What is the connection between Steve Carlton, the Phillies and a bad economy?”
Phightin’ Phils Phorum Hall of Fame: Steve Carlton Steven Normann Carlton debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals as a 20-year-old in 1965 and by 1967 was a regular in the Cardinals rotation. An imposing 6’4″ man with a hard fastball and slider, Carlton was soon known as an intimidating and dominant pitcher. Carlton enjoyed immediate success in St. Louis, posting winning records and reaching the World Series in 1967 and 1968. On September 15, 1969, Carlton struck out 19 New York Mets, while losing to the Mets, 4-3, setting the all-time modern-day SteveCarltonHOF record at that time for strikeouts in a nine-inning game. That season, he finished with a 17-11 record with a 2.17 ERA, second lowest in the NL, and 210 strikeouts. A contract dispute with the Cardinals made Carlton a no-show at spring training in 1970. He proceeded to go 10-19 with a 3.73 ERA, leading the NL in losses. He rebounded in 1971 by becoming a 20-game winner for the first time, going 20-9 with a 3.56 ERA. Following a sa
It’s an age-old question: Which came first, the economic suffering of our citizens or a successful baseball team in Philadelphia? Historically, the truth is difficult to pinpoint, but one thing is certain – the triumphs of Philadelphia baseball always coincide with the devastation of the U.S. economy. You can’t have one without the other. History proves the premise: -The 2008 champion Phillies sparked the current economic turmoil and unemployment spike. Just as the Phils concluded their September run last year to overtake the Mets, the Dow Jones lost 778 points in the biggest single-day point loss ever, knocking out $1.2 trillion in market value. -In 1980 as Mike Schmidt was belting 48 homers and Steve Carlton was winning 24 games, the Phillies hoisted President Jimmy Carter out of office. Off their first ever championship, interest rates were above 20 percent, and unemployment remained at high levels (about 7.5 percent) through the end of 1981. -The 1929-30 Athletics teams, perhaps ba
