On June 25, 1971, against Jim Bunning, Willie hit a ball that landed in the exit of section 601 in right field. We were never able to get a measurement, let alone bat speed or launch angle.
“It was a high slider that I used to get Stargell out on, only I didn’t throw it hard enough and didn’t get it in. It got over the fat part of the plate. He couldn’t hit it any further,” said Bunning.
Shortstop Larry Bowa, “When he swung, you didn’t take your eyes off it because you wanted to see where it was going. It was majestic. I couldn’t believe how far that ball went. It would take me three swings to get one up there -- from second base.”
An interesting tidbit from Mike DiMuzio, then of the Phillies stadium ops, “The Stargell star was a wooden plaque placed on wall at the exit. It was stolen twice before we got smart enough and just painted it on the wall. It went down with the ship when the Vet was imploded.”
Memorable Homers
First Walk-off: Willie Montanez 9th inning (Milt Pappas, Cubs), 7/28/72; 2-0 final.
First ML At-bat: Ricky Jordan 7/17/1988 vs. Hou; Marlon Anderson (PH) 9/8/1998 vs NYM
First Hit a HR: Larry Christenson, 5/16/1975; vs. ATL; Ron Jones 8/26/1988 vs LAD; Chase Utley 4/24/2003.vs COL.
First Hit a Grand Slam: Chase Utley 2003.
Two in One Inning: Von Hayes 6/11/1985 vs. NYM, 1st inning (first player in MLB history).
Extra-inning Grand Slams: John Kruk 9/17/1989 vs STL 12th; Dale Murphy 8/6/1991 vs CHI 11th.
Pinch-hit Grand Slams: Davey Johnson 4/30/1978 vs SD (Bob Shirley); Davey Johnson 6/3/1978 vs LAD (Terry Forster); Bake McBride 7/8/1978 vs MTL (Rudy May); Ozzie Virgil 9/2/1983 vs SF (Gary Lavelle); Jim Eisenreich 8/23/1995 vs SD (Dustin Hermanson); Kevin Jordan 4/20/2001 vs ATL (Marc Valdes).
Ultimate Grand Slam: Bo Diaz 4/13/1983 vs NYM (Neil Allen), 2 outs, bottom 9th, walk-off.
First Inside-the-Park: Larry Bowa, 8/18/72 vs. HOU (Dave Roberts), bottom 1st.
Inside-the-Park, Extra innings: Bob Dernier 5/15/1989 vs SF (12th); Bobby Abreu 8/27/2000 vs SF (10th).
Consecutive At-bats: 4, Deron Johnson, 7/10 (1) & 7/11/1971 (3) vs MTL; Mike Schmidt, 7/6 (1) & 7/7/1979 (3) vs SF.
First time, 1st Two Batters, Game: Juan Samuel & Von Hayes, 7/29/1984 vs MTL (Gullickson).
First, Both Sides of the Plate**: Steve Jeltz**, 6/8/1989 vs PIT.
Pitchers
Most, Career: 4, Robert Person; 3, Rick Wise, Larry Christenson, Steve Carlton, Ken Brett.
First, 2 homers Game: Rick Wise, 8/28/1971 vs. SF.
Grand Slams: Rick Wise 8/28/1971 vs SF (gm 2) (Don McMahon); Jim Lonborg 6/24/1974 vs MTL (Chuck Taylor); Larry Christenson 9/27/1977 vs CHI; (Dennis Lamp); Jeff Juden 8/25/1995 vs LAD (John Cummings); Robert Person 6/2/2002 vs MTL (Bruce Chen).