On the 142nd anniversary of their first game, the Philadelphia Phillies are ensuring that their leadoff Hall of Famers – Ed Delahanty, Billy Hamilton and Sam Thompson, the only outfield in major league history where every player hit .400 (1894) – will take their rightful place among fellow players whose numbers have been retired at Citizens Bank Park. The special recognition will take place on Thursday, May 1, before that night’s 6:45 p.m. game against the Nationals.
Delahanty was the first player in major league history to hit .400 three times, and he has the eighth highest career batting average in major league history. Hamilton’s 198 runs scored in 1894 (132 games) remains the highest season total in major league history, as does his career mark of 1.06 runs per game. He has the 10th highest career batting average in major league history. Thompson’s career 0.923 RBIs per game, his 1.42 RBIs per game in one season (1894) and his 61 RBIs in one month (August 1895) are all the most in major league history, and he owns the 33rd highest career batting average in major league history. From 1892-1895, their combined batting average exceeded the league average by 92-97 points, the largest gaps in major league history.
Each of these legends, who played before the introduction of uniform numbers, will have their respective uniform insignias from their eras posthumously added to the retired numbers that are prominently featured on the brick wall above Ashburn Alley, as well as individually showcased on the team’s retired number disks at the left field plaza.
“We have an incredible storied history, and as we celebrate our 142nd birthday, we are proud to immortalize these early legends who were inducted into the esteemed National Baseball Hall of Fame,” said Phillies Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer John Middleton. “Ed Delahanty, Billy Hamilton and Sam Thompson were baseball superstars, and it is only fitting that they be recognized among the Phillies’ greatest on our retired numbers wall, where they will forever be remembered as the three who paved the way for our franchise.”
The Philadelphia Phillies are the oldest continuous, one name, one city franchise in all professional American sports, with the 1883 season being the first in club history. Since that time, the Phillies have retired the numbers of the following players: Chuck Klein and Grover Cleveland Alexander (denoted with their respective uniform insignias); No. 1, Richie Ashburn; No. 14, Jim Bunning; No. 15, Dick Allen; No. 20, Mike Schmidt; No. 32, Steve Carlton; No. 34, Roy Halladay; No. 36, Robin Roberts; and No. 42, Jackie Robinson.
ABOUT HALL OF FAMERS ED DELAHANTY, BILLY HAMILTON AND SAM THOMPSON
ED DELAHANTY, LEFT FIELDER, PHILLIES, 1888-89, 1891-1901
Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945 and Phillies Wall of Fame in 1985
Played 13 years with the Phillies… Won the NL batting title in 1899 with a .408 average… Led the majors in 1899 in average, hits (234), doubles (56), slugging percentage (.585) and OPS (1.049)… Over his career, led the league in doubles five times, home runs twice and triples once… His 58 steals in 1898 were a franchise single-season record for 86 years until broken by Juan Samuel… Was the first Phillie and second player ever to hit four home runs in a game on July 13, 1896 at Chicago… On the club’s all-time list, ranks first in triples (155), second in runs (1,365) and doubles (441), third in total bases (3,206), stolen bases (438), extra-base hits (683) and hit by pitch (80), fourth in hits (2,211), fifth in at-bats (6,352) and ninth in games (1,544) and walks (643)… His 31-game hitting streak in 1899 was a club record until 2005… Ranks first in Phillies history with 221 outfield assists.
AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB
.346 1837 7510 1600 2597 522 186 101 1466 742 439 456
BILLY HAMILTON, CENTER FIELDER, PHILLIES, 1890-1895
Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961 and Phillies Wall of Fame in 2004
Had a 14-year career, including six seasons with the Phillies… Was the Phillies’ first batting champion in 1891 after leading the National League with a .340 batting average … Also led the league that year in runs scored and hits … Led the league in steals five times, earning him the nickname “Sliding Billy”… Led the NL in runs scored four times and walks five times… In 1894, batted .403 and set the major league single-season record with 198 runs scored… Phillies franchise leader with 508 stolen bases and for his career, ranks third on MLB’s all-time list behind Rickey Henderson and Lou Brock…. Scored over 100 runs in each of his six seasons with the Phillies… Led all major league outfielders in putouts in 1894.
AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB
.344 1594 6283 1697 2164 242 95 40 742 1189 362 914
SAM THOMPSON, RIGHT FIELDER, PHILLIES, 1889-1898
Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 and Phillies Wall of Fame in 1996
Played in 15 major league seasons, including 10 with the Phillies… Led the NL in hits, home runs, doubles, total bases and at-bats twice and triples and extra-base hits once… Hit a career-high .404 in 1894… Set a major league mark with 166 RBI in 1887, a record that stood until broken by Babe Ruth in 1921 … On the Phillies career all-time list, ranks fourth in triples and seventh in runs; also holds the club’s single-season record for triples with 27 in 1894… During his 15-year career, Thompson scored over 100 runs in 10 different seasons… As an outfielder, twice led the NL in assists and fielding percentage… Ranks second in Phillies franchise history with 202 outfield assists.
AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB
.331 1410 5998 1261 1988 343 161 126 1308 452 234 232
* - Statistics above were sourced from the Elias Sports Bureau, Baseball Reference.com, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).