World Series Memories

October 21,1980 started out as a normal school day, sitting in Sister Franchesca's fifth grade classroom, with the exception of a bit of excitement in the air about the Phillies being in the World Series. Shortly before lunch someone came to the classroom door and the teacher said that I was wanted in the principal's office. I thought, "This can't be good."

As I headed down the hallway I saw my sister coming out of her first grade classroom. As I waited for her I thought, "This really can't be good, someone is sick or worse."

We knocked on the door and went in. Our father was in the office. Sister Innocenta (the principal) asked us if we had any plans for the afternoon.

"Umm, school, I guess."

"No," she replied. "Your dad is taking you to the World Series."

We returned to our rooms to colelect our things. Word started buzzing around the classroom, "James is going to see the Phillies tonight."

I actually think that I saw a smile on the teacher's face as I was leaving. The same teacher punished me for having a transistor radio in my desk with an earpiece that I ran up my sleeve to listen to day games.

After stopping home to change into our Philly gear and pick our Mom up, we packed a cooler because it turned out that this was a bus trip. The mood on the bus was incredible. People were cheering and yelling—and the game was five hours away.

Someone yelled, "Philadelphia is the center of the universe."

Not knowing any better I asked my dad if it really was and he said, "It is tonight."

It was absolutely electric outside Veterans Stadium. The Phillies were up three games to two and playing at home. Incredible.

Inside the stadium, the noise was deafening, it was magical—65,838 people and I was one of them.  Section 708, row 6, seat 16, $15. Yes, $15 for a World Series ticket. When George Brett came to bat, the game was stopped so the ushers could pick up all the Preperation H tubes that were thrown onto the field.

Steve Carlton pitched a gem and the game moved along fairly fast, but in the ninth inning, with Tug McGraw (RIP) on the hill the Royals, down 4-1, loaded the bases with one out. Then came "The Play." Frank White hit a pop foul that bounced out of catcher Bob Boone's mitt, but Pete Rose was there to snatch it out of the air—incredible.

Mounted policemen were staged around the field. The crowd was going nuts, as Tugger struck Willie Wilson out to secure the Phillies first and only World Championship. It was 11:29 pm.