Today marks the 25th Anniversary of the first Grand Slam that I saw in person. This is a re-issue of a posting published here 5 years ago:
I had always been a baseball fan but in 1993 it reached another level. The 93 Phils is where my fascination with baseball as an adult began.
And if I was to point to a single game where this all happened it would have been the Pirates @ Phillies game on May 10th 1993.
1993 05 10 Game Ticket - Pirates 1 @ Phillies 5
The Phillies were coming off a big comeback win where Mariano Duncan had hit an 8th inning Grand Slam off of Lee Arther Smith. Smith was one of the most dominating closers of the late 80s and The game completed a 3 game sweep of the St Louis Cardinals.
The next afternoon a colleague popped into my office and asked if I wanted to go down to the game. It was the first time I had ever considered going to a Phils game on a whim - and I am glad I did.
The Pirates and Phils were knotted at 1 in the 7th inning, Lenny Dykstra reached with a one out single Mickey Morandini reached on a 2 base error and John Kruk was intentionally walked to load the bases. Dave Hollins grounded into a force at home setting up a bases loaded 2 out AB for team leader Darren Daulton. And Daulton delivered - One day after Mariano Duncan hit a go-ahead slame Daulton had one of his own. The Philllies had won 4 in a row and ran their record to 23-7 16 games over .500. They would not look back going all the way to the World Series.
1994 Topps Black Gold #28 Darren Daulton
It was the first time I ever saw a Grand Slam in person and it was the first time I ever really understood what it was like to be watching a great baseball team. To this day it remains one of the greatest games I have ever been to.
Friday marks the 20th anniversary of that game - This year I plan on focussing on commemorating the 1983 Phillies NL Pennant but there will definitely be a few nods to the 1993 Clubs as well.
Go Phightins!
Sources and Links
Baseball-Ref
1993 Phillies Index
Darren Daulton Index
I had always been a baseball fan but in 1993 it reached another level. The 93 Phils is where my fascination with baseball as an adult began.
And if I was to point to a single game where this all happened it would have been the Pirates @ Phillies game on May 10th 1993.
The Phillies were coming off a big comeback win where Mariano Duncan had hit an 8th inning Grand Slam off of Lee Arther Smith. Smith was one of the most dominating closers of the late 80s and The game completed a 3 game sweep of the St Louis Cardinals.
The next afternoon a colleague popped into my office and asked if I wanted to go down to the game. It was the first time I had ever considered going to a Phils game on a whim - and I am glad I did.
The Pirates and Phils were knotted at 1 in the 7th inning, Lenny Dykstra reached with a one out single Mickey Morandini reached on a 2 base error and John Kruk was intentionally walked to load the bases. Dave Hollins grounded into a force at home setting up a bases loaded 2 out AB for team leader Darren Daulton. And Daulton delivered - One day after Mariano Duncan hit a go-ahead slame Daulton had one of his own. The Philllies had won 4 in a row and ran their record to 23-7 16 games over .500. They would not look back going all the way to the World Series.
It was the first time I ever saw a Grand Slam in person and it was the first time I ever really understood what it was like to be watching a great baseball team. To this day it remains one of the greatest games I have ever been to.
Friday marks the 20th anniversary of that game - This year I plan on focussing on commemorating the 1983 Phillies NL Pennant but there will definitely be a few nods to the 1993 Clubs as well.
Go Phightins!
Sources and Links
Baseball-Ref
1993 Phillies Index
Darren Daulton Index
