PHILADELPHIA -- For Manny Trillo, Saturday felt like a family reunion.
Trillo became the 42nd Phillie inducted into the Toyota Phillies Wall of Fame prior to Saturday’s game, honored in an on-field ceremony that featured Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Greg Luzinski, Garry Maddox, Larry Bowa, Bob Boone and Dickie Noles, all of whom played with Trillo on Philadelphia’s 1980 World Series championship team. Wall of Fame members John Kruk and Charlie Manuel were also in attendance.
“To be with this bunch of teammates, it’s an elite group,” Trillo said. “Good friends, good teammates; it’s excellent to be in that group. … It's like family. You’re coming back to see your family.”
Trillo made four All-Star teams, including two during his time with the Phillies (1979-82). He was the starting second baseman for that 1980 team, capturing NLCS MVP honors that season after hitting .381 with two doubles, a triple and four RBI against the Astros. Trillo also earned three Gold Glove Awards and a pair of Silver Slugger Awards while with Philadelphia.
“There are eight Wall of Famers from that 1980 team, and now we have number nine,” Bowa said as he introduced his former teammate. “Doesn’t that seem very appropriate for baseball to have No. 9, Manny Trillo?”