RIP THE GREAT TONY TAYLOR...

[DEERSPINE GUY]

ONE OF CHILDHOOD PHILLIES HERO'S.

[Wub]

Tony Taylor, Don Money, Terry Harmon and Deron Johnson. Rounded out my childhood dream team.

[Loki]

Dick "Richie" Allen, Chris Short, Johnny Callison, Jim Bunning. A lot of great players but, sadly, shit teams.

[DEERSPINE GUY]

Dick "Richie" Allen, Chris Short, Johnny Callison, Jim Bunning. A lot of great players but, sadly, shit teams.

TOSS IN BOBBY WINE AND CLAY DALRYMPLE

[Loki]

Can you imagine if Twitter and WIP were around during the collapse of ‘64?

[DEERSPINE GUY]

Can you imagine if Twitter and WIP were around during the collapse of ‘64?

NO I CAN'T.
I WAS 7 AND JUST FINDING MY GROOVE WITH BASEBALL AND THE PHILS. OUCH.

[DEERSPINE GUY]

Dick "Richie" Allen, Chris Short, Johnny Callison, Jim Bunning. A lot of great players but, sadly, shit teams.

AND HOW COULD I FORGET THAT COOKIE ROJAS.

[slag]

Dick "Richie" Allen, Chris Short, Johnny Callison, Jim Bunning. A lot of great players but, sadly, shit teams.

It dates me when I do it but when people ask me how long I've been a Philadelphia fan, I tell them that I've been one since Dick Allen was Richie Allen.

[headknocker]

Tony hit a grand slam the first game I ever saw at Connie Mack in a crazy 19-17 slug-fest loss to the Reds in '69. As a nine year old all I wanted to see was a Phillies win and at least one HR and boy did I get my wish on the later. I'll never forget walking along the concourse level to our seats on the lower level near third base and we saw security escorting Ashburn to the stairs which led up to the pressbox. As I snot-nosed kid that was a pretty big thrill.

I'll admit Tony's grand slam is pretty much a blur at this point but something which is still clear was the first time Dick Allen came to the plate. He was greeted with a LOUD mixture of cheers and boos. He turned those boos to cheers in a hurry when he laced a frozen rope off the top of the Ballantine scoreboard in right-center for a double...just an incredible shot...typical Allen as any Phils fan from that era knows his shots left the park in a hurry, none of those high,majestic HR's Schmidt was known for.

In the final years of his career Tony turned himself into an outstanding pinch-hitter. Such a great guy and class act.

RIP.

[DEERSPINE GUY]

Tony hit a grand slam the first game I ever saw at Connie Mack in a crazy 19-17 slug-fest loss to the Reds in '69. As a nine year old all I wanted to see was a Phillies win and at least one HR and boy did I get my wish on the later. I'll never forget walking along the concourse level to our seats on the lower level near third base and we saw security escorting Ashburn to the stairs which led up to the pressbox. As I snot-nosed kid that was a pretty big thrill.

I'll admit Tony's grand slam is pretty much a blur at this point but something which is still clear was the first time Dick Allen came to the plate. He was greeted with a LOUD mixture of cheers and boos. He turned those boos to cheers in a hurry when he laced a frozen rope off the top of the Ballantine scoreboard in right-center for a double...just an incredible shot...typical Allen as any Phils fan from that era knows his shots left the park in a hurry, none of those high,majestic HR's Schmidt was known for.

In the final years of his career Tony turned himself into an outstanding pinch-hitter. Such a great guy and class act.

RIP.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.

MY FAMILY LIVED AT 11TH AND TIOGA BACK IN THE DAY AND USED TO MAKE THE HIKE TO CONNIE MACK 2-3 TIMES A MONTH WITH MY DAD.
GLORIOUS TIMES AS A LITTLE TYKE GOING TO THAT BALLPARK.
HE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO TO DOUBLE HEADERS, (REMEMBER THEM?), LOVED TWI-NIGHTERS.
I REMEMBER WALKING HOME AT MIDNIGHT OR LATER MANY TIMES, CARRYING REGULATION SIZE GIVEAWAY BASEBALL BATS ALL THE WAY HOME.

BROKE MY HEART TO SEE IT GO.

[Wub]

Early 70's at the Vet the cheap seats were $2.25 but kids with a paying adult could get in for 50 cents. We'd take the speedline over from Camden and then take the subway to Broad & Pattison and hang out near the ticket booths to find an adult to buy our tickets. If we got in for 50 cents we'd have money left over for a hot dog or a coke. I remember seeing the Grass Roots play between games of a doubleheader against the Padres. Nate Colbert had our number that day.

[headknocker]

Early 70's at the Vet the cheap seats were $2.25 but kids with a paying adult could get in for 50 cents. We'd take the speedline over from Camden and then take the subway to Broad & Pattison and hang out near the ticket booths to find an adult to buy our tickets. If we got in for 50 cents we'd have money left over for a hot dog or a coke. I remember seeing the Grass Roots play between games of a doubleheader against the Padres. Nate Colbert had our number that day.

Wow, those are two names I haven't heard in years...the Grass Roots and Nate Colbert.

[RSE]

He was at second base my first live major league games, a twi-night doubleheader against St. Louis at Connie Mack Stadium. Tony Taylor, Johnny Briggs, Larry Hisle, Deron Johnson, Don Money, Mike Ryan, that was sure back in the day. Richie Allen was suspended.

[DEERSPINE GUY]

He was at second base my first live major league games, a twi-night doubleheader against St. Louis at Connie Mack Stadium. Tony Taylor, Johnny Briggs, Larry Hisle, Deron Johnson, Don Money, Mike Ryan, that was sure back in the day. Richie Allen was suspended.

OH YEA. JOHNNY BRIGGS. FORGOT ABOUT HIM. THAT AREA OF PHILLIES WAS, FOR ME, A CANT MISS NIGHT.
WHEN I WAS MADE TO GO TO BED I LISTENED ON A LITTLE TRANSISTOR RADIO, OR LISTENED OUT MY BEDROOM WINDOW. MR. JACOBS AND MR. DAGGER, LISTENED TO EVERY GAME OUT BACK, SMOKIN STOGIES AND DRINKIN HOME MADE WINE. THE WODERFUL VOICES OF BILL CAMPBELL AND BY SAAM.
MR. JACOBS AND MR.DAGGER WERE IN THERE 70'S. LOVED THEM GUYS.