European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 27, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Stars and Mideast edition june sports after latest bears Cut ties with defensive tackle tank Page 26 unremarkable Milestone Phillies soon will be first franchise with losses by Rob Muaddi the associated press Philadelphia Mitch Williams was signing autographs before the Philadel phia Phillies played an inter league game last week when a Young boy spotted the former reliever in the suite who that Guy the excited voice did he play for the Phillies the father stared toward the Pitcher once known As wild and muttered a profanity under his he Shook his head and turned away before an swering the Childs that the bum who blew the 93 world series for he broke our said Ralph a 37yearold lifelong Phillies without 6yearold Matthew looked up at his pop and replied in typical Philly fashion he stinks fourteen years some still Haven forgiven Williams for sur rendering the Gam ending Homer to Joe Carter that gave the Toronto Blue jays their second consecutive world series it was an agonizing defeat for a team and a City that too familiar with no franchise in any sport has lost More games than the futile there nearing an ignominious Mark going into Friday nights game at the Phillies were 10 shy of that unimaginable it would take one loss every Day for More than 27 years to reach to make it the Phillies have Only one world series championship 1980 in 125 if youve been around that youre going to have a Cou ple reigning no map Ryan Howard minimizing a Milestone the current players would rather not in a hardcore sports town with passionate fans starved for a championship its been 24 years since the 76ers captured the Aba title a few of the Faith Ful have chosen to embrace the moment and commemorate Many years of one web Cele offers Long suf Fering fans an Opportunity to share stories and buy a shirt or pint Glass stamped with the Box score from the site Tom Philadelphia Phillies Pitcher Jon Lieber tosses the Ball As manager Charlie Manuel comes to the Mound to take him out of the game during the sixth inning against the san Francisco giants on june 4 in the Phillies lost and Are nine losses away from becoming the first pro franchise to lose Phillies bracing for a Milestone the Philadelphia in their 125th Are closing in on a dubious marking the first professional sports franchise to amass seasons of futility most losses by a franchise team first season Phillies 18831 braves cubs from 1938 through the pirates reds 1876 1876 1887 1890 note through games of june 25 sources Elias sports Bureau mob a founder Charley Debow is a sea so ticket Holder who grew up in nearby Willow its not to throw mud in the Phillies the 28yearold its to show the City and the world that Phillies fans Are a Dif Ferent to go through All the losing and we still follow every year when Spring training we forget about last some fans want to celebrate with a Parade on Broad a tradition normally reserved for championship parties and the an Nual mummers March on new years Phillys version of Mardi i was 3 when the mixers so i dont remember said Joe Direnzi of South at the rate these teams Are i might be 50 before some body wins might As Well celebrate were the Best at dont expect the Phillies to go along with any wild they wont set off Flash on their giant video screen or even acknowledge the dubious real Why should they we dont celebrate said Larry vice president of Public in my life the Only team that Cele Brates losing is the Washington generals when they play the har Lem Shenk joined the team in 1964 the year of the infamous col lapse when the Phillies held a 6v2game Lead with 12 to play Only to blow the National league Pennant by losing 10 straight a generation of fans remains haunted by Way that season old timers still blame manager Gene Mauch for Panick ing and starting aces Jim run Ning and Chris Short seven times during the losing those who witnessed Cincinnatus Chico Ruiz steal Home with slugger Frank Robinson at the plate in the 10 loss that started the skid still have nightmares about that the reds manager Dick Sisler said if Ruiz woul Dve been thrown he Shoul Dve just kept running Back to the no body did that with Robinson at the said Joe a fan since Thrifty owners concerned More about the Bottom line than winning it All have plagued the Phillies throughout the even when they spent the big it didst always pan High priced free agents often flopped in diehards still shudder when they hear the names of Lance Gregg Jefferies and Danny sometimes rewarding their own Al stars Lenny Dykstra million and Darren Daulton million signed huge contracts after helping the Phillies win the Pennant in neither played 100 games in any season afterwards due to injun see on Page 29 it takes two but Henman moves on at Wimbledon Page 27
