Wall of Famer Bake McBride underscores importance of this year’s trade deadline
With the core of home-grown players in place, GM Paul Owens added key pieces via trades, Garry Maddox (1975), Ron Reed (1976), Bake McBride (1977) and Manny Trillo (1979). It culminated with the franchise’s first World Championship in 1980.
McBride and Reed will be the 10th and 11th players from that championship club in the Toyota Phillies Wall of Fame during this year’s Alumni Weekend, Saturday, August 6.
McBride, 28, and a young righthander Steve Waterbury were acquired for young lefty, Tommy Underwood and a pair of outfielders, Rick Bosetti and Dane Iorg, midnight on the June 15, 1977, trade deadline.
“Vern [Rapp, St. Louis manager] told me before we left for San Francisco I would not be traded,” he recalls. “Two days later I was. I was hurt and angry, felt I was lied to. I’m from Missouri, grew up just west of St. Louis, drafted by the Cardinals and had a lot of family there.
“On the other hand, I was happy going to the Phillies. They had a good, young team. Didn’t know anyone but I was greeted warmly when I first walked into their clubhouse. It turned out to be a good thing.”
Owens’ deal was met with some internal friction as owner Ruly Carpenter and farm director Dallas Green where not happy campers giving up 23-year-old Underwood. There were also some concerns about McBride’s knees.
McBride, a .307 hitter in St. Louis over four-plus seasons, checked off a lot of boxes in Owens view: left-handed hitter, top of the order bat who makes contact and can drive the ball for extra bases, premier base stealer, a second centerfielder in the outfield with a strong and accurate arm.
“They’ll need a cannon to get a ball between McBride and (Garry) Maddox,” said Owens. “We think McBride is a helluva player.”
In the 1976 McBride was named to the NL All-Star team but was done for the season in August because of left knee surgery. “The knee is fine,” said Owens in the June 16 Philadelphia Daily News. “We cross-checked between doctors (Stan London, Cardinals and Phil Marone, Phillies). It took two hours get the doctors together. We’re satisfied. We felt after the conversation that McBride was completely sound.”
The newest Phillie batted .339 in 85 games that season with 36 extra base hits, 27 steals, 25 walks and 25 strikeouts. He was instrumental in helping the Phillies to their second straight NL East title.
Philly is known for cheesesteaks. Did Bake get hooked on them? “Oh, yes. I lived in a condo near the airport that first summer. I’d stop on the way to the park two-three times a week. Can’t remember the name. It was on a corner not too far from the Vet.”
1980 NLCS
During the gut-wrenching five-game National League Championship Series against Houston, McBride made two big plays on defense.
**Game 4, in Houston; facing elimination. Game tied, 3-3, in bottom of ninth, McBride caught a liner and nailed a base runner attempting to return to first base for an inning-ending double play. Phillies win in 10.
**Game 5, in Houston, down 2-1 in bottom of second, McBride digs out a double in the right field corner, throws perfect relay to Trillo who nails the runner at home plate. Phillies clinch in 10.
World Series
**Game 1 at Veterans Stadium. Down 4-0, Bake, batting clean-up, drills a 3-run homer to right field to cap a five-run third inning that sent the Phillies on the way to a 7-6 win.
“Dennis Leonard was the pitcher. First time up, I grounded out to short. Got back to the bench and told Bowa I just might hit a homer next time up. Be darned, if I didn’t. The crowd was loud that night, I mean loud.”
**Game 2, Veterans Stadium. Down 4-3, eighth inning, McBride’s RBI single ties game; Schmidt’s double scores Bake from first for 5-4 lead. Phillies win, 6-4.
**Game 5, Kansas City. Down 3-2, sixth inning, runner on first, one out, Willie Wilson doubles into RF corner. Base runner gunned down at home plate, McBride-Trillo-Boone. Phillies rally for 4-3 win and 3-2 Series lead. “Before that first game in KC, “Wine-o” (coach Bobby Wine) worked my butt off in BP hitting balls off the RF fence to see how balls bounced or hugged the wall. It paid off.”
**Game 6, Veterans Stadium. Tug McGraw strikes out Wilson, Phillies are first time World Champions! “I jumped up and down bad knees and all. Saw the dogs and horses entering the field and headed for the clubhouse real fast.”
Did you jump on the pile? “Heck no. I’m skinny and wasn’t about to have Bull pile on top of me.”
Bake McBride file
Arnold (Bake) McBride … B-T: L-R … Born: Fulton, MO, February 3, 1949 … Resides: suburban St. Louis . . . Two daughters, one son; “Pop-Pop” to three grandsons . . . Played football, basketball and ran track at Fulton High School that had no baseball program … Went to Westminster (MO) College where he played baseball … Drafted by Cardinals in 37th round, 1970 … Following his retirement, baseball field at Carver Park in Fulton was named McBride Field in his honor.
Majors Career
Overall, batted .299 in 1,071 games in 11 seasons, Cardinals (1973-77), Phillies (1977-1981), Indians (1982-83) … Hampered at time with knee injuries … Debut on July 26, 1973, as a defensive replacement for LF Lou Brock in Busch Stadium . . . First start August 8, CF, also at home … 1974 N.L. Rookie of the Year … 1976 N.L. All-Star.
Phillies Career
Changed positions after the trade, moving to RF from CF … Phillies debut, pinch-hitter vs. Atlanta, June 18. First start, RF, next game, 1-for-4 batting second … Helped lead the club to four postseason appearances in his five years in Philadelphia … Batted .292 with 106 doubles, 32 triples, 44 home runs, 258 RBI and 98 steals in 553 games over those five seasons … In 22 postseason games, .244, 21 hits, 3 homers, 8 RBI. .304 in 1980 World Series.