Berks Barrister Winter 2018 - 30

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Michael Jack Schmidt Hits it Outta Here!
Continued from page 29
Following that, when asked about his health and his progress
in fighting cancer, Schmidt said reports from his doctors are
positive. Diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma in August 2013, he
has been treated with radiation and chemotherapy, and is also
continuing to take medications. Schmidt described his efforts
in fundraising and awareness at the educational level combatting
skin cancer and melanoma. This includes his efforts to make
Philadelphia a "sun safe city." He explained that Citizens Bank
Park is a sun safe park, describing how 12 units around the
stadium act as a sunscreen machine that shield people in the park.
He related that he is a partner in the Melanoma Foundation,
which "is my mission now."
On a personal note, Schmidt urged me to increase my visits
to the dermatologist from once to twice a year. Who am I not to
listen to Mike Schmidt?
With these first two topics in Schmidt's presentation
underscoring how certain matters of a serious nature have changed
since his presentation in 2008, the nature of questions asked of
Schmidt regarding the current status of the Phillies certainly
were different than those about the team which was just coming
off a World Championship in 2008. The questions regarding the
current team now center on how to develop talent, and rebuild.
He offered suggestions about needing some veteran arms in the
short term as free agents, a (Lance) "Lynn" (most recently of the
Cardinals), or a ( Jake) "Arrietta" (most recently of the Cubs),
while the young pitchers the Phillies have continue to develop.
Schmidt recommended strongly against undertaking the contract
of Giancarlo Stanton as one that would drain funds for one player
that would be better applied by spreading them around to build
with several players.
Yet another difference is that, when Schmidt spoke here in
2008, he had worked in the booth for a while in 1990 for the
Phillies, but that did not work out. Then, in 2014, he became a
weekend regular for Sunday home games and has since begun to
do Saturday games. His style is relaxed and goes well with John
Kruk in the booth, who he said is a lot of fun to be along side.
Schmidt talked about his first appearance in Reading, a June
17, 1971 exhibition game where under unusual circumstances,
he played for the Phillies, with whom he had just signed a
professional contract as the team's number two draft choice. The
1971 Phillies were destined to finish in last place that year, losing
95 games. (The acquisition of Steve Carlton was just around the
corner.) Reading fans were looking forward to seeing former
Reading Phillies who were now part of the big league club,
including Larry Bowa, Denny Doyle, and John Vukovich. Phillies
catcher Mike Ryan also was an alumnus of a Reading team, but
that was of the Reading Red Sox in 1963 and 1964. Phillies
manager Frank Lucchesi managed the 1967 and 1968 Reading
Phillies, the team's first two years here, with a flamboyant style
that created a special spot for him in the hearts of Reading Phillies
fans.
Schmidt related how he had been invited to Philadelphia
immediately after signing to work out with the team and to see
Veteran's Stadium. When on the day of the game in Reading,
30 | Berks Barrister

shortstop Larry Bowa supposedly came down with the measles,
the Phillies invited him to play shortstop that night in Bowa's
place. Schmidt had played shortstop at Ohio University and so it
was his regular position. The gate for the game was a sparse 3,377
- even though they were lousy the 1971 Phillies were still a major
league team.i
What those 3,377 Reading fans saw that night was Schmidt's
first home run in a Phillies uniform, a seventh inning drive over
the left field fence hit off pitcher Mike Fremuth. In relating this
story, Schmidt noted that Fremuth was one of the players the
Phillies received when they traded Tony Taylor to the Tigers.
(Also noteworthy is (a) that the other player the Phils received
from the Tigers in that abysmal trade was Mike Cavanaugh who
also played in Reading briefly; and (b) Fremuth was a Princeton
grad.)
The home run was of significance in Schmidt's career because
it caused the Phillies to rethink their original intention of sending
him to a lower grade minor league level of Class A. Instead, they
decided to begin play at Class AA Reading, since he had hit a
home run off of a pitcher at that level. Schmidt's stats at Reading
for the balance of the year were modest - a .211 average with 8
home runs. Certainly not consistent with his Hall of Fame future.
A colorized picture of Schmidt jogging back to the dugout
hangs on the wall in First Energy Stadium underneath the right
field stands. In the background, catching for the R-Phils, is Bob
Boone, who would be moved to that position permanently for the
season to allow Schmidt to develop at third base. A black and
white version of the picture appears on the cover of "Reading's Big
League Exhibition Games," a record of the most dramatic home run
hit in Reading's 140-year exhibition game history. As can be seen
in the picture, he was wearing number 14 - which was neither
the number he wore when he played for Reading that season (24),
nor the number he wore when he finally joined the Phillies in
1972 (20).
Between the time of Schmidt's promotion to the parent club
in 1973 and his retirement in 1989, the Phillies would play 11
exhibition games in Reading. For those of you keeping score at
home, he appeared in all but two of them.
One game he missed was August 15, 1974 when manager
Danny Ozark decided that night he would rest his entire infield
- Schmidt, first baseman Willie Montanez, shortstop Larry
Bowa and second baseman Dave Cash - all of whom had played
virtually every game up to that point in the season. Prior to the
game in Reading, the Phillies had played 23 games in 21 days and
had slipped from first place with a two and a half games lead, to
second place, a game and a half behind St. Louis. Ozark's decision
was supported by Ruly Carpenter, the president of the Phillies,
as well as general manager Paul Owens, who both felt that their
infield needed a rest. Ozark apologized to the fans but said he
needed to do that for the good of the team. The large crowd of
6,287 enjoyed seeing the R-Phils beat the parent club by a score of
6-3, rocking former R-Phil Mac Scarce for 4 runs.
The only other exhibition game Schmidt missed was in 1982
when he was on the disabled list with a torn rib cage muscle.
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