Maybe interleague play isn't so bad after all. Before leaving for this week's West Coast trip, the Phillies took two of three games in each of the series against the American League clubs, and they played in front of larger crowds than normal, an indication that fans like the concept.
All three of the Phillies' games in Baltimore were sold out. The Orioles, who are about 10 games under .500, have seen their attendance figures sink, but a lot of Philadelphians made the trek to Camden Yards last weekend to bolster the box office.
And 126,479 fans flocked to Veterans Stadium for the three-game set against the Yankees. Those crowds were also helped by New York fans who made the trip down the New Jersey Turnpike to support the Bronx Bombers.
It's not likely that many fans from Toronto traveled to Philadelphia for the weekend, but the three games with the Blue Jays drew 75,449 paying customers. That's an average of 25,000 for each game, which is significantly more than the Phillies have been drawing thus far this season.
Also in Philadelphia last week was former pitcher Jim "Kitty" Kaat, who is in his fifth season broadcasting Yankees games for MSG Television. Kaat played for five teams during a 25-year career, including three-plus seasons in Philadelphia, and he apparently made a lot of friends. He seemed to be enjoying his socializing during batting practice last Wednesday, which included a visit with former Phillies center fielder Garry Maddox.
"I've probably stayed in touch with Phillies players that I played with more so than any other team that I was on," said Kaat. "We were a real close team, and we did a lot of things together. We (still) get together once in a while for dinner or to play golf. I've always appreciated the relationships that I made (in Philadelphia)."
Kaat began his major league career in 1959 with the old Washington Senators team that moved to Minnesota in 1961. A mainstay of the Twins' pitching staff for 14 years, his best season was 1966, when he won 25 games, struck out 205 batters and finished with a 2.75 ERA. Minnesota traded him to Chicago during the 1973 campaign, and he won 20 games for the White Sox in 1974 and '75.
The Phillies began to contend for the Eastern Division in the mid-1970s, and after taking the Pittsburgh Pirates down to the last week of the season in 1975, management apparently felt that another front-line pitcher would put the team over the top. The club traded Dick Ruthven, Alan Bannister and Roy Thomas to acquire Kitty.
"When the White Sox told me that they were going to make a trade, they were kind enough to ask me where I would like to play," recalled Kaat. "They said that Pittsburgh, the (New York) Mets and the Phillies were all looking for a left-handed pitcher, and I said that I really liked the Phillies. I was very happy when they made that trade.
"I did not do well personally, and I was kind of disappointed with that. I gave them my best effort, but I really didn't have good years with the Phillies."
The southpaw went 27-30 during the three years that Philadelphia won the division (1976-78). Much of his success came when Kaat got off to a good start in 1976.
"Yeah, I was doing pretty well, but then (manager) Danny (Ozark) used me to pinch run one time, and I slid into third base and cracked my kneecap," he said. "I think I was about ten-and-six when that happened, but then I sort of went steadily downhill after that. (The injury) affected my motion, and I couldn't push off (the mound) right, so it did hurt (my performance)."
The Phillies re-acquired Ruthven during the 1978 season, and Kaat was relegated to the bullpen. He made three appearances in 1979 before his contract was sold to the Yankees. The pitcher spent the rest of '79 and part of 1980 in New York and then moved on to St. Louis, where he closed out his playing career in 1983.
Kaat began his second career in broadcasting in New York with WPIX-TV in 1986. He also has worked in Atlanta and Minnesota and for the ABC, CBS and ESPN networks.
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