Category Archives: Reading Phillies

That Baseball Team Out in Reading is charging hard into the 2014 season announcing today a “Jim Bunning Day” right after a Ryne Sandberg bobblehead day!

The Sandberg bobblehead is being billed as “the first in franchise history,” although the IronPigs had one a few years back.. but I’ll give it to them. First in their New Named Franchise, I suppose… Either way, Reading fans will have a great year of promotions this season!

From That Baseball Team out in Reading:

Promo Preview: Jim Bunning to be Celebrated on June 12

Night to feature Bunning appearance, bobblehead giveaway, and Reading Baseball Hall of Fame induction

On February 13th, the Reading Fightin Phils will announce their full promotional schedule for the 2014 season in conjunction with the first day of individual ticket sales. Opening Night, the Cowboy Monkey Rodeo, Human Cannonball, John Kruk Garden Gnome, and Ryne Sandberg Bobblehead have already been announced. Between now and then, the Fightins will preview some highlights of the schedule.

Baseball Hall of Famer and Phillies great Senator Jim Bunning will be making his return to Baseballtown on Thursday, June 12 at 7:05 p.m. when the Reading Fightin Phils host a 50th Anniversary of Jim Bunning’s Perfect Game & Reading Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The night will also feature a Jim Bunning Bobblehead giveaway to the first 2,500 adults compliments of Van Bennett Food Co.

In addition to being in attendance, Bunning will also be on hand for a free autograph session for all fans.

Known for his illustrious 17-year MLB career, Bunning spent a season in Baseballtown a year after retired when he managed the Reading Phillies in 1972. His squad, who featured future major leaguers Jim Essian, Mac Scarce, and Bob Beall, went 70-69 in the Eastern League.

A nine-time all-star selection, Bunning became the seventh pitcher in MLB history to throw a perfect game on June 21, 1964, against the New York Mets. At the time, the historical game was the first perfect game thrown in the National League in 84 years. He is also one of just seven pitchers in MLB history to hold the distinction of throwing both a perfect game and no-hitter.

Over his Hall of Fame career, Bunning went 224-184 with a 3.27 ERA in 591 games. He struck out 2,855 batters, ranking second all-time at the time of his retirement behind Walter Johnson.

After his baseball days, Bunning turned his focus to public service and was elected to the city council of Fort Thomas, Kentucky in 1977. Nine years later, Bunning was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he spent 12 years in congress before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1999. He served two terms before stepping down in 2011.

Tickets for this and the rest of the 2014 slate of games go on sale February 13th online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, or by stopping at the Fightin Phils Box Office at FirstEnergy Stadium.

See, I can copy/paste press releases too… 😉

One of my all time favorite Phillies is John Kruk and That Baseball Team out in Reading will be honoring him with a garden gnome giveaway this season!

Promo Preview: Fightins to Honor Kruk as Next Gnome

Garden gnome of Phillies legend to be given out on June 30th

On February 13th, the Reading Fightin Phils will announce their full promotional schedule for the 2014 season in conjunction with the first day of individual ticket sales. Opening Night, the Cowboy Monkey Rodeo, and the Human Cannonball have already been announced. Between now and then, the Fightins will preview some highlights of the schedule.

On June 30th, Philadelphia Phillies legend and former Reading hitting coach John Kruk will become the latest figure to be immortalized in Baseballtown lore as a garden gnome when the Reading Fightin Phils give out a John Kruk Garden Gnome to the first 2,500 adults 15 and over thanks to Metro Bank.

The night also features the 14th Annual Chili Festival with Free Chili starting at 5:00 p.m. in Tompkins VIST Bank Plaza.

Kruk will become the fourth Reading legend to be featured as a Garden Gnome, following in the footsteps of Ryan Howard (2010-11), Cole Hamels (2011), Vance Worley (2012), and Carlos Ruiz (2013).

While known primarily for his career in Philadelphia from 1989 to 1994, Kruk spent time in Baseballtown on two instances. In 1994, the first baseman made a major league rehab in Reading for three games. Seven years later, Kruk joined the Reading coaching staff as the hitting coach under manager Gary Varsho.

After his coaching career, Kruk began a career in broadcasting with Fox Sports Network and in 2004, he joined ESPN as an analyst on Baseball Tonight.

A three-time all-star, Kruk played in the majors for 10 seasons and finished his career with a .300 batting average and 100 home runs. He was also part of the Phillies 1993 National League Championship team.

Tickets for this and the rest of the 2014 slate of games go on sale February 13th online at Fightins.com, by phone at 610-370-BALL, or by stopping at the Fightin Phils Box Office at FirstEnergy Stadium.

For those not old enough to pick up on the reference in this post’s title… watch this:

From the baseball team out in Reading:

Phillies Pitcher Roy Halladay Rehabbing Sunday in Reading

Starting pitcher will start on Sunday afternoon at 1:35 p.m. when team hosts New Hampshire

READING, Pa.—Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay is scheduled to continue his Major League rehab with the Reading Fightin Phils on Sunday at 1:35 p.m. when the club hosts the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Blue Jays) at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Sunday’s game is the final afternoon game of 2013 and features a Fightin Phils Team Baseball Card Set giveaway for the first 2,000 kids 14 and under. In addition to the giveaway, it’s a Fightin Phils Kids Club Free Ticket game where all members receive a ticket and exclusive access to the team autograph session at 11:30 a.m. (NOTE—Roy Halladay will not be a part of the pre-game autograph session)

Halladay was placed on the disabled list May 6 with right shoulder discomfort after struggling through the early part of the season, going 2-4 with an 8.65 ERA in seven starts. The right-handed pitcher was later transferred to the 60-Day disabled list on May 24th following shoulder surgery.

He has made two starts in his rehab assignment thus far with the Gulf Coast League Phillies last week and Lakewood BlueClaws last Tuesday. In his first start, he tossed six innings and gave up three earned runs on six hits and three walks with four strikeouts across 87 pitches. With the BlueClaws, Halladay threw 90 pitches–52 strikes–over six innings and surrendered two runs (one earned) on seven hits and three walks. He also struck out four in the start.

A two-time Cy Young winner, Halladay is 201-104 with a 3.37 ERA in 16 major league seasons. His 201 career wins rank as the most by major league pitchers since 2002. The Colorado native is also an eight-time All-Star with two starts and has won 20 games three times in his career (2003, 2008, 2010). He has also finished in the top-five of Cy Young voting and ERA leaders seven times each in his career.

In 2010, Halladay became the fifth pitcher in MLB history to pitch two no-hitters in the same calendar year. Early in the season, he pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history against the Florida Marlins on May 29th. Later in the National League Divisional Series, he joined the New York Yankees’ Don Larsen as just the second pitcher to throw a no-hitter in the postseason when he did so against the Cincinnati Reds in Game One.

Halladay was originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round of the 1995 draft and made his major league debut three seasons later in 1998. Halladay was acquired by the Phillies from the Blue Jays prior to the 2010 season after 12 seasons in Toronto for Travis D’Arnaud and former Reading players Michael Taylor and Kyle Drabek.

Tickets for the final nine games of the 2013 season at FirstEnergy Stadium are available by visiting Fightins.com, calling the Fightin Phils Ticket Office at 610-370-BALL, or by visiting the Fightin Phils Ticket Office in person at FirstEnergy Stadium. Follow the Fightin Phils on Twitter at @ReadingFightins and like them on Facebook via http://www.facebook.com/fightins.

From Reading’s media dept:

Ruiz will join the Fightin Phils on Friday and Saturday as part of his rehab assignment

READING, Pa.—Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz will join the Reading Fightin Phils on Major League rehab assignment Friday and Saturday when the team returns home after a seven-game homestand to face the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays). Friday’s game at FirstEnergy Stadium starts at 7:05 p.m. and Saturday’s game begins at 6:05 p.m.

Ruiz is currently in the midst of a 25-game suspension after testing positive for a banned substance during the offseason. Prior to playing Reading on Friday and Saturday, Ruiz is scheduled to play a pair of games with the Clearwater Threshers (A+) tonight and Wednesday. He can join the Phillies on Sunday when they face the New York Mets at Citi Field.

The catcher will be making his first trip back to Reading since playing with the club from 2003-2004. During his 2004 season in Baseballtown, Ruiz hit 17 home runs and drove in 50 runs while hitting .284. His home run total was second among Eastern League catchers (Eli Whiteside, Bowie, 18).

Last season, the Panamanian earned his first All-Star selection and set career highs in hits (121), doubles (32), home runs (16), RBIs (68), runs (56), extra-base hits (48), and total bases (201). He also hit .325 and caught a career-high 21 of 85 potential base stealers.

Signed as an amateur free agent by Philadelphia in 1998, Ruiz started every postseason game in 2008 at catcher and helped the Phillies go on to win their second World Series in team history.

Tickets for both Friday and Saturday’s games at FirstEnergy Stadium are available by visiting Fightins.com, calling the Fightin Phils Ticket Office at 610-370-BALL, or by visiting the Fightin Phils Ticket Office in person at FirstEnergy Stadium. Both games will feature a post-game fireworks show thanks to All Star Distributing/Labatt Blue on the 26th and Carpenter Technology Corp. on the 27th.