By Mel Greenberg
PHILADELPHIA - While we observe a Phillies parade that we last witnessed back before many of you were born in 1980, our good friend John Altavilla sent us a copy of comments on his blog at the Hartford Courant by Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma, who grew up in Norristown, about the Phillies winning the World Series.
Earlier in the week during the rain-delay of Game 5 we heard from Yale assistant coach Dianne Nolan, former Fairfield head coach, who grew up across the river in Gloucester, N.J., and whose brother Drew was on the same rioster as the Guru when Temple won the National Invitation Tournament in New York.
Herre's what was said:
Well, Geno Auriemma is one happy guy, it seems. The freshmen are playing well. Maya Moore and Renee Montgomery are excelling. And the Phillies won the World Series.
If you don't already know, Geno is a BIG Philly sports fan. He loves the Flyers, Sixers and Eagles, too. But he's deeply committed to the Phillies, in much the same way I loved the Mets until our messy split in September. I suppose there's a chance we can reconcile by the spring, but those Rays. . .I don't know. It's too early to tell. Love is a tricky thing.
But anyway, Geno obviously got a big kick out of watching the Phillies wrap up the World Series on Wednesday. And he was feeling a little nostalgic about it.
"Philadelphia is one of the few places in America, and I think New York is the same, where the fans decide what the expectations should be," Geno said. "It's not the team, the owners or the general managers [who decide] If they [the fans] think you should win the World Series, then that's what you should do. Anything less than that, you stink. That's a hard way to play in that town.
"My first recollection of the Phillies is when I first came to America [in the early 1960s).They were so bad. The 1961-63 era may have been the worst era in Phillies history. And that's bad when you consider the franchise has lost over 10,000 games.
"And then 1964 rolls around. As a kid, you're getting caught up in all, listening to all the games. Jim Bunning's pitching a perfect game at Shea Stadium on Father's Day. Johnny Callison hits a game-winning homer and is the MVP of the All-Star Game at Shea Stadium. Richie Allen is there for the first time. I can still close my eyes right now and think of the quirks of every guy at every position. If you were 10 years old, that was your life. The Eagles were lousy. Pro basketball really didn't exist. And there were no Flyers. It was win the league and go to the World Series. And to have them lose it the way they did. . .Chico Ruiz [of the Reds] steals home [to start the slide that cost them the pennant to the Cardinals].
"It wasn't like the Yankees; we'll get them next year. There was no next year for a Phillies fan. It is first and foremost a baseball town, always was and always will be. Then [after they won] you've to to deal with the phone calls. One huge Cardinals fan who I won't name, but he coaches Division I basketball in New Britain [Central Connecticut coach Howie Dickenman] called me to congratulate me on the Phillies winning their second World Series since the revolutionary war. What a way to ruin a great night. But we have as many as the Red Sox over the last 85 years."
And here is Dianne's note:
On Monday as we watched the game, my friend Chrissie, now a Judge if California, called and asked whats with the wossie ear flaps?
I even bought two boxes of tateycakes but not able to find Schmidt’s Beer. Since my mom passes, my dad lives with us.
Drew sent him a fitted P hat and is a sight in his pj’s and hat.
Know that the fans are in the south of Ct not just the north!!
GO PHILLIES!!
Dianne M Nolan
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