Born: Wilmington, Del., 6/10/1940
Died: Montchanin, Del., 9/13/2021
In 1943, Phillies owner William Cox was barred from baseball for betting on the Phillies. His controlling share was bought by Robert M. Carpenter, who installed his son, Robert Jr., as the team President. In his 30-year reign in Philadelphia, the Phillies won one pennant, in 1950. In the late 1960s, Bob Carpenter sent his son, Ruly, to work under Farm Director Paul Owens in order to get a working knowledge of running the team, planning for Ruly's ultimate succession of his father. In 1972, Robert M. Carpenter retired, installing his son, Robert III, or Ruly, as the team president. Under Ruly's leadership, the Phils began to rise again, winning the ultimate prize in 1980. The Carpenter family would sell the club prior to the 1982 season.
"Ruly is the one who deserves the credit for swallowing the guaranteed contracts of the guys Dallas and I wanted to let go so that we could play the kids." -Paul Owens
The Phillies Under Ruly Carpenter
|
|
Team |
W |
L |
Pct. |
Finish |
|
1973 |
Phillies |
71 |
91 |
0.438 |
6 |
|
1974 |
Phillies |
80 |
82 |
0.494 |
3 |
|
1975 |
Phillies |
86 |
76 |
0.531 |
2 |
|
1976 |
Phillies |
101 |
61 |
0.623 |
1 |
|
1977 |
Phillies |
101 |
61 |
0.623 |
1 |
|
1978 |
Phillies |
90 |
72 |
0.556 |
1 |
|
1979 |
Phillies |
84 |
78 |
0.519 |
4 |
|
1980 |
Phillies |
91 |
71 |
0.562 |
1 |
|
1981 |
Phillies |
59 |
48 |
0.551 |
1-3 |
|
TOTALS |
|
763 |
640 |
0.544 |
|
Phillies Publications
From The Phillies 1980 and 1981 Media Guide:
R.R.M. (Ruly) Carpenter III became President of the Philadelphia Phillies on Nov. 22, 1972, succeeding his father, R.R.M. (Bob) Carpenter Jr., who stepped up to Chairman of the Board.
At the time, Ruly was 32 years of age. It made him the youngest club president in the big leagues. Similarly, Bob Carpenter was the youngest president in the majors (28) when the Phillies were purchased from William Cox, Nov. 23, 1943, by Bob's father.
Ruly played three years of varsity baseball and football at Yale University, from which he graduated in 1962 with a B.S. degree in American Studies. In football, he was a two-way end on the 1960 undefeated Yale team. He captained the baseball team his senior year.
Following graduation, Ruly served as assistant baseball coach at the University of Delaware while taking business administration courses there.
Before Yale, Ruly lettered in football, baseball and basketball at Tower Hill School in Wilmington, Del. He graduated from Tower Hill in 1958.
Ruly began working in the Phillies front office in 1963. He spent two years in the accounting department before moving on to the minor league system where he worked under Paul Owens and Dallas Green. He was the club's secretary and assistant treasurer at the time he assumed the President's duties.
Ruly, born July 10, 1940, is married to the former Stephanie Conklin. They have three children, sons Bobby and David and a daughter, Lucinda. The Carpenters reside in Montchanin, Del.