Mike Schmidt: A Rarity Among Ball Players
Even the casual Phillies fan knows about Mike Schmidt’s accomplishments. In his 18 year career, he hit 548 home runs, knocked in 1,595 RBIs, and had 2,234 hits. Up until 2014, Schmidt was the all-time Phillies hit leader, when Jimmy Rollins passed him. He was an eleven time all-star, with a home run in the 1981 hit fest that took place in Cleveland. Three times Schmidt earned the NL MVP award, and ten times he won the gold glove award for his defensive prowess at third base. He was the MVP of the first Phillies World Championship in 1980, and elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1994. In fact, many Phillies fans remember fondly the 1994 induction ceremony, when both Schmidt and Phillies favorite Richie Ashburn were inducted together. But Schmidt has one more amazing accomplishment. He spent his entire 18 year career with one team, the Philadelphia Phillies. To put into perspective how rare this is,...