HOFers At Work

Houston Astros v Philadelphia Phillies, August 23, 1981

Veterans Stadium, Section 562 Row 3

Sunday afternoon games were always popular as a kid. One of the parents would drop off a car load at The Vet, tickets in the 700 level were $.50 and we were unsupervised for the afternoon.

I was in a lower section this particular Sunday. Steve Carlton took the mound against Bob Knepper. Not only did we get to see Carlton pitch a masterpiece, but a Mike Schmidt home run was thrown in the mix.

Carlton started the game sitting down the top 3 in the lineup of the Astros. In fact, Knepper did the same to the Phils in the 1st. Carlton responded by doing the same in the 2nd. It wasn't until a Mike Schmidt double in the 2nd did anyone reach base. Gary Maddox knocked him with a double of his own to put the Phils up 1-0.

Carlton was never a bad hitter. He helped his own cause in the 3rd with a lead off single. Lonnie Smith was hit by a pitch followed by a Pete Rose single to load the bases. Carlton was forced out on a Gary Matthews grounder, but the bases remained loaded with Smith, Rose and Matthews. Mike Schmidt stepped up to the plate and cleared the pads with a grand slam.

Pete Rose hit an RBI single in the 4th to widen the Phils margin to 6-0.
Closer Tug McGraw came in the 9th to secure the save.

Let's recap. HOF Steve Carlton pitched a shut out. HOF slugger Mike Schmidt slugged a grand slam, the all time hit leader Pete Rose did his part and World Series hero Tug McGraw closed out the game. Not to shabby of a game to sit through.

Lost in the boxscore of this contest was the last MLB game for the Phils utility fielder John Vukovich. Vuk went on to be a wildly popular coach for the Phils. He passed away in 2007 of a brain tumor.