Philadelphia Phillies - The Depression Era (1930-1939)

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1930

102

Decade

105

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1932

1935

1939

106

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1936

100

Titles:

Top Phillies Players of the Thirties

None

Pitchers:

Ballpark:

Phil Collins (14.22) - 34

Baker Bowl (1930-1938)

Curt Davis (16.24) - 28

Shibe Park (1938-1939)

Claude Passeau (10.19) - 26

Bucky Walters (8.48) - 22

Team Name:

Jumbo Jim Elliott (3.16) - 21

Phillies

Losing Pitcher Mulcahy (1.58) - 20

Ray Benge (10.48) - 18

Owners:

Syl Johnson (14.47) - 17

William F. Baker (1930)

Ed Holley (6.14) - 16

Gerry Nugent (1930-1939)

Catchers:

General Managers:

Spud Davis (14.43) - 43

None

Al Todd (0.46) - 13

Managers:

First Basemen:

Burt Shotton (1930-1933)

Dolph Camilli (13.01) - 31

Jimmie Wilson (1934-1938)

Don Hurst (8.84) - 30

Hans Lobert (1938)

Doc Prothro (1939)

Second Basemen:

Lou Chiozza (1.19) - 16

Hall of Famers:

Pete Alexander

ShortStop:

Chuck Klein

Dick Bartell (8.6) - 25

Rookie of the Year:

Third Base:

None

Pinky Whitney (9.68) - 24

MVP

Outfield:

Chuck Klein (1932)

Chuck Klein (28.93) - 65

Johnny Moore (8.01) - 30

No Hitters:

Ethan Allen (4.27) - 18

None

Hersh Martin (4.49) - 17

Moe Arnovich (7.12) - 16

Cy Young:

Kiddo Davis (2.97) - 15

None

Lefty O'Doul (4.59) - 10

Notable Events:

1930 - The Phillies embark on one of the worst decades of any team in

1932 - Phillies fans rejoice. They finish over .500!

major league history. They average a 59-95 mark which was skewed upward

Albeit just barely at 78-76 for fourth place. It was such a

a bit by an actual above .500 season in 1932. Philadelphia finished either last

remarkable event that the Phils' outfielder Chuck Klein was voted

or next to last in all but two seasons in the decade, which is saying a lot

MVP. This would be Philadelphia's only plus .500 season in a

considering that the Braves and the pre Larry MacPhail Reds and Dodgers

31 year stretch from 1918 thru 1948.

were also in the league at the time. Considering that the Twenties were

even a worse decade for the Phillies, it's a miracle anybody came to

1933 - Chuck Klein wins the triple crown. Note that playing

watch the team play in the Thirties.

in the Baker Bowl didn't hurt his stats. Also note that Klein

wasn't playing in a bunch of nail biters where opposing

1930 - The good news - The Philies bat .315 as a team. The bad

hurlers were bearing down on every pitch.

news - The Phillies have an astronomical 6.71 team ERA (plus

they gave up a boatload of unearned runs as a bad fielding team -

1936 - Chuck Klein hits four homers in a game

they ended up surrenduring just under 8 runs per game)

The result: 52-102

1938 - The Phillies move out of the dangerous, decrepit

Baker Bowl and into crosstown Shibe Park - sharing it with

1930 - Owner William F. Baker dies. Phillies fans were rejoicing.

the equally woeful A's. Shibe would be host to a hundred

Gerry Nugent takes over as team president. Unfortunately for Phillies fans,

losses a year between the two clubs. By the way, Phillies fans

things do not get better. Nugent's wife Mae Mallen was Baker's secretary

who thought things couldn't get any worse were wrong. Their

and Baker left half the club to her and half to his own wife. Given the state of

team was "built" for Baker Bowl and now that they moved to

the club, you could speculate that maybe Baker was really a misogynist.

Shibe Park, they lost even that home field advantage. The result -

Baker's wife died two years later and left the other half of the club to Nugent

they went from an uncompetitive 62-91 at Baker Bowl in '37 to a

at that time. Things didn't get better because it was the Depression and, altho'

horrific run of records in their first five years at Shibe

Nugent had other businesses, he couldn't jeopordize them to prop up the

Park of 45-105, 45-106, 50-103, 43-111, 42-109.

Phillies. The Phillies remained a cash strapped cellar dweller during

At least they were consistent.

Nugent's reign - as bad as the club had ever been under Baker.