1959 Philadelphia Phillies season

The 1959 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 77th season in the history of the franchise. During spring training, manager Eddie Sawyer told the press, "We're definitely not a last place club... I think the biggest thing we've accomplished is getting rid of the losing complex. That alone makes us not a last place club."[1] The Phillies finished in last place in 1959, seven games behind seventh-place St. Louis and 23 games behind the pennant and World Series winning Dodgers. They attracted 802,515 fans to Connie Mack Stadium, seventh in the eight-team league.

1959 Philadelphia Phillies
Major League affiliations
Location
Other information
Owner(s)R. R. M. Carpenter, Jr.
General manager(s)John J. Quinn
Manager(s)Eddie Sawyer
Local televisionWFIL
Local radioWIP
(By Saam, Claude Haring, Gene Kelly)
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Offseason

In early 1959, Phillies owner Bob Carpenter proposed building a new ballpark for the Phillies on 72 acres (290,000 m2) adjacent to the Garden State Park Racetrack in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Connie Mack Stadium was 50 years old, did not have sufficient parking, and the sale of alcohol was banned at sports venues in Pennsylvania. Beer sales were legal in New Jersey. The proposed ballpark would have seated 45,000 fans, been expandable to 60,000, and would have had 15,000 parking spaces.[2] The Phillies would eventually move to the South Philadelphia Sports Complex in 1971. On January 13, Carpenter also changed general managers, replacing Roy Hamey with John J. Quinn, recruited from the defending two-time National League champion Milwaukee Braves.[3] Quinn would run the Phils' front office for almost 14 full seasons.

Notable transactions

Regular season

On April 11, coach Benny Bengough was removed from the coaching staff and reassigned to the front office where he worked in team public relations.[10]

Season standings
National League W L Pct. GB Home Road
Los Angeles Dodgers 8868 0.564 — 46–32 42–36
Milwaukee Braves 8670 0.551 2 49–29 37–41
San Francisco Giants 8371 0.539 4 42–35 41–36
Pittsburgh Pirates 7876 0.506 9 47–30 31–46
Chicago Cubs 7480 0.481 13 38–39 36–41
Cincinnati Reds 7480 0.481 13 43–34 31–46
St. Louis Cardinals 7183 0.461 16 42–35 29–48
Philadelphia Phillies 6490 0.416 23 37–40 27–50

Record vs. opponents
1959 National League Records

Sources:
Team CHC CIN LAD MIL PHI PIT SF STL
Chicago —9–1311–1110–1210–12–112–1012–1010–12
Cincinnati 13–9—13–911–119–139–138–1411–11
Los Angeles 11–119–13—14–1017–511–1114–812–10
Milwaukee 12–1011–1110–14—13–915–7–112–1013–9
Philadelphia 12–10–113–95–179–13—9–139–137–15
Pittsburgh 10–1213–911–117–15–113–9—10–1214–8
San Francisco 10–1214–88–1410–1213–912–10—16–6
St. Louis 12–1011–1110–129–1315–78–146–16—

Notable transactions

Game log
1959 Game Log (Overall Record: 64–90–1)
April (6–8)
May (11–21)
June (9–17)
July (16–12)
August (12–21–1)
September (10–11)
^[a] The second game on April 26 was protested by the Pirates in the top of the first inning.[33][34] The protest was later denied.[35][36]
^[b] The second game on May 10 was suspended (Sunday curfew[37][38]) in the bottom of the eighth inning with the score 4–6 and was completed July 21, 1959.[39]
  •   Phillies win
  •   Phillies loss
  •   Phillies tie
  •   Postponement
  • Bold: Phillies team member
Source:[40]

Roster
1959 Philadelphia Phillies
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders

Other batters

 Manager

Coaches

Player stats

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
2BSparky Anderson152477104.218034

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
Valmy Thomas6614028.20017

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Gene Conley251801273.00102
Don Cardwell251539104.06106

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Rubén Gómez2072.1386.1037

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G W L SV ERA SO

Farm system
See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
AAA Buffalo Bisons International League Kerby Farrell
A Williamsport Grays Eastern League Frank Lucchesi
A Asheville Tourists Sally League Clyde McCullough
B Des Moines Demons Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League Chuck Kress
C Bakersfield Bears California League Paul Owens
D Johnson City Phillies Appalachian League Eddie Lyons
D Tampa Tarpons Florida State League Charlie Gassaway
D Elmira Pioneers New York–Penn League Andy Seminick

Notes
  1. Reichler, Joe (April 1, 1959). "'Last Place' Dirty Words to Phillies". Prescott Evening Courier. Associated Press. p. 5.
  2. "Phillies' Owner Shows Interest in Jersey Land". New York Times. Associated Press. March 4, 1959. p. 37.
  3. Costello, Rory. "John J. Quinn". Society for American Baseball Research Biography Project. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  4. Johnny O'Brien at Baseball Reference
  5. John Herrnstein at Baseball Reference
  6. Rubén Amaro at Baseball Reference
  7. Rubén Gómez at Baseball Reference
  8. Rip Repulski at Baseball Reference
  9. John Anderson at Baseball Reference
  10. "Phils Drop Bengough as Coach". New York Times. April 12, 1959.
  11. Bobby Del Greco at Baseball Reference
  12. Gary Kroll at Baseball Reference
  13. Jim Bolger at Baseball Reference
  14. "Baseball". The Windsor Daily Star. Windsor, ON. April 13, 1959. p. 22. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  15. "Today in Baseball". Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, PA. April 13, 1959. p. 21. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  16. "The Major Leagues". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. April 21, 1959. p. 22. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  17. Hernon, Jack (April 21, 1959). "Bucs Nab 1-0 Lead, Rain Cancels Contest: Phillies Load Bases on Kline In First, But Fail to Score". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. p. 22. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  18. "The Major Leagues". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. April 28, 1959. p. 20. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  19. "Baseball in a Nutshell". Milwaukee, WI: Milwaukee Sentinel. April 29, 1959. p. 2, part 2. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  20. "Today in Baseball". Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, PA. April 29, 1959. p. 41. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  21. "Nutshell". Milwaukee Sentinel. Milwaukee, WI. May 18, 1959. p. 3, part 2. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  22. "Baseball". Montreal, QC: The Gazette. June 3, 1959. p. 24. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  23. "Baseball in a Nutshell". Milwaukee, WI: Milwaukee Sentinel. June 6, 1959. p. 6, part 2. Retrieved April 17, 2016.
  24. "Today in Baseball". Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, PA. July 15, 1959. p. 37. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  25. "Baseball". Montreal, QC: The Gazette. July 15, 1959. p. 24. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  26. "Today in Baseball". Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, PA. July 16, 1959. p. 29. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
  27. "Phillies Win On Conley's Three Hitter: Twi-Night Game Called by Curfew In 12th, 7 to 7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. Associated Press (AP). August 20, 1959. p. 27. Retrieved April 21, 2016.
  28. "The Major Leagues". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. August 24, 1959. p. 20. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  29. "Phils, Frisco Rained Out". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. Associated Press (AP). August 24, 1959. p. 20. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  30. "Giants, Phils Rained Out; Set Replay in S. F." Milwaukee Sentinel. Milwaukee, WI. United Press International (UPI). August 24, 1959. p. 3, part 2. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  31. "Giants and Phils Reset Twin Bill". Milwaukee Journal. Milwaukee, WI. August 24, 1959. p. 11. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  32. Lloyd, Larson (August 25, 1959). "Proper Ruling by Giles". Milwaukee, WI: Milwuaukee Sentinel. p. 2, page 2. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  33. "Philadelphia Phillies 10, Pittsburgh Pirates 5 (2)". retrosheet.org. April 26, 1959. Retrieved April 14, 2016. [Hank] Foiles reached on a fielder's choice [Virdon out at home (pitcher to catcher)]; Bill Virdon and HP umpire Vic Delmore collided at HP; catcher Valmy Thomas ran over and tagged Virdon; Pirates Manager Danny Murtaugh and Don Hoak ejected by 3B umpire Shag Crawford; the Pirates played the game under protest[.]
  34. "Phils Gain Split, But Bucs Protest". Milwaukee Sentinel. Milwaukee, WI. Associated Press (AP). April 27, 1959. pp. 4, 6, part 2. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  35. "Apr 26, 1959, Pirates at Phillies Play by Play and Box Score". baseball-reference.com. sports-reference.com. April 26, 1959. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  36. "Pittsburgh Protest Rejected by Giles". Milwaukee Journal. Milwaukee, WI. Associated Press (AP). April 29, 1959. p. 18. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  37. "The Major Leagues". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. May 11, 1959. p. 24. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  38. Hernon, Jack (May 11, 1959). "Phillies Defeat Friend 6-3; Bucs Lead at Curfew, 6-4: Game Suspended in 8th After Burgess Clouts Homer, Double". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh, PA. pp. 24, 26. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  39. "May 10, 1959, Phillies at Pirates Play by Play and Box Score". baseball-reference.com. sports-reference.com. May 10, 1959. Retrieved April 13, 2016.
  40. "1959 Philadelphia Phillies Schedule, Box Scores and Splits". Baseball-Reference.com.

References
  • 1959 Philadelphia Phillies season at Baseball Reference
  • Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
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