Philadelphia Baseball History

It was the bottom of the ninth, with two outs.  Although the Phillies had a four run lead, this was no time to relax.  One of the best hitters in the league, a former Rookie of the Year and two time batting title champion, had worked a full count.  Much was riding on this next pitch. The man on the mound, however, had been preparing his whole life for this moment.  Just thirteen years earlier, at age twelve, he had led his team to the Little League World Series.  Three years after that, he became only the second player to pitchers  a no-hitter in the Babe Ruth World series.  Major league scouts had shown interest in the teenaged Rick Wise, for quite some time.  One scout even pressured Wise's parents to sign a major league contract for their minor son on the spot, warning that his value could only decrease if Rick had a bad game.  In his next game, Wise proceeded to strike out twenty-two batters in nine innings. June 23, 1971 would prove to b...

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Rick Wise faced the Reds’ right fielder for the final out.   Up until this point, the only blemish on Wise’s performance had been a sixth inning walk to shortstop Dave Concepcion.   In order to preserve the no-hitter, and make history, Wise would have to retire one of the most dangerous hitters, and indeed, the eventual Major League hit king, Pete Rose. The Phillies led 4-0.   Three of those runs were driven in by Wise himself, with a two run home run in the fifth and a solo shot in the eighth. But now Wise bore down on Rose.   With a full count, Rose hit a line shot, right at third baseman John Vukovich.   The date was June 23, 1971.   It would be another nineteen years before another Phillies pitcher would throw a no-hitter. Despite an All-Star season, where Wise won seventeen games and posted a 2.88 ERA, he would not return to a Phillies uniform in 1972.   Instead, Rick Wise would forever be k...