The 25 Most Stunning Moments in Philadelphia Phillies' History

Everyone loves a good surprise, right?

The Philadelphia Phillies sure do, and luckily enough for just about every fan around the sport of baseball, the offseason is chocked full of them. Without the joy of actual baseball to occupy our daily lives, we fans of the sport rely on the secretive speculation of free agent destinations and the behind the scenes trade scenarios that every general manager plans for, but few pull the trigger on.

However, it would be asinine to believe that baseball's greatest stunning moments are limited to negotiations and paperwork. After all, some of the greatest, most surprising moments in the history of the game have come on the field, as a result of incredible, single handed performances or team accomplishments. Frankly, unless you've dusted off your crystal ball recently, none of us know what to expect during any given game, and that, in essence is why we love baseball.

The Phillies are one of baseball's longest standing franchises, so it shouldn't be much of a surprise (no pun intended) to learn that this franchise has had its fair share of surprises. Ranking them isn't easy, but allow us to take a glimpse at some of the most stunning moments in the history of the Phillies' organization.

25. In Case of Emergency, Use Stairs

In the grand scheme of it all, Matt Stairs' home run in 2008 of the National League Championship Series may have been nothing more than a speck of dust. But to the Philadelphia Phillies' and their fans, it was one of the greatest home runs of all time. A "moon shot," if you will.

Tied at five, the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had been battling the Phillies the entire game and had taken a commanding lead at one point, brought on their closer, Jonathan Broxton, to keep the score right where it was. After all, they had the last shot at home.

The Phillies and manager Charlie Manuel countered with Matt Stairs, a late-season pick-up who had been brought aboard to do just one thing—mash home runs against right handed pitching. Boy did he ever do that against Broxton, who left him a hanging fastball in the happy zone, and Stairs knows what to do with those.

He hit an absolutely bomb into the Los Angeles night sky that would crush the Dodgers' spirits and eventually help win the Phillies the series. They'd go on to win it all in 2008.

24. Ryan Howard's 58th Home Run

After watching what he was able to do while filling in for the injured Jim Thome, the Philadelphia Phillies' front office liked Ryan Howard a lot. They liked the former fifth round draft pick enough to trade Thome to the Chicago White Sox and let him play full time, and entering his first full season as the Phillies' first baseman in 2006, scouts believed he was a legitimate power hitter.

Obviously, they were right. Prior to Howard's home run heroics in 2006, the Phillies' record for home runs in a single season was 48 set by all-time great Mike Schmidt. Howard was about to set a new precedent in power, which was an impressive feat considering the fact that power hitters in general were shrouded in controversy.

During the 2006 season, Howard reached Schmidt's 48 home run mark with ease—and then added 10 more, setting a new single season home run record of 58. The Phillies believed they found their first baseman of the future, and that they did.

23. Mike Schmidt's 500th Home Run

So maybe Mike Schmidt's 500th home run in and of itself wasn't a "stunning" moment. After all, it isn't so hard to keep track of just how many home runs guys have as the media counts down the dingers until the goal is reached.

Schmidt was different though. Drafted by the club in 1971, he spent every inning of his Major League career as a member of the Phillies. He is undoubtedly the greatest Phillie of all time. In essence, he is the Phillies.

So as he approached the plate with 499 home runs under his belt, that next one was undoubtedly going to be special. With Harry Kalas making the call, Schmidt created a bit of Phillies history, a moment and a call that will forever live on as one of the greatest moments of this franchise.

22. Phillies Turn Jason Grimsely into Curt Schilling

Pillaging the roster of the Houston Astros was a tradition that began long ago.

Okay, I'm just kidding Astros' fans, but you know it's kind of true. After acquiring him in a deal for Glenn Davis, the Astros used Curt Schilling out of their bullpen, but from afar, the Philadelphia Phillies had grander ideas for the right-hander. They offered up a swap of pitchers—Schilling for Jason Grimsely—and the Astros decided to accept.

The Phillies quickly moved Schilling into the starting rotation where he blossomed into one of the best starting pitchers in baseball through the 1990s, helping lead the Phillies to the World Series in 1993. Overall, he collected 101 wins as a Phillie before he was traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for, well, nothing.

21. Phillies Give Up on Jack Sanford?

Jack Sanford may not be the most recognizable player of all time, but I think it's safe to say that the Philadelphia Phillies may have given up on him a little too soon. He signed with the Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1948, and in his first full season with the Phillies in 1957, he posted a record of 19-8 and an ERA of 3.08 to win the Rookie of the Year Award.

The next season, his record dropped to below .500, and his ERA bellowed up around five, but he was still just 29 years old. He had some trade value, sure, but he was also still a valuable commodity to the team. In spite of that, the Phillies decided to trade him to the San Francisco Giants Ruben Gomez and Valmy Thomas.

He would win 89 games for them and post an ERA of 3.61.

Photo Credit: www.wikipedia.org

20. Curt Flood Won't Play for the Phillies; Might Be a Good Thing

The Philadelphia Phillies were in a particularly sticky situation heading into the offseason prior to the 1970 season. At the forefront of their to-do list was finding a new home for disgruntled slugger Dick Allen. With teams aware of the situation, finding value in a deal would not be simple. 

The Phillies were able to agree to a deal quickly, however, as the St. Louis Cardinals were interested in Allen's bat. The Phils packaged him with Cookie Rojas and Jerry Johnson and sent them to the Redbirds for Curt Flood, Byron Browne, Joe Hoerner, and Tim McCarver. Though they had found a deal for their disgruntled slugger, the drama was just beginning.

Flood, claiming that he was being treated unfairly, refused to report to the Phillies. He had spent 12 seasons with the Cardinals and apparently was not open to change. The sticking point was that he was a major part of the deal. The Phillies wanted a good defensive outfielder that could hit, and Flood was a seven-time Gold Glove winner with a .293 career batting average.

His refusal to report to the Phillies would help lead to free agency in baseball, but he would need to be replaced for the deal to happen. The Cardinals agreed to send promising young outfielder Willie Montanez to the Phillies in his place, and though he posted a solid OPS of .738 in his Phillies' career, he just wasn't the guy they were looking for.

He would later be traded to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Garry Maddox, who would win seven Gold Gloves with the Phillies alone and .284 with the club over 12 seasons. Their search for a good defensive center fielder that could handle the bat had come full circle.

19. Rollins' Prediction

There is a case to be made that the devastating, walk-off home run by Joe Carter sent the Philadelphia Phillies into a long, spiraling decline. After that series, the exciting 1993 club fell apart. The Phillies missed on draft picks, Veterans Stadium was a terrible place to play home games and the raucous fanbase was getting thrown under the bus. 

Simply put, after that season many people questioned whether or not the Phillies could field competitive teams. For a long while, things weren't looking good. However, the wheels were set in motion during the 2000s. Big name free agents were lured to the city. A new ball park was built. Managerial changes were made.

By 2006, the Phillies were in pretty good shape, and following that season, one particularly energetic shortstops liked his team's chances. That man was none other than Jimmy Rollins, vocal leader of the Phillies and known competitor. After the New York Mets won the division in 2006, Rollins predicted that would be the last one they won for a while.

"The Mets had their chance to win the World Series last year," said Rollins during Spring Training prior to the 2007 season. "Last year is over. I think we are the team to beat in the NL East. But that's only paper."

Though that last part of the statement is often left out, the prediction spread like wildfire. The Mets in particular did not take kindly to the statement, but Rollins, the rest of the Phillies, and their newly energized fan base refused to back down.

The rest is history.

The Mets collapsed at the end of the 2007 season, allowing the Phillies to sneak in and grab the division. Though they were vanquished from the postseason early that year, it would be the first of five consecutive division titles and two World Series appearances (one victory.)

18. The 1993 Team—an Unlikely Bunch

The fact that the 1993 Philadelphia Phillies were able to even make it to the World Series was somewhat stunning. After all, they weren't even supposed to be the best team in their division. The Atlanta Braves had the talent and looks. They were the "professional" club, while the Phillies were struggling to put a team together.

A look up and down the roster shows why those were legitimate evaluations. The Phillies had a big first baseman with a mullet in John Kruk that couldn't hit for much power. Mitch Williams had a few screws loose. That much was obvious. They had beer guts and mullets, had too much fun playing the game and would never be successful, but it was chemistry that made them good.

Each member of the five-man starting rotation—Curt Schilling, Danny Jackson, Tommy Greene, Terry Mulholland, and Ben Rivera—all had double digits in the win column. The offense was led by "Macho Row," with characters like Kruk, Lenny Dykstra, Darren Daulton, and Dave Hollins leading the way. Somehow, they were able to get the job done on defense.

That 1993 team managed to win 97 games, and though they were ultimately defeated in the World Series by the Toronto Blue Jays, they took the fans on one exciting ride.

17. Phillies Acquire Jim Bunning for Pennies on the Dollar

By 1963, big right-hander Jim Bunning had already made a name for himself as a member of the Detroit Tigers rotation, collecting 118 wins. Though he posted an ERA of 3.88 in his last season as a Tiger, it was stunning in and of itself that they would even entertain moving him, let alone, for next to nothing in terms of value.

The Philadelphia Phillies jumped all over this deal, sending Don Demeter and Jack Hamilton to the Tigers for Bunning and Gus Triandos, who would later team up to throw a perfect game against the New York Mets.

Bunning was a great pick-up by the Phillies. He solidified the rotation and though he was overused by manager Gene Mauch, he was one of the best in baseball over that time period. He won 89 games as a Phillie and posted an ERA of 2.93, nearly capturing a Cy Young Award and making two All-Star teams.

16. Dick Sisler Sends the Phillies to the World Series

The 1950 season was a year chocked full of memories for the Philadelphia Phillies. An exciting team full of youth and exuberance, adequately named the Whiz Kids, had put up a great fight throughout the entire season, and now, on its final day, only the Brooklyn Dodgers stood between them and the World Series.

The game was infinitely exciting and even more stunning. Until about an hour before game time, no one knew who would be taking the mound. It was a must win for each club, and in the long run, manager Eddie Sawyer went with his best option—23-year-old ace, Robin Roberts, who had already won 19 games that season. He would be opposed by a 19-game winner in his own right, young ace of the Dodgers, Don Newcombe. 

Through the sixth inning, the game billed as a low-scoring affair was just that. Each team had pushed across a single run and nothing more, as both Roberts and Newcombe were as-advertised.

With Roberts still on the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning, Roberts worked into a bit of trouble, but was bailed out at home plate when Richie Ashburn threw a laser to nail Pee Wee Reese. Roberts was able to work through the inning unscathed, and the Phillies' came to bat in the top of the tenth inning.

In that half inning, Roberts and first baseman Eddie Waitkus were able to reach base on hits, and as was usually the case, Ashburn moved them over. Dick Sisler stepped to the plate needing just a fly ball to score the go-ahead run, but he got all of it. The ball cleared the outfield wall and the Phillies took a 4-to-1 lead.

Roberts would come back out to shut the Dodgers down in the bottom of the 10th inning, recording a complete game victory, his 20th of the season, and the Phillies' marched on to the World Series on the backs of heroics by him, Ashburn, and Sisler.

15. Phillies Trade Larry Bowa, Ryne Sandberg

There were so many stunning parts of this trade that I'm not sure where to begin. After spending 12 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, longtime shortstop Larry Bowa had worn out his welcome with management. The two sides jostled over his contract, among other things, and most people knew that he had a foot out the door.

Regardless of that, it is always surprising to see someone who spent such a long time with a team go elsewhere, and when the city of Philadelphia learned that someone new would be playing shortstop in 1981, they expected a nice return. After all, Bowa was just a season removed from helping lead the Phillies to a World Series title.

He was dealt to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for their starting shortstop, Ivan de Jesus. Of course, Bowa had a few fans in the Cubs' organization. Dallas Green, who had won a World Series as the Phillies' field manager, was pulling the strings, and he wouldn't agree to the deal unless he were able to acquire a lesser known player to make up for the gap in age. Bowa was a grizzled, 35-year-old veteran compared to de Jesus, a 28-year-old shortstop just hitting his prime.

Green was presented with a list of players to choose from and among them was a player he helped draft as a member of the Phillies' organization—Ryne Sandberg. He probably jumped out of his seat in Chicago. Sandberg would have a Hall of Fame career in Chicago as the Cubs' second baseman and de Jesus spent just three seasons in Philly.

To this date, it is one of the worst deals of all time for the Phillies.

14. Crazed Fan Shoots Waitkus

Most baseball fans are probably familiar with the man on the left. That man is none other than Roy Hobbs, a character that Robert Redford made popular in one of the all-time great sports films, The Natural.

Though it was never confirmed and most fans of the film are unaware of, the movie actually had very factual origins in Major League Baseball, specifically, in the history of the Philadelphia Phillies. The film is largely based on the story of All-Star first baseman Eddie Waitkus, who was shot by a crazed fan during a road trip to play the Chicago Cubs.

Waitkus, who had begun his career with the Cubs, had unknowingly made his biggest fan during his tenure there. Her name was Ruth Ann Steinhagen, and she had become obsessed with the first baseman. Watching him play his home games had allegedly satisfied her craving.

However, when Waitkus was traded to the Phillies, she lost it. During one of the team's road trips to Chicago, she signed into his hotel under an alias, shooting him in the chest with a rifle, narrowly missing his heart. He nearly died several times before making a full recovery.

He returned to the field just a year later and was named the league's Comeback Player of the Year. He even received a few votes for MVP, finishing 24th in the voting.

13. An Ace for an Ace

This story, of course, begins during the 2009 season, when the Philadelphia Phillies made a move at the trade deadline that would forever alter the history of the franchise. It had been rumored that general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. had long been in pursuit of Toronto Blue Jays' ace Roy Halladay, but was unwilling to deal the Phils' top pitching prospect, Kyle Drabek, in any deal for his services.

As the trade deadline drew near, the two sides were further apart than ever, and it became apparent that no deal between the Jays and Phillies would happen. Amaro swiftly moved on to plan B, landing Cleveland Indians' ace Cliff Lee for four much more tradeable prospects. Lee would go on to anchor the Phillies' starting staff in 2009, leading the team to an impressive run at the World Series, becoming a fan favorite in the process.

But it had long been clear that Halladay was the man that the Phillies wanted atop their rotation moving forward, and the team made a stunning move before the 2010 season, sending Lee to the Seattle Mariners for three prospects while finally dealing Drabek to the Jays for Halladay.

The Phillies were getting arguably the best pitcher in baseball—as he would prove the next season—but the public outcry was tremendous. In just a few months, Lee had settled into the heart of the Phillies' faithful, and watching him pitch in Seattle was a painful experience.

It would become an even more painful experience as the season progressed, as the Phils were vanquished from the postseason during the NLCS, and Lee, now a member of the Texas Rangers, would be given the chance to avenge them during the World Series, a task in which he ultimately could not accomplish.

12. Joe Carter Crushes the Phillies

Nowadays this moment seems like ancient history, but only because so many of us have tried our hardest to push this image out of our minds. The year is 1993 and the Philadelphia Phillies have some way, some how, managed to win the National League East. A lovable band of misfits that worked in unison with their fans, the Phillies shocked the baseball world by playing so well.

Now, however, the regular season was behind them and the cards were stacked against them heading into the postseason. In the back of every fans mind, they knew that this team was playing over its head, but they just gave off a vibe—a winning vibe—and by the time October rolled around, the city believed.

They met the Atlanta Braves, a team that many professionals believed was better suited for postseason play, in the National League Championship Series, and though eventful, dispatched of them in six games. This rag-tag group of guys was going to the World Series, where the talented Toronto Blue Jays awaited.

The Jays had home field advantage. The Phillies split the first two games on the road before returning to Philadelphia, where the fans were as loud as ever. However, the Jays jumped out to an early 3-0 lead against Danny Jackson in Game 3, and went on to crush the host Phillies, once again taking the series lead.

Game 4 is known as one of the strangest World Series games of all time. A seesaw affair, each team pounded the opposition's pitching staff. In a close, but heartbreaking defeat, the Phillies dropped Game 4 to the Jays 15-14.

Down three games to one, the Phils had their backs against the wall, but this team was the type of group that could deal with that pressure. They sent ace Curt Schilling to the mound for Game 5, and he shut the Jays down, winning the Phils their second game.

That set the stage for Game 6, in Toronto. Hanging on to a one run lead in the ninth inning, the Phillies called on "Wild Thing," Mitch Williams, for the save. The rest is history. Using a slide-step, he threw a fastball to slugger Joe Carter that just cleared the fence, a three-run bomb that captured the World Series title for the Blue Jays.

11. Rick Wise Can Do It All

Rick Wise, who was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent, had always been a good pitcher for the club. By the time the 1971 season rolled around, he was the best pitcher on the club—the ace. Everyone knew that he had the skill to throw a no-hitter, but whether or not he'd ever do it was anyone's guess.

On June 23, 1971, Wise brought his A game. With Tim McCarver behind the plate, Wise tossed a no-hitter against the Cincinnati Reds—a team that would ultimately finish in fourth place, but boast names like Pete Rose and Johnny Bench.

Wise's heroics were not limited to the mound, however. In the batter's box, he was giving the Reds nightmares. The Phillies' pitcher would also hit two home runs that day, and this game is arguably one of the greatest played by a pitcher of all time.

10. The Phold

Still without a championship to its name, the Philadelphia Phillies' franchise was in a good position to reverse its fortunes in 1964 entering the stretch run. With Jim Bunning and Chris Short heading the rotation and guys like Dick Allen and Johnny Callison propelling the offense, the Phillies held a six and a half game lead with just 12 games left to play.

They lost 10 in a row.

Then manager Gene Mauch had already been under fire for overworking his rotation, and he used his big guns, Bunning and Short, several times on short rest. Many who have recounted the collapse have blamed Mauch, citing terrible baseball strategy.

The city of Philadelphia just say in awe. This was the team that was supposed to win it all, and instead, they were watching the postseason from home. Would they ever win a World Series?

9. The Phillies Sign Pete Rose

The Philadelphia Phillies were a good team from the mid to late 1970s, but not good enough. Even with names like Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt, the team was unable to reach the ultimate goal—a World Series title. Like most baseball fans, the Phillies knew that they had a team that could make a run in 1979, so they went out and took a bit of a risk.

The Phillies inked free agent Pete Rose to a four-year contract, making him the highest-paid player at the time. As a third baseman with the Cincinnati Reds, Rose racked up hits like it was nobody's business, and he was coming off of a season in which he had a 44-game hitting streak. With Schmidt playing third for the Phillies, he happily moved over to first base to join him in the lineup.

Rose's hard-nosed style of play that garnered him the nickname of "Charlie Hustle" made him a perfect fit for the city of Philadelphia, and though the Phillies missed the postseason in 1979, they would win it all in 1980 and make a return trip to the Fall Classic a few seasons later, only to lose to the Baltimore Orioles.

8. The Phillies Trade Rick Wise for Steve Carlton

Rick Wise was the ace of the Philadelphia Phillies coming off of a great 1971 season. He made an appearance in the All-Star Game, and overall, posted a record of 17-14 with an ERA of 2.88. Following that season, Wise wanted to be paid for the numbers he produced and the Phillies' front office wouldn't commit to that money.

The St. Louis Cardinals had a contract dispute of their own brewing. 26-year-old Steve Carlton was coming off of a few very good seasons, but in 1971 in particular, he had won 20 games and posted an ERA of 3.56 and joined Wise on the All-Star team. His contract demands didn't sit well with the front office, and ultimately, the two agreed to swap their contract problems.

The Cardinals acquired a top of the rotation starter in Wise, but the Phillies acquired a great young lefty who would go on to become one of the greatest of all time. To this date, Carlton is the Phillies' all-time leader in wins. He won four Cy Young Awards with the Phils and helped them to a World Series title.

7. The Day We Lost Our Voice

Not all stunning moments are pleasant.

Hired by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1971, it wasn't long before Harry Kalas was in the homes of Phillies fans everywhere. He had a silky smooth voice, perfect for broadcasting, and his demeanor made him a legend in Philadelphia and across baseball.

Early in his career with the Phillies, he was joined by another Philadelphia legend—Richie Ashburn. Known by fans for his work on the field, when Ashburn joined Kalas in the broadcast booth, the two became inseparable. They had some of the greatest chemistry across baseball, and it showed nightly during their telecasts.

When "Whitey" passed away in 1997, it had a noticeable effect on Kalas and a greater effect on the city of Philadelphia, who mourned the death of one of the city's all-time greats, both on and off the field. Though Kalas would go on without him, those close to him believe that he never truly recovered from the loss of his good friend, and the city never did either.

To Phillies' fans, Kalas was a member of our family. He called the first and last games at Veterans Stadium, and the first when the Phillies moved into Citizens Bank Park. Because local broadcasters were blacked out of national broadcasts in 1980, Kalas was unable to call the Phillies World Series title that year, but an outcry from Phillies' everywhere forced MLB to change its policy the next season, and Harry finally had the opportunity to call the final out of the World Series in 2008, when the Phils took home the title once again.

From his memorable home run calls to the 500th home run of Mike Schmidt, his voice still resonates in our minds and hearts, and you can't help but tear up when thinking about him. After all, he wasn't just another broadcaster. He was a family member. He was with us day in and day out; through good times and bad, and we loved him as much as loved this city.

When he passed away in 2009, the city of Philadelphia lost its voice. May Harry rest in peace. No man will ever replace him in the history of Philadelphia, the Phillies, or baseball.

6. The Prodigal Son Returns

There is simply no two ways about it. When the Philadelphia Phillies traded Cliff Lee to the Seattle Mariners prior to the 2010 season, the fan base was devastated. This was the man who had just led their club to the World Series, and though they were ultimately defeated, he captured the emotions of an entire city in the way he went about the game.

The atmosphere was hard to explain. Though there was a great sense of anticipation and excitement for the arrival of Roy Halladay, the fans were obviously disappointed to see Lee go, and almost all of them knew that he was due an affordable salary for the 2011 season, but Ruben Amaro Jr. feared that he would be unable to sign an extension.

Fast forward a year later and Lee is a free agent. After leading the Texas Rangers to the World Series, they had an obvious interest in his services. Their main competition? The New York Yankees, who are notoriously big players on the free agent market and were in desperate need of starting pitching. The two teams both made the left-hander a huge offer, but a "mystery team" emerged at 11th hour.

With a fairy-tale like emphasis on the details by all parties involved, the Phillies swooped in and signed Lee to a big contract, as the city of Philadelphia became giddy over their four aces. Halladay was the unquestioned leader, but no player strikes a chord with the fan bases better than Lee.

He was home.

5. Roy Halladay's Perfect Game

The Philadelphia Flyers were making an improbable run at the Stanley Cup in May of 2010, but for a short while, all eyes were focused on the Philadelphia Phillies and their ace, Roy Halladay. The game began the same as any other. It was a hot day in Florida as the Phillies squared off with the Florida Marlins. You could say that Halladay had his best stuff right out of the gate, but that's usually how it happens.

As the game progressed, however, it was far from ordinary. One after another Marlins hitters were sent right back where they came from, none hitting the ball hard and all struggling to make contact. The Phillies scored their only run on an error, as with the score at 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning, the reality set in—Halladay was three outs away from a perfect game. Then two. Then one.

Ronny Paulino, a former Phillie, hit a bouncing ball to Juan Castro who scooped it up, spun, and fired a strike to first baseman Ryan Howard, as the Phillies celebrated around Halladay, who in his first season with the Phillies and en route to his second Cy Young Award, tossed a perfect game.

4. Jim Bunning's Fathers Day Perfection

1964 wasn't a complete disaster for the Philadelphia Phillies.

At least, it wasn't for Jim Bunning. Acquired by the Phillies just a few months earlier, Bunning was an integral part to the fight that the team put up for most of the 1964. However, thanks in large part to manager Gene Mauch, he threw a ton of innings that year—284.1 to be exact—and wasn't capable of pitching to his greatest abilities during the stretch run.

On June 21, 1964, however, he was more than effective. On the road in New York, the Phillies were set to square off with the Mets in the first game of a Fathers Day double header, as thousands  of fathers and sons filled into the stands. The Phillies sent their ace, Bunning, to the mound to oppose Mets' starter Tracy Stallard.

Needless to say, one man was better than the other that day. Bunning hurled a perfect game that day with Gus Triandos, also acquired in the trade that sent the pitcher to Philly, was the catcher. He struck out 10 Mets and needed just 90 pitches to throw his perfect game, the first in the history of the Phillies.

3. Roy Halladay's Postseason No-Hitter

Though in the back of their minds the fans of the Philadelphia Phillies still wished that Cliff Lee was pitching for them in October of 2010, Roy Halladay had gone a long way in in keeping his name on the tip of their tongues. After all, he had already hurled a perfect game against the Florida Marlins in May, and after waiving his no-trade clause for a chance to pitch in the postseason, he was about to get his wish.

The Phillies had won the National League East handily, and the rotation was set up perfectly. The National League Central champion Cincinnati Reds came to town for Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS, ready to square off against Halladay—the future, unanimous Cy Young Award winner.

They may have been more ready than ever, but Halladay was one step ahead. No one in baseball prepares more thoroughly than Doc, and it showed on that day—the most important start of his career to date. He had allowed a single walk to Jay Bruce, but as the ninth inning rolled around, there was an eerie tension in the ball park.

A quick look at the scoreboard told the story. There was still a goose-egg in the Reds' hit column with just three outs to go. Then two. Then one. The final Reds' hitter was the outspoken Brandon Phillips, who hit a ball right off of the plate that hit the bat, but somehow, bounced right towards the hand of Carlos Ruiz, who threw him out at first base.

After a moment, it sunk in. Halladay had just thrown a no-hitter—in the postseason. How rare a feat was that? Well, only one man had done it before him, when Don Larsen threw a perfect game in the World Series for the New York Yankees.

That game set the tone for the entire series; a series in which the Phillies swept the Reds.

2. The 2008 World Series

The Philadelphia Phillies weren't supposed to win the World Series in 2008.

In fact, they're never supposed to win the World Series. Haven't you heard? The city of Philadelphia plays host to one of the most obnoxious fanbases in the world, voted the worst by one publication. Didn't you get the memo? They were throwing snowballs at Santa Claus at approximately the same time period cavemen made these round things roll and called them "wheels"—revolutionary I tell you!

They were a greater band of misfits than that 1993 squad. They had a "mean" second baseman, a first baseman that could only hit for power and strikeout, a closer that had surrendered one of the most crushing postseason home runs of all time to Albert Pujols, a right fielder who was a bench player earlier in the season, and just one ace that wasn't really an ace to the rest of baseball—24-year-old Cole Hamels.

They were squaring off against baseball's Cinderella team, the Tampa Bay Rays. With manager Joe Maddon at the helm, a group of young players on one of baseball's smallest payrolls somehow managed to vanquish the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. They were bound for the World Series. They were supposed to win.

Get real. The Phillies would have none of it.

After all, the postseason was no cakewalk. Brett Myers memorable at-bat (even though it was eventually just a walk) against CC Sabathia of the Milwaukee Brewers set up Shane Victorino's grand slam. The Phillies would send the Brewers packing and the Dodgers were next, winning a series highlighted by Matt Stairs' "moon shot."

Not even the weather would behave. After splitting the first two games of the World Series in Tampa Bay's dome, the Phillies returned home to winter conditions. They won a close contest in Game 3 and a blowout on Game 4. Still at home for Game 5, they were poised to win it all, until the sky opened and postponed that game.

When the game resumed, all of the small things started rolling the Phillies' way. Started by Hamels a few days earlier, it was a close contest, and longtime Phillie Pat Burrell helped push across the go-ahead run—a lead that would hold until the ninth inning, when Brad Lidge came on.

With two outs and Eric Hinske at the dish, Lidge struck him out, winning the World Series for the Phillies and finishing off his perfect season in which he blew not a single save.

Lights out. Game over.

The Phillies were World Champions.

1. The 1980 World Series

The 1980 version of the Philadelphia Phillies weren't supposed to win the World Series either.

They were perennial losers. After they choked in 1964, even their fans wondered if they'd ever be able to capture the World Series. They battled terrible ownership groups, bad managers, underachieving players—you name it. The city believed it was under the curse of William Penn at one point in time!

In 1980, however, all of that was about to change. After battling throughout the entire regular season, the Phillies finished in first place in the National League, just a game ahead of the Montreal Expos. In the NLCS—then just a five game set—they met up with the Houston Astros and created one of the most entertaining playoff series of all time. Four of the five games went into extra innings, with the Phillies winning a decisive game five on the road in Houston.

In the World Series, the Kansas City Royals were the opponent. The Phillies took full advantage of their home field bonus, winning both games before going on the road to Kansas City, where the Royals would win two straight and even things up at two.

In a pivotal Game 5, the Phillies once again called on the rubber arm of Tug McGraw, and with a pair of Royals on the base paths, he delivered a strike out on the road to seal the deal for the Phillies, who took Game 5 and headed back to Philadelphia with a three games to two lead in the series.

As expected, Veterans Stadium was packed for Game 6. Before this, the closest they had come to a World Series was 1950, when the Whiz Kids were vanquished by the New York Yankees. In 1980 though, the stars were aligned.

The fans were hungry. The team was hungry. Manager Dallas Green sent his ace, Steve Carlton to the mound, and the Phillies gave him a two run lead in the third inning. The Royals would score one run in the eighth, but it was moot. Carlton and McGraw held them to that and the Phils celebrated.

World Series champs for just the first time.