The 1980 Astros...as seen through the prism of a Phillies fan (Erik Nelson)

Erik's e-mail to me was just too darn good that IMO I felt it was worth of it's own post:

Marc,
You mention the 1980 Houston Astros as one of the teams who were ecstatic making it to the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies.  Being a lifetime Phillies fan I was as excited as those people in Houston because the last time they had been in the world series was 1950 the year I became a Phillies fan but being 7 months old I didn't know it at the time.

I remember watching that 1980 series and arguably it was probably the greatest series ever played.  The series went the 5 games and all but the first game went extra innings.  Philadelphia won the first game but then lost the next 2 and were one game from elimination.  In fact they were actually 6 outs from missing the World Series being down 2-0 after 7 in game 4.  Philadelphia had been unable to score for the previous 16 innings having been shutout in game 3 1-0 in 10 innings.  Somehow, they finally broke through in the 8th to scratch out 3 runs to take a 3-2 lead into the 9th but couldn't hold it as the Astros tied the score to send the game into the 3rd straight extra inning game.  Philadelphia tied the series when they got 2 runs in the top of the 10th and McGraw got the save.

The 5th game was for all the marbles and the Astros had Nolan Ryan on the mound against Marty

Truly the best and most exciting series I have ever seen in my 65 years.  I had hoped to get the 80 Houston team to see if I could give them what they missed out in 1980 but Bill picked them one spot before me.  I'll just have to wait for another time.

Erik

Bystrom who no one had ever heard of before September when the Phillies brought him up for the month and he went 5-0.  Bystrom pitched well and when he was pulled in 6th inning the score was 2-2.  The Philadelphia bullpen came on and gave up 3 runs in the bottom of the 7th and Houston was 6 outs away from the World series with Nolan Ryan on the mound and a 3 run lead.  Then the improbable happened, Ryan totally lost his focus, command or whatever you want to call it and became just an ordinary pitcher.  He gave up 3 consecutive singles to start the 8th and then a walk to make the score 5-3.  Ryan is lifted and Philadelphia scores another run on a FC to make the score 5-4.  When the next batter strikes out Houston can see its way out of a possible big Phillies inning.  But another single to tie the game and a 2 run triple gives the Phillies a 5 run inning and a 7-5 lead and suddenly I'm thinking World Series for my team.  But the Astros came back to tie the game off of McGraw scoring the runs with 2 outs.  Both teams went down in the 9th and for the 4th consecutive game it was going to extra innings to decide who was going to represent the NL in the Fall Classic.  With one out in the 10th Del Unser doubles but it looks like that will be as far as he gets after Houston gets the 2nd out.  Gary Maddux becomes the star of the game when he lines the first pitch into the left center field for an RBI double and 8-7 lead.  Dick Ruthven comes on and retires the Stros in order to send the heartbroken home town fans home and the Phillies onto the World Series and the eventual World Series Championship.