After 28 Years- # 2 in 126 Years

Jimmy Carter was President, but only weeks from losing to Ronald Reagan. It was October 1988 and the names Carlton, Schmidt, Luzinski, Bowa, Boone, McGraw, Rose and team did something utterly unique in major league baseball history- they led the Philadelphia Phillies to their first ever World Series Championship.

I had grown up in Pennslvania near where the Phillies had a Triple A Farm club. So I was a Phillie phan by early training at Bowman Field in Williamsport. I attended the first game that year in the old Vet. It was the first of four games they were to win. Then there was that October Sunday, at the end of Game 6, as Tug McGraw jumped into Bob Boone's arms and all we could do was stand in grateful awe.

They never did it again.

Until now.

The curse of Billy Penn has now been laid to rest as the first championship in any professional sport since the 76ers in 1983 came to the City of Brotherly Love.

In these intervening years I left Pennsylvania, spent 15 years in Wisconsin and now 9 in Minnesota. The Twins have become my favorite team (esp. after the Brewers moved to the National League.) Veteran's Stadium is long gone replaced by a much better field- Citizen's Bank Park. But the Phillie Phanatic has remained on my shelf waiting for another chance.

Game 5 brings the wonderful season to a close. Phillies win in 5 and lead us into the fullness of football season.

Maybe next year it will be the Cubs chance to break a curse.

Or maybe the Twins will make it back to the Series.

In the meantime enjoy the memories and the joy of a good season.