What the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies Meant to the Other Rich Wilkins', and Lots of Other Phillies Fans

Today is the anniversary of the first World Series Championship won by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1980. It was on this night in 1980 that Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson to end the series, and a 97 year drought without a championship. Yes, the Philadelphia Athletics had won five World Series, but this is like telling a Mets fan to celebrate a Yankees championship, or maybe even worse since the A's left town in 1954. Philadelphia hadn't seen any Major League World Series win in 50 years at that point, and the Phillies were 97 years into their futility.

On this date in 1980, my grandfather was 50 years old. The A's won the World Series for their final time in Philadelphia the year he was born, and the Phillies had won exactly one National League pennant in his lifetime, with the famous "Whiz Kids" team in 1950 that lost the World Series to the Yankees. By this point, my father was 23, and this was the first time he had ever seen his team in the World Series. For most of their lives, they had seen nothing but bad Phillies teams play. Even this group of Phillies, as good as they were, had come up short over and over again from 1976 to 1979. It had to be almost too good to be true.

This World Series would mark the wind down point in a great era of Philadelphia sports. The Phillies would make the 1981 post-season and lose, then lose the 1983 World Series before becoming terrible for a decade. The Eagles would lose the Super Bowl that season. The great run of the "Broad Street Bullies" was coming to an end with a loss to the Islanders in the Cup Finals. The Sixers would break through with their final title to this date in 1983, ending a run of great basketball between them and the former Philadelphia Warriors dating back a few decades. By 1983, all the teams had grown old, and after that it would take 25 years to see another championship in the city. My father was in his 50s by then. My grandfather had passed on.

When the 2008 Phillies won the World Series, some people debated their significance against the 1980 team. In the most truthful sense, both teams won a championship. Beyond that though, I'm not sure any championship in the city's history compares to the 1980 Phillies. They had the greatest third baseman, the then best left-handed pitcher, and greatest hitter in the history of the game on that team. They also were a group that had to defeat history. They had to defeat 97 years of being losers. They had to defeat 50 years of the city not winning. They had to defeat a Royals team that was really good. For their long suffering fans, they meant that much.

The rest of the country can fly whatever banner they want. I'll just fly this one.