Joe Morgan's first major league hit led to a still well known Phillies moment for long time Phils phans. In Sept of 1963 the Phils were ending their season with an 11 game road trip to New York, Houston, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The Phils swept their two game series in New York and had split the first two of a 3 game series in Houston and lefty Chris Short took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the 9th against the then Colt 45's.
With two outs little Joe Morgan hit a single that turned a 1-0 win into a 2-1 loss and manager Gene Mauch was furious about a then unknown rookie beating his team, then trying to finish 4th and getting some playoff money. Her came into the clubhouse, got madder and madder and then turned over the post game food table, ruining the food and the suits of Tony Gonzalez and Wes Covington. It was over in a nano second but made all the newspapers and is still famous when discussions of Mauch and his temper are brought up. He was clearly embarrassed and bought new suits for both Gonzalez and Covington.
It also likely saved their season. The team was dog tired and simply wanted to get through their final 6 games and go home. Mauch was not going to let that happen and the Phils went to SF and won 2 of 3 and then swept the eventual World Series champion Dodgers 3 straight, defeating Drysdale and Podres in the process. They finished 87-75 and in fourth place and many of the Phils said it was the spare ribs incident that brought them back to attention.
All because a 5'7" second baseman named Joe Morgan got his first major league hit in 1963.
