Odd Facts About Philadelphia Phillies' Hall of Famers

With one world championship in their 125 years in the National League, the Philadelphia Phillies have often let their rooters down. However, they have had their fair share of Hall of Fame players since 1883 that have tried to uphold their end of the bargain. Phillies' Hall of Famers includes the great hitters such as Chuck Klein and Mike Schmidt, plus pitching standouts Steve Carlton, Robin Roberts, and Jim Bunning. Here are some things that I'd wager you didn't know about these Philadelphia Phillies' Hall of Famers.

1. Mike Schmidt hit over .300 just once in 19 seasons!

The 3 time National League MVP batted .316 in 1981 and that was a strike-shortened season. Schmidt was always among the league leaders in walks and strikeouts, homers and runs batted in, a feared slugger who didn't have to hit for average to be effective. He was the winner of the circuit's home run title an amazing 8 times on his way to 548 round trippers. Schmidt never had more than 160 hits in any one season, finishing with 2,234.

2. Chuck Klein had 5 of the greatest seasons ever in a row!

Playing during the late 1920s and early '30s, Klein had some monster years. He had 693 runs batted in during the 5 years from 1929 through 1933, winning the Triple Crown in 1933. Klein, a lefty-swinging outfielder, was then inexplicably dealt to the Cubs for 3 players and $65,000 after the 1933 campaign. In Chicago he failed to duplicate his previous success and Philadelphia got him back from the Cubs a couple seasons later. However, he was not the same fierce slugger as he once was; the most RBI he would collect in a year were 61 before retiring during the 1944 season.

3. Robin Roberts had some awful seasons during his Hall of Fame career!

Roberts, who holds the record for most home runs allowed lifetime, won 20 or more games for 6 years in a row before becoming basically a .500 or less pitcher. In 1957 he went 10-22, while he managed to lose 17 times in 1959 and another 16 the next year. In his final season as a Phillie, Roberts was 1-10, giving him a mark of 28-43 in his last three years there. Robin then posted 3 winning records for the Orioles before he played for a couple more teams and then retired with a 286-245 won-lot standard.

4. After winning 27 games in 1972, Steve Carlton lost 20 in 1973!

Carlton, a left-handed tosser, had one of baseball's all-time best years in 1972, winning 27 games when Philadelphia won a total of just 59 for the entire season. But in 1973 he went 13-20, allowing a hit an inning and pitching to an earned run average of almost 4 runs per game. Oddly enough, Carlton had almost lost 20 games with the Cardinals in 1970 before turning around and winning that many the next year.

5. Jim Bunning is in the Hall of Fame with a record of 224 wins and 184 losses!

If Bunning had not thrown a no-hitter in each league he may not have been elected to the Hall of Fame. He won 20 games just once, going 20-8 with the Tigers in 1957, but he did win 19 on 4 separate occasions, including 3 times while with Philadelphia. Bunning also was the league leader in striking out batters 3 times and was always among the tops in baseball in innings pitched every year.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PHI/hof.shtml