Hectic 1981 Phillies Spring Training
Coming off their first world championship in the history of the Phillies in 1980, one could expect a busy Spring Training the following year. After all, Clearwater, Fla., was the home of the World Series champs. Media attention would be high.
It became an interesting camp 40 years ago, one that included some shock waves.
David Hartman, host of ABC’s _Good Morning America_, had a tradition of going to Spring Training of the world champions. He put on a Phillies uniform and did his shows from Clearwater. High media attention. Chris Wheeler and I took him to dinner one night at Heilman’s Beachcomber restaurant on Clearwater Beach. Heilman’s was the No. 1 restaurant for Phillies executives, players and media dating back some 30 years.
I can still see the diners’ heads spin and hear a buzz when David walked into the restaurant.
Following the first World Series title, the city celebrated with a massive parade down Broad Street. A sight never to be forgotten.
Well, the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce wanted to have a parade in Spring Training to commemorate the world champions. The parade began on East Cleveland Street, which led into Gulf To Bay heading west through downtown Clearwater. No match for Broad Street but that was expected.
A shock wave?
Early in Spring Training, everyone in camp was told to be in the Carpenter Complex clubhouse at 10 one morning for a meeting. Ruly Carpenter stunned everyone by saying his family was going to sell the team. Skyrocketing contracts for free agents were the main culprit. His grandfather had bought team in 1943 and named his son, Bob, president. Ruly succeeded his dad in 1972.
Bill Giles, the Phillies executive vice president, organized a group that bought the team after the 1981 season.
Three straight division titles starting in 1976 and no World Series appearances were followed by a fourth-place finish in 1979 despite the addition of free-agent first baseman Pete Rose. Could this club win it all or should GM Paul Owens break it up? It entered his mind. With Dallas Green in the dugout, Pope decided to give the club one more chance.
Heading into 1981, all nine starters, and ace Steve Carlton, were 30 years of age or over. Trade rumors began swirling in Clearwater in late March.
With the team in West Palm Beach on the east coast, Owens pulled off a trade, acquiring 29-year-old left fielder Gary Matthews for 23-year-old pitcher Bob Walk, an 11-game winner as a rookie for the world champs. According to reports, the Braves' original ask was Marty Bystrom and Dickie Noles. Pope held on until Atlanta agreed on Walk. Wheels was on the road trip. After the deal was announced he went to the clubhouse and found Walk sitting in front of his locker, crying. The date of the deal was March 25.
Incumbent left fielder Greg Luzinski was having some knee problems and wasn’t on the trip. He had seen limited playing time. The Bull, a first-round selection in the 1968 draft, was one of the building blocks developed by the Phillies and was very popular with the fans. But now the Phillies had two left fielders.
Rumors had him returning to his hometown, Chicago, where he could be a designated hitter for the White Sox. Owens, according to a report, was asking for Steve Trout or Richard Dotson, both pitchers. Finally, five days after Mathews came to the Phillies, The Bull was sold to the White Sox, ending an awkward situation in the clubhouse.
Luzinski went on to have four productive seasons as a DH. Sarge played three years in Philly and was the NLCS MVP when the Phillies beat L.A. to advance to the 1983 World. Series. Green moved on to the Cubs to be their president/GM after 1981. He loved Sarge and traded for him after the 1983 season. That deal came exactly three years and one day after he was acquired by the Phillies.