Braves at Phillies: September 22nd to September 25th

2022 Chachi Fan Favorites #21

2022 Chachi 2000 Topps Missing Links #20

Thursday and Friday 7:05, Saturday 4:05 and Sunday 1:05
Citizens Bank Park - Philadelphia, PA

At the Ballpark:  Sunday is Fan Appreciation Day, the final regular season home game of 2022, and all fans will receive a 2023 Phillies schedule magnet.

Braves 93-56
2nd Place in the N.L. East, 1 game behind the Mets

Braves Probables
Max Fried (13-6, 2.52)
Jake Odorizzi (1-2, 4.54)
Kyle Wright (19-5, 3.18)
Charlie Morton (9-6, 4.09)

Braves Leaders
Average:  Dansby Swanson - .280
Runs:  Dansby Swanson - 93
Home Runs:  Austin Riley - 37
RBIs:  Matt Olson - 92
Stolen Bases:  Ronald Acuna - 28

Wins:  Kyle Wright - 19
ERA:  Max Fried - 2.52

Strikeouts:  Spencer Strider - 202
Saves:  Kenley Jansen - 36

Phillies 81-67
3rd Place in the N.L. East, 12 1/2 games behind the Mets

Phillies Probables
Ranger Suarez (9-5, 3.53)
Aaron Nola (9-12, 3.38)
Bailey Falter (5-3, 3.68)
Kyle Gibson (10-7, 4.71)

Phillies Leaders
Average:  Alec Bohm - .289
Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 89
Home Runs:  Kyle Schwarber - 40
RBIs:  Kyle Schwarber - 85
Stolen Bases:  J.T. Realmuto - 18

Wins:  Zack Wheeler - 11
ERA:  Aaron Nola - 3.38

Strikeouts:  Aaron Nola - 210
Saves:  Corey Knebel - 12

2022 Virtual Phillies Wall / 2022 Season Summary Index / 2022 Chachi Set Checklist

Introducing the 2021 Chachi Set

It certainly feels odd to be seeing pictures of cards from 2021 when we're only a handful of games into the 2020 season.  On Wednesday afternoon, Topps revealed the design for its 2021 flagship set on its social media platforms.  I've accepted I'll probably never love a Topps flagship design again, for the simple reason I prefer the design and design elements from several decades ago.  The 2021 Topps design is fine, and I'll add a Phillies team set and the factory set to my collection, but I won't go out of my way to open boxes and packs of the product.  Gone are the days when a new Topps flagship set's design makes me want to hand collate a set.

Which brings us to the reason for this post.  As has become tradition, whenever Topps teases its first look at the next year's set, I do the same for the next year's Chachi set.  Going with the 1986 Topps design for the 2021 Chachi set was a relatively easy choice.  First, I've already used all the sets from the 1970s, with the exception of the difficult to replicate 1972 Topps set.  Second, I wanted to go back to the 1980s since I'm spending this season working with the 1991 Topps design.  And third, the only sets from the 1980s I've not yet tackled are from 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1989.  I realize Topps will have 1986 Topps-inspired cards in its packs of 2021 Topps, so there will be some correlation there.  It's also a fairly easy design to replicate and after the strain of 2020, I'm all for something that's relatively simple.  Team name at top using the team's primary color and Novel Gothic font, centered photo, name at bottom, position in little circle - simple.  We all deserve an easy and uncomplicated 2021, right?

Here's a look at potential future Chachi set candidates, with dark horse sets from the 21st century entering the mix for the first time ever.

1965 - My favorite Topps design from the 1960s and now the subject of this blog of mine.
1972 - The only set design from the 1970s I've not used yet, given I'm not advanced enough to replicate the font used for team names.
1984, 1987, 1989 - I still can't seem to get the fonts quite right the 1987 and 1989 sets.  And the 1984 set scares me off somewhat as I'd need two pictures of each player.
2000, 2001, 2006, 2008 - How is it I feel more nostalgia for the 2000s than the 1990s at this point?  I've really come to appreciate the design of the 2000 Topps sets, and it could be one of their most underrated designs ever.  Somehow, this is an early favorite for the 2022 Chachi set.
Other Future Candidates - 1981 Donruss, 1981 Fleer, 1982 Donruss, 1983 Fleer, 1985 Fleer, 1987 Donruss

Memory Lane
2014 Chachi Preview #1 (8/8/13)
2015 Chachi Preview #1 (8/15/14)
2016 Chachi Preview #1 (8/11/15)
2017 Chachi Preview #1 (8/10/16)
2018 Chachi Preview #1 (8/7/17)
2019 Chachi Preview #1 (8/20/18)
2020 Chachi Preview #1 (8/2/19)
2021 Chachi Preview #1 (8/7/20)

1920-1929 Phillies Want List

1923 W515-1 #7

1921-23 National Caramel (E220)

1920 W519 Unnumbered

Having recently completed a 1930s Phillies Want List, I wondered what a 1920s Phillies Want List would look like.  I'll admit this listing is most likely not complete and I'll need to work on that, but here's what I've got so far.

1920 W516-1
Have - Adams
Need - Bancroft

1920 W519 Unnumbered - Have - Cravath

1921 American Caramel Series of 80 (E121) - #18 Donovan, #108 Williams
1921 Exhibits (W461) - #35 Konetchy, #47 Rapp, #49 Ring, #62 Williams
1921 Holsum Bread (D327) - Burns, Cravath, Donovan, Fletcher, Stengel, Williams
1921 Oxford Confectionary - Meadows, Williams
1921 W516-2 - Bancroft

1921-23 National Caramel (E220)
Have - Ring
Need - Henline, Hubbell, Meadows, Rapp, Williams

1922 American Caramel Series of 240 (E120)
Have - #196 Betts, #202 Meadows, #204 Peters
Need - #197 Fletcher, #198 Henline, #199 Hubbell, #200 King, #201 Leslie, #203 Parkinson, #205 Rapp, #206 Ring, #207 Snover, #208 Walker, #209 Williams, #210 Wrightstone

1922 American Caramel Series of 120 (E121) - Donovan MG, Walker, Cy Williams, Fred Williams
1922 American Caramel Series of 80 (E122) - Donovan MG, Williams
1922 Exhibits (W461) - #24 Fletcher, #29 Hubbell, #37 Meadows, #70 Walker
1922 Neilson's Chocolates V61 Type 1 - #59 Henline, #61 Wrightstone, #63 Peters, #92 King, #96 Hubbell, #104 Rapp, #107 Fletcher, #118 Williams, #120 Ring

1922 Neilson's Chocolates V61 Type 2
Have - Fletcher, Wrightstone
Need - Henline, Hubbell, King, Peters, Rapp, Ring, Williams

1922 W501 - #99 Walker, #100 Williams
1922 W573 Strip Cards - Betts, Fletcher, Henline, Hubbell, King, Leslie, Meadows, Parkinson, Peters, Rapp, Ring, Snover, Walker, Williams, Wrightstone
1922 W575-1 Strip Cards - Donovan MG, Ring, Walker

1923 W515-1
Have - #7 Walker, #23 Meadows

1923 W572 - #3 Alexander, #43 Henline, #48 Hubbell, #56 King, #75 Parkinson, #82 Rapp, #108 Tierney, #113 Walker, #117 Williams
1923 Willard's Chocolates (V100) - Alexander, Donovan MG, Henline, Keenan, Neal, Parkinson, Ring, Rixey

1929-30 Exhibits Four-In-One (W463-1) #12

1923-24 Exhibits (W461) - #19 Harper, #23 Holke, #47 Sand, #58 Wrightstone
1925 Exhibits (W461) - #41 Harper, #42 Hawks, #43 Henline, #44 Holke, #45 Hubbell, #46 Mokan, #47 Sand, #48 Williams
1925-31 Exhibits Postcard Back - #32 Klein, #36 O'Doul, #41 Ring, #47 Sand, #66 Williams, #68 Wilson, #69 Wilson
1926 Exhibits (W461) - #41 Bentley, #42 Friberg, #43 Harper, #44 Henline, #45 Huber, #46 Mokan, #47 Sand, #48 Wrightstone
1927 Exhibits (W461) - #21 Decatur, #22 McInnis, #23 Mokan, #24 Wrightstone

1927 Playing Card (W560) - Thevenow, Thompson, Williams
1928 Exhibits (W461) - #21 Leach, #22 Ring, #23 Sand, #24 Williams
1928 Harrington's Ice Cream (F50) - #15 Mitchell, #52 Williams
1928 Tharp's Ice Cream (F50) - #52 Williams, #60 McInnis
1928 Yuengling's Ice Cream - #52 Williams, #60 McInnis

1929-30 Exhibits Four-in-One (W463-1)
Have - #12 Williams/Whitney/Benge/Sweetland
Need - #11 O'Doul/Friberg/Thompson/Hurst

1929 Kashin Publications - #45 Hurst, #52 Klein, #66 O'Doul, #90 Thompson, #98 Whitney, #99 Willoughby

1910-1919 Phillies Want List / 1930-1939 Phillies Want List

1939 Play Ball - Phillies Team Set

I recently put the finishing touches on a complete 1939 Play Ball Phillies team set, adding the card of Hugh "Losing Pitcher" Mulcahy to my collection.  I thought it would be cool to present the entire 10-card team set here with a brief blurb on each player's Phillies career.

The 1939 Phillies have the distinction of being one of the worst teams in franchise history, finishing with a .298 (45-106) won/loss percentage and eclipsing the 105 losses suffered by the 1938 Phillies team.

#12 Hershel Martin

#28 Sylvester Johnson

#33 Del Young

#37 Virgil Davis

#45 Merrill May

#46 Morris Arnovich

#63 Emmett Mueller

#98 Pinky Whitney

#127 Gil Brack

#145 Hugh Mulcahy

#12 Hershel Martin - One of the regular outfielders for the 1939 Phillies, Martin hit .282 in 111 games for the club that season.  I wrote about Martin in this post, and I also featured a color picture of the 1938 club's blue and yellow uniforms.  I also have Martin's 1940 Play Ball card in my collection and I featured it in a post along with the next two players listed below.

#28 Sylvester Johnson - Johnson was at the end of his 19-year career in 1939, and he served as the team's pitching coach that season as well as appearing in 22 games.  Johnson pitched in three World Series games for the 1931 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

#33 Del Young - Infielder Young appeared in 309 games with the Phillies between 1937 and 1940, hitting .224.

#37 Virgil Davis - "Spud" Davis was the Phillies regular catcher from 1930 to 1933 before escaping to the Cardinals and Reds for 4 1/2 seasons.  He'd come back to the Phils in 1938 and in 1939 he'd hit .307 in 87 games.  I published a more detailed post on Davis' career six years ago when I originally picked up his 1939 Play Ball card.

#45 Merrill May - 1939 was third baseman "Pinky" May's rookie season in the Majors.  I published a detailed look at May's career in this post from August 2009.  I also have cards of his in my collection from the 1940 Play Ball and 1941 Double Play sets.

#46 Morris Arnovich - Outfielder Arnovich was the club's leading hitter in 1939 with a .324 batting average and he was also the lone Phillies representative at the 1939 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium.  I previously featured Arnovich's 1940 Play Ball card in this post.

#63 Emmett Mueller - "Heinie" Mueller played his entire four-year career with the Phillies between 1938 and 1941 before serving in World War II.  He hit a home run in his first big league at-bat off the Brooklyn Dodgers' Van Lingle Mungo.

#98 Pinky Whitney - One of the greatest third basemen in franchise history, 1939 was the 12th and final year of Whitney's big-league career.  I wrote about Whitney in this post, and his daughter (or relative) left a comment about Whitney being a wonderful father.

#127 Gil Brack - Baseball Reference lists Brack as "Gibby" Brack, and the outfielder spent two seasons with the Phillies in 1938 and 1939.  In 163 games with the Phils, Brack hit .288 with 10 home runs and 69 RBIs.  After his playing days were over, Brack was employed as a steel worker and unfortunately he met a tragic end.

#145 Hugh Mulcahy - Mulcahy started more games (32) than any other pitcher for the 1939 Phillies, going 9-16 with a 4.99 ERA.  As I wrote when I posted his 1940 Play Ball card, Mulcahy earned the "Losing Pitcher" nickname by going 42-82 with the Phillies over the first six years of his career.  He was the first Major Leaguer to be drafted to serve during World War II, and he'd miss four seasons (1941-1944) serving his country.

1939 Play Ball #98 Arthur Carter Whitney

This is the last of the 1939 Play Ball cards I recently added to my Phillies collection, and it represents one of the best Phillies players of that era. The Phillies Encyclopedia begins its entry on Arthur Carter Whitney with the following bold statement: "Any discussion of the top third basemen in Phillies history must include Pinky Whitney."

Pinky Whitney (not to be confused with his ultimate replacement at third base, Pinky May), played 12 seasons in the Majors with the Phillies (1928-1933), Boston Braves/Bees (1933-1936) and the Phillies again (1936-1939). During that time, he averaged 98 RBI a season while owning a career average of .295. He hit over .340 twice in his career – 1930 (.342) and 1937 (.341) – while playing in Philadelphia’s old Baker Bowl, a renowned hitter’s park.

He finished in the top 20 in NL MVP voting three times (1928, 1929 and 1937) and he was named to the 1936 NL All-Star team. Pinky's 124 RBI in 1932 still stands as the Phillies single-season record for a third baseman. Entering the 2009 season, he was tenth on the Phillies all-time career batting average list. Pinky retired following the 1939 season.

Nostalgia: In recent weeks, my Mom has been painstakingly scanning my grandfather’s old slides into digital files. It’s been a blast looking at decades-old pictures, and I know my Pop-Pop would have loved this new technology and the fact my Mom is taking the time to share these pictures with the family. The old family pictures got me thinking about my Pop-Pop, and I wondered if Pinky Whitney was one of his favorite players growing up. Maybe he even owned this card at some point. Pinky's Phillies Encyclopedia entry notes he was the team's captain and he "was extremely popular." My Pop-Pop would have been in his late teens in Pinky's heyday.

I have distinct memories of listening to Phillies games on the radio while driving with my Pop-Pop to Sea Isle in his big white van. He loved the Phillies and he’d keep track of their wins and losses on a daily basis on a Phillies calendar hanging in his bathroom. I still have those calendars and the picture from July 1983 is of the Phillies all-time greatest third baseman - Mike Schmidt, Willie Jones and Pinky Whitney.