During their first year in Philadelphia, the team finished with 17 wins against 81 losses. Eventually they improved enough to record a few decent years during the 1890s. The fans saw three Hall-of-Famers play on the team; Ed Delahanty, a right-handed slugger (one of five brothers in major league baseball), Sam Thompson (one of the members of the only major league outfield ever with a combined .400 batting average), and Billy Hamilton, often mentioned as the best player of the 1890's.http://major-league-baseball.suite101.com/article.cfm/philadelphia_phillies

During the beginning of the 20th century the main competition for fans in the Philadelphia area was the Philadelphia Athletics. They were a better team and headed up by Connie Mack. The Phillies were hit hard by bad luck; the worst of it when the left field bleachers of Baker Bowl collapsed in 1903, killing 12 and badly injuring over 200 fans.

In 1915 the Phillies won their first National League Pennant behind the pitching of future Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander. In the World Series they lost to the Boston Red Sox and would then wait another 35 years, finishing last 17 times before making it back to the top. In 1950, they again lost the World Series; this time to the New York Yankees.

Finally in 1980 the Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals in the Fall Classic to claim their first MLB championship. Future Hall of Famers, pitcher Steve Carlton who won the first of four Cy Young awards, and Mike Schmidt , World Series Most Valuable Player led he way. In 2008 they repeated their MLB championship by beating the Tampa Bay Rays.

The team lays claim to 39 members of the Baseball Hall of Fame although 11 of the players and managers were with the team for a year or less.http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/phi/history/hall_of_famers.jsp

The 2009 season was an exciting one for the fans in Philadelphia as their team captured the National League pennant and challenged the New York Yankees in the World Series. It was the second consecutive year the Phillies had made it to the big show, but unlike 2008 when they returned home champions. They fell to the Yanks in 6 games.

The series opened in New York; a result of the American League having won the mid-season All Star game. Phillie pitcher Cliff Lee held the Yankees without a run and striking out 10 as the Phillies won the opener 6 to 1. Phillies lead the series 1 - 0.

In game 2 the Yanks AJ Burnette allowed only a single run in 7 innings while striking out 9, as the Phillies dropped a 3 to 1 decision. Losing pitcher Pedro Martinez gave up all 3 runs, while striking out 8 in 6 innings of work. Series tied at 1 game apiece.

Game 3 turned into a hitter's game as the Yankees defeated the Phillies 8 to 5 in Philadelphia. Jason Werth 2, and Carlos Ruiz homered for the Phillies, while on the Yankee's side Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui and Nick Swisher hit homers. Yankees lead the series 2 games to 1.

Once again the Yankees came out ahead in a 7 to 4 victory even though the only home runs in the game belonged to the Phillies Chase Utley, his 3rd of the series, and Pedro Feliz. CC Sabathia was the winning pitcher for New York. Yankees lead the series 3 games to 1.

Pitcher Cliff Lee recorded his second World Series victory even though he surrendered 5 runs to the New Yorkers. Chase Utley connected for 2 more home runs giving him 5 in the series. Raul Ibanez also connected for the winners. The Yankees were led by Johnny Damon's 3 hits. Yankees lead the series 3 games to 2.

Game 6 and the World Series was won by the Yankees 7 to 3 behind the pitching of Gary Pettite who surrendered 3 runs in 5 2/3 innings and walked 5. Hideki Matsui homered for the New York boys and drove in 6 runs, whileRyan Howard hit his first for Phillie. Matsui wound up hitting .615 in the series and the Philadelphia pitchers just couldn't get him out.http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/ps/y2009/.