Phillies Hall-of-Famer Richie Ashburn dead at 70
Posted: Tues September 9, 1997 at 9:00 p.m. EDT
Former Philadelphia Phillies center fielder and Hall-of-Famer
Richie Ashburn died early this morning in New York of an
apparent heart attack. He was 70.
Ashburn broadcasted the Phillies' game against the New York Mets
on Monday night and later died in his room at the Grand Hyatt
Hotel in New York.
"He was like a brother to me, truly one of my best friends in
life," said Harry Kalas, Ashburn's broadcasting partner. "Richie
was a joy to be around for 27 years. Not only for his baseball
expertise, but his wonderful sense of humor. He will be greatly
missed."
Ashburn finished his career with the Mets in their first season,
1962, and joined the Phillies as a broadcaster the following
season.
"This is a sad day for the Phillies and their fans, we have lost
a cherished friend," said former Phillies' slugger Mike Schmidt.
"For 50 years, 'Whitey' had been a part of the daily lives of
Philadelphians through spring and summer months. You didn't
have to know him personally to consider him a friend."
He won the batting title in 1955 with a .338 average and again
in 1958, with a .350 mark. Ashburn also finished second three
times. One of the great leadoff hitters of all-time, Ashburn
led the National League in walks and runs scored four times, and
hits and triples three times.
A defensive wizard, Ashburn tied a major-league record by
leading NL outfielders in putouts nine times. The six-time
All-Star also hit over .300 nine times in his 15-year career.
The Tilden, Nebraska native started his career with the Phillies
in 1948, winning Rookie of the Year with a .333 average, and
played there until a trade to the Chicago Cubs after the 1959
season. After two years with the Cubs, he went to the expansion
Mets.
In 2,189 games, he had 2,574 hits and a .308 batting average,
earning election into the Hall-of-Fame in 1995. He was
overshadowed because he played at the same time as center
fielders Duke Snider, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.
Among all of the things he did in his career, Ashburn might be
best remembered for throwing out a Brooklyn Dodgers runner at
the plate to preserve a tie and help the Phillies win in extra
innings and on to the 1950 World Series against the New York
Yankees. The "Whiz Kids" were swept in four games by the
Yankees.
"I've known him ever since he broke in with the Phillies," said
longtime Chicago Cubs announcer Harry Caray. "I remember him as
a centerfield with the Whiz Kids. Baseball is much poorer today
because he's not with us."
Besides his duties as a Phillies radio and television announcer,
Ashburn also wrote a column for the Philadelphia Daily News,
passing along his dry sense of humor.
The Phillies will wear a black armband with Ashburn's number 1
for the remainder of the season. There will be a moment of
silence at Shea Stadium before tonight's Phillies-Mets game in
honor of Ashburn.
At Veterans Stadium, the disk of Ashburn's retired number will
wear a black drape for the remainder of the season, as will his
plaque on the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame at the Vet.
"Not only was he a Hall-of-Famer, but he was a true gentleman,"
said Lee Thomas, Phillies' senior vice president and general
manager. "It won't be the same without him."
During the Phillies' homestand from Thursday through Tuesday,
the American flag will remain at half-staff.
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