Site News - 2022

December 2022 Update:  Happy Holidays!  In November, I managed to get through both the NLCS and the World Series from the perspective of the Wilmington Morning News.  I just put the finishing touches on this newspaper’s World Championship celebration, simply called “Champs.”

 

Still Dancing:   Though the Phils came up a bit short against the powerhouse Houston Astros, there is much to celebrate about this team’s effort in 2022.  Far from being satisfied with just making it after an 11-year absence from the playoffs, this Phils team caught the entire league – and perhaps fanbase – by surprise while dancing their way to the World Series.  It was a ton of fun!

 

Free Agency:   Now it’s time to see what changes are in store in the offseason as the Phils begin to retool in search of making a return trip to the World Series in 2023.  The Phils are expected to be a major player in free agency, with their eyes potentially being on Trea Turner or another of the big-name shortstops.  I would also love to see them target one of the top starting pitchers while they are at it!

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  •  Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  •  Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

Future Updates:    With the holidays approaching, I will be satisfied to finish the run of the Wilmington Morning News, taking the articles through the end of the year.  If time allows, I will begin the second Wilmington newspaper, the News Journal.

November 2022 Update:  Still going strong!  Got both August and September articles from the Wilmington Morning News loaded into the site library.  Getting ready to go into that playoff stretch, I want to add…

 

GO PHILS!   What a turn of events from a month ago.  From the precipice of missing the playoffs… again… the Phils found their stride, their rhythm, their mojo just in time for the postseason.  The Phils have defeated St. Louis, defending champion Atlanta and San Diego to reach the…

 

World Series!   Yes, our Fightin’ Phils are indeed dancing with the Houston Astros in the 2022 World Series.  For just the 8th time in their long, often inglorious history, the Philadelphia Phillies are playing for baseball’s World Series Championship.  To get it, they will have to beat the Houston Astros, who won 106 games in the regular season and won the American League pennant for the fourth time in six years.  GO PHILLIES!

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  •  Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  •  Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

Future Updates:    I am hoping to get through the 1980 playoffs and World Series to complete the Wilmington Morning News… but I may get too caught up in this years run!  I’ve also been dabbling with the Montreal Gazette articles from the 1980 World Series, and may try to finish that up as well.

October 2022 Update:  I was able to keep up the momentum I gathered last month, completing the Jun and July articles in the Wilmington Morning News.

 

Stumbling?   The Phils seem to be running out of steam at precisely the wrong time.  At the time of this update, the Phils have lost 10 of their last 14 games, and were struggling to stay on top of the equally struggling Milwaukee Brewers for the last wild card spot for the 2022 playoffs.  It remains to be seen if the Phils can manage to hang on… and I can’t say that their recent play has encouraged much hope for a playoff run.

 

Bailey’s Not Faltering:   The one bright spot in the Phils’ recent decent into the pit of despair has been Bailey Falter.  Since returning to the major leagues in mid-August, Falter has gone 6-1, helping to keep the otherwise lethargic club in the hunt for the playoffs.

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  •  Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  •  Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

Future Updates:    It will be tough to keep up the pace of the last two months, but I will keep forging on with the Wilmington Morning News.  The pennant stretch is coming up, and I look forward to seeing the chase from the articles of Hal Bodley.

September 2022 Update:  Hey, the engine revved a bit this month.  Once I got going, it was full speed ahead, finishing spring training, as well as the April and May articles in the Wilmington Morning News.

 

Wildcard Fever!   The Phils find themselves in the thick of the wildcard race as we head into September.  Currently, they find themselves in the second wildcard position, ahead of both the San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers, the closest competitors.  Could we possibly finally see another Red October?  We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed.

 

Harper Returns:   The Phillies were heartened to see the return of star outfielder / designated hitter Bryce Harper to the lineup.  Though they obviously misses Harper’s potent bat, the team rallied to keep pace in the pennant race during his absence.  The re-addition of the reigning NL MVP can only strengthen the team as they fight for a slot in the playoffs.

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  •  Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  •  Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

Future Updates:    I can’t promise to keep the pace I had this month, but I hope to keep at least a month—to-month pace going forward. I’m getting into the heart of the season in the Wilmington Daily News, and it’s almost like reliving the season!

August 2022 Update:  Well… it’s still slow!  Time was just a bit quick to pass having all of that summer fun.  I am about ⅔ of the way through the spring training articles, but had not been able to put a few hours together to quite finish the job.

 

Thomson’s Boost   The Phils have picked up the pace since the manager change in the beginning of June… even with the absence of their best player.  Since interim manager Rob Thomson took the post, the Phils have a 33-18 record and have climbed back into the thick of the wild-card hunt.

 

All-Star Schwarbs and Snubs:   The Phils’ were represented by free agent signee Kyle Schwarber in this year’s all-star game.  Schwarber also competed in the annual home run derby, igniting a new social media stir in his loss to Albert Pujols.  However, the Phils’ two top pitchers, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, were not selected to the game, though both have pitched well this year.

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  •  Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  •  Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

 

Future Updates:    I know, I know:  promises, promises!  Hopefully I can get back to some semblance of a normal production now that my work schedule will get closer to normal.  Meanwhile… I will be continuing work on the Wilmington Morning News!

July 2022 Update:  Summer is a fun time… a wonderful time… and maybe not the best time to be working on websites!  I got through a few more spring training articles, but the progress has slowed quite a bit.  

 

Them’s the Breaks?   The Phils are facing some tough times with injuries from two of the team’s regulars.  Reigning MVP Bryce Harper suffered a broken thumb after being hit by a pitch on June 25.  This is after losing second baseman Jean Segura to a broken finger. 

 

Manager Change:   The Phils’ rough beginning cost manager Joe Girardi his job.  Girardi was relieved of his duties with the Phils sporting a 22-29 record, good for third base and a 12½ game deficit to the Mets.  Rob Thomson was tapped to be the interim manager for the struggling team.

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  •  Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  •  Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

 

Future Updates:    I will continue to work on transcribing the Wilmington Morning News after my return from vacation.  It may continue to be a bit slow going for awhile, but I hope to continue working on it as best as I can!

June 2022 Update:  Things slowed down a bit in May, as it usually does for me.  I did begin transcribing articles from the Wilmington Morning News, but was not quite able to get through all of the offseason and spring training articles.  

 

Nola Back?  After a down season last year and a slow start to this season, Aaron Nola has been lights out his last few starts.  If we can get ace-level Nola, that will go a long way to put the Phils into contention for the playoffs.

 

Castellanos Struggling:  Going the other way is free agent signing Nick Castellanos.  After a torrid April, Castellanos has hit a rough patch since, hitting only .234 in May.  The Phils will need all their high-priced bats going to maximize their success this season.

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  • Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  • Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

 

 

Future Updates:   I will continue to transcribe the Wilmington Morning News after my return from vacation.  It is a smaller newspaper, and I should be able to keep a month-to-month pace once I come home in July.

May 2022 Update:  I was able to add articles from the Kansas City Star, with coverage throughout the Series from the perspective of Royals’ reporters.  It’s always interesting to see the story from numerous perspectives! 

 

May Day?  The beginning of the baseball season has seen the Phils stumbling a bit out of the gate.  The big bopper lineup has had it’s ups and downs, and the Phils are lagging behind the Mets and Marlins.  Hopefully the Phils enter hitting season quickly.

 

Hitless:  The Phillies were on the wrong end of a combined no hitter against the Mets on April 29.  The Mets used five pitchers - Tylor Megill, Drew Smith, Joely Rodriguez, Seth Lugo and Edwin Diaz – to keep the Phils hitless for the game.  Aaron Nola gave up three runs in six inning, taking the loss in a 3-0 final.

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  • Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  • Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

 

Future Updates:   I have selected the Wilmington Morning News for my next local run through the 1980 season.  It is a smaller newspaper, and I should be able to keep a month-to-month pace, at least beginning in June!  May will be very busy, so I may not get much put in this month.

April 2022 Update:  I can officially say that the Camden Courier Post is done!  I wrapped up the articles from this newspaper through the end of 1980, and can now say that yet another local paper is in the site database! 

 

Locked In?:  The owners and players were finally able to reach some sort of agreement to end the lockout at 99 days.  All teams will have a shortened spring training, and games will begin on April 7.

 

Additions!:  The Phillies made two huge signings in the days following the end of the lockout.  Kyle Schwarber, formerly of the Cubs and Red Sox, and Nick Castellanos, formerly of the Cubs and Reds, will be Phillies in the 2022 season and beyond.  Both were signed to four-year contracts.  In addition, Odubel Herrera, Aaron Barrett, Jeurys Familia and Brad Hand also signed free agent contracts with the Phils. One thing is for certain:  There will be no shortage of power in the Phils’ lineup next year!

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  • Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  • Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

 

Future Updates:   For the short run, I plan to concentrate on World Series articles from the Kansas City Times and Kansas City Star newspapers for the next month or two.  Time will be tight and that may be all I can get accomplished for right now.  Afterward, I will begin another local paper, perhaps one from Wilmington or Allentown.

March 2022 Update:  Time became more cramped this month, so I had to sacrifice the out-of-town newspaper, concentrating on finishing the World Series coverage in the Camden Courier-Post.  I was able to complete that parsed goal, and am now in the process of finishing the post-season coverage in the newspaper.

 

Lockout:  Well… as of now, things are not looking good. The beginning of the season looks to be in jeopardy as the owners and the players continue their antagonistic negotiations.  I guess we’ll see what happens…

 

RIP:  Condolences and prayers for the family and friends of Jeremy Giambi, who died on February 9.  Giambi, the brother of fellow player Jason Giambi, hit 52 homers and knocked in 209 runs with a .263 average over six major league seasons.  Giambi played for the Phils in 2002, hitting 12 homers in 82 games after being acquired from the Oakland A’s in May. Rest in peace, Mr. Giambi.

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  • Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  • Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

 

Future Updates:   I am finishing up the post-season articles in the Camden Courier post, which I hope will be complete in the next month.  After that, I will prepare to begin working on another local paper – either  from Wilmington or Allentown.  I will also go back to World Series articles from the Kansas City Times and Kansas City Star newspapers for viewpoints from the other side.

February 2022 Update:  As anticipated, the time grew a little scarce this month, but I was able to get in the Camden Courier Post articles from the 1980 NLCS against the Houston Astros.  In addition, I put in articles from three Texas sources:  The Corpus Christi Times, the Corpus Christi Caller and the Galveston Daily News.  Also, I found some national-oriented articles from the Chicago Tribune and the Montreal Gazette.

 

Lockout Continues:  Though there have been some hopeful signs in recent days, the Lockout is still in swing.  The further this goes into February, the more it endangers Spring Training and the start of the 2022 season.  Once it is settled, get ready for an avalanche of contract offers and signings – not just from the Phillies, but throughout the MLB,

 

HOF Voting:  Congratulations to Former Red Sox and Twin designated hitter David Ortiz for being elected to the 2022 class of the Hall of Fame.  Former Phils Curt Schilling, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard each fell short of election.  For Schilling, it was his 10th and final attempt at gaining the vote of the Baseball Writers of America Association, while Howard fell short of the 5% of the vote needed to remain on the ballot.  Rollins, who received just shy of 10%, will be on the ballot against next year.

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  • Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  • Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

 

Future Updates:   We have reached the World Series in the Camden Courier Post!  I am hoping, but not necessarily expecting to finish the World Series articles this month.  It may take into March before I am able to complete the articles.  I will also be looking at the Kansas City Times and Kansas City Star newspapers for articles from the other side as well.

January 2022 Update:  Happy New Year!  I was able to complete the regular season articles (through October 6, 1980) in the Camden Courier-Post, as well as the rival newspapers for those games.  I’m looking forward to reliving the playoffs once more in the eyes of local sportswriters!

 

Lockout:  In yet another episode of the rich fighting with the wealthy, MLB has instituted a lockout of the Players’ Association in December.  I guess we’ll just have to see how long this dog-and-pony show lasts this time.  Baseball cannot afford to have this latest labor dispute affect the 2022 season.

 

Denied Again:  For some unknown reason, former Phils’ great Dick Allen was once more denied his deserved place in Cooperstown, falling one vote short in the Golden Era committee.  Allen, who died in 2020, won Rookie of the Year in 1964 with the Phillies, and MVP in 1972 with the White Sox.  Appearing in seven all-star games, Allen finished with a .292 career average, to go with his 351 home runs and 1,119 RBI.

   

Still On the Lookout For:

  • Pictures from the 1980 season.  Looking for digital copies of pictures that can be posted on the site.
  • Articles from the Philadelphia Bulletin.  Richie Ashburn used to do a weekly article in that newspaper.  Online, scanned, clipped… most importantly free!

 

Future Updates:   Now that I am into the playoffs with the Courier-Post, things will slow down quite a bit just due to the increased number of articles that are in each day’s edition during the postseason.  I am hoping to finish the Courier-Post articles during the NLCS in January, and the World Series in February.  I will also keep my eyes open for rival articles during the playoffs as well.