Hey Mom, I've Got Pennant Fever

By Max Silberman

The year was l964. All summer the kids in the street were yelling "Hey, Mom, I've got pennant fever" which was a popular chant that year. Fourteen years had passed since the Phillies were National League Champions in l950 and now we were winning again.

The Evening Bulletin's computer (a very new thing at that time) predicted the Phillies would win the National League with a 99% certainty. Can't do much better than that!

After all, this was no midsummer's night dream. Labor Day had passed and we were 6 1/2 games in front with 12 to play and the Reds and Cardinals appeared listless. What could go wrong? How about Frank Thomas breaking his thumb? Chico Ruiz stealing home? Gene Mauch losing his grip and pitching Jim Bunning and Chris Short with practically no rest?

Unbelievable as it was 40 years ago, the lead unraveled like a cheap suit.To make a sad story short, it all came down to the last day of the season when the Phillies won but it was too little, too late. The St. Louis Cardinals won the National League and World Series titles.

Local famed sports artist Stan Kotzen created a series of prints for Phillies star pitcher Art Mahaffey who used them as fund raisers for team-mate Chris Short who was in a coma for a long period of time. All proceeds from the Art Mahaffey Celebrity Golf Tournament assisted the Short family towards their medical expenses. The last print produced in this series was called "September 1964" and copies are being sold for $49.95 by the A's Society. As a bonus, Art Mahaffey will personally autograph each copy. While the season did not turn out so well, the l964 Phillies gave us a summer of excitement and is one of the best loved Phillies teams despite the collapse. This keepsake is sure to bring back many memories, good and bad and no Phillies fan will want to miss out on this opportunity to turn back the clock to that unforgettable year of 1964.

STAN KOTZEN'S SEPTEMBER 20, 1964

Click here for larger view of September1964 print.

"Rights to this print made available through Art Mahaffey & Associates."

Click here for larger view of September1964 print.

 

September Swoon, Richie Allen, the 64' Phillies and Racial Integration By William.C.Kashatus   Click here for more information on this book.

The Summer of '64 A Pennant Lost By William A. Cook   Click here for more information on this book.

1964 Phillies In Baseball Cards

The 1965 Topps Phillies Team card # 338

Click here for larger view of team photo.

8x10 color prints of the above photo available through the Gift Shoppe.

Front Row: left to right - Ruben Amaro, Chris Short, Dennis Bennett, George Myatt, Gene Mauch, Peanuts Lowrey, Al Widmar, Tony Taylor, Johnny Callison, Jack Baldschun.

Second Row: left to right - Charley Meister, Jim Bunning, Gus Triandos, Roy Culp, Danny Cater, Clay Dalrymply, Dave Bennett, Dallas Green, John Klippstein, Cookie Rojas, Roy Sievers, Bob Oldi, Jow Liscia.

Third Row: left to right - Rick Wise, Cal McLish, John Hermstein, Ed Roebuck, Wes Covington, Bobby Wine, Art Mahaffey, John Briggs, Tony Gonzalez, Rich Allen.

Bat Boys: left to right - Ken Bush & Charley Bauer.