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1980 National League Championship Series
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1980 National League Championship Series
The 1980 National League Championship Series was a best-of-five playoff in Major League Baseball’s 1980 postseason between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros for the National League (NL) pennant and the right to play in the 1980 World Series. Played from October 7 to 12, it was the 12th NLCS. Philadelphia won the series three games to two to clinch the NL pennant. It was the first postseason series victory in franchise history for the Phillies, who went on to defeat the Kansas City Royals for their first World Series Championship.
The 1980 National League Championship Series is remembered as the closest, most grueling playoff series in Major League Baseball history. The series went to its five-game limit, with the final four games requiring extra innings to determine a winner.
The two franchises would meet again in the 2022 World Series, nine years after the Astros switched to the American League.
The 1980 National League pennant race was one of the most exciting races in baseball history, as both divisions came down to the final weekend. The NL East race featured the Pirates, the defending World Series Champions; the Phillies, who were hovering just over a .500 winning percentage and in third place until the middle of August; and the Expos, who were leading the division or within at least four games of first place throughout most of the season. The Pirates would fade at the end of the season and finish 83–79. The Phillies and the Expos were tied in the standings entering the final weekend of the 1980 season with a three game series set between the two clubs at Olympic Stadium (Montreal). On October 4, with the Phillies holding a one-game lead in the standings, and with the score tied at four heading to the tenth, Mike Schmidt hit a blast deep into the seats in left field to give the Phillies a 6–4 lead and ultimate win. The win clinched the NL East for the Phillies and prevented a one-game playoff with the Expos for the divisional crown the following day.
The two parties in the NL West race were the Astros and Dodgers. The Astros were a very talented team with the additions of Joe Morgan and Nolan Ryan during the off-season, but a stroke to ace pitcher J.R. Richard in late July and inner turmoil threatened to tear the team apart. In his book, Joe Morgan – A Life in Baseball, Morgan recounted how he called a players-only meeting in August after a series against the Padres in San Diego. He challenged his teammates to be less selfish and he singled people out and it worked. Immediately following the meeting, Houston went on a tear and gained a three game lead in the NL West. Everyone was happy, according to Morgan, except manager Bill Virdon, who felt Morgan had overstepped his bounds. Their relationship changed after that. As the team continued to surge, players would talk about how much of an influence Morgan was which made the problem worse. Virdon began benching Morgan late in games and it would come back to bite them later on. While the Phillies were putting their finishing touches on clinching the NL East during the last weekend of the season, the Astros had a meltdown at Dodger Stadium. All Houston had to do was win one game and they would qualify for their first ever post-season appearance; instead, they were swept in three games by the second-place Dodgers to force a one game playoff the next day.
More than 50,000 people packed Dodger Stadium on Monday, October 6 for the one-game playoff to determine the NL West champion. The Astros sent 19-game winner Joe Niekro to the mound, while the Dodgers countered with Dave Goltz, who signed as a free-agent in the 1979-1980 off-season. Goltz recorded double-digit wins for six straight seasons in Minnesota, but his first season in Dodger Blue was a disappointment, as he entered the most important game of the season with a 7–10 record and a 4.31 ERA. Houston would knock Goltz out the game early and go on to win 7–1, setting the stage for a Phillies versus Astros NL Championship Series.
Ramón Avilés, Bob Boone, Larry Bowa, Warren Brusstar, Marty Bystrom, Steve Carlton, Larry Christenson, Greg Gross, Greg Luzinski, Garry Maddox, Bake McBride, Tug McGraw, Keith Moreland, Dickie Noles, Ron Reed, Pete Rose, Dick Ruthven, Kevin Saucier, Mike Schmidt, Lonnie Smith, Manny Trillo, Del Unser, George Vukovich.
Joaquín Andújar, Alan Ashby, Dave Bergman, Bruce Bochy, Enos Cabell, César Cedeño, José Cruz, Ken Forsch, Danny Heep, Art Howe, Frank LaCorte, Rafael Landestoy, Jeffrey Leonard, Joe Morgan, Joe Niekro, Terry Puhl, Luis Pujols, Craig Reynolds, Vern Ruhle, Nolan Ryan, Joe Sambito, Dave Smith, Denny Walling, Gary Woods.
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1980 National League Championship Series
The 1980 National League Championship Series was a best-of-five playoff in Major League Baseball’s 1980 postseason between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros for the National League (NL) pennant and the right to play in the 1980 World Series. Played from October 7 to 12, it was the 12th NLCS. Philadelphia won the series three games to two to clinch the NL pennant. It was the first postseason series victory in franchise history for the Phillies, who went on to defeat the Kansas City Royals for their first World Series Championship.
The 1980 National League Championship Series is remembered as the closest, most grueling playoff series in Major League Baseball history. The series went to its five-game limit, with the final four games requiring extra innings to determine a winner.
The two franchises would meet again in the 2022 World Series, nine years after the Astros switched to the American League.
The 1980 National League pennant race was one of the most exciting races in baseball history, as both divisions came down to the final weekend. The NL East race featured the Pirates, the defending World Series Champions; the Phillies, who were hovering just over a .500 winning percentage and in third place until the middle of August; and the Expos, who were leading the division or within at least four games of first place throughout most of the season. The Pirates would fade at the end of the season and finish 83–79. The Phillies and the Expos were tied in the standings entering the final weekend of the 1980 season with a three game series set between the two clubs at Olympic Stadium (Montreal). On October 4, with the Phillies holding a one-game lead in the standings, and with the score tied at four heading to the tenth, Mike Schmidt hit a blast deep into the seats in left field to give the Phillies a 6–4 lead and ultimate win. The win clinched the NL East for the Phillies and prevented a one-game playoff with the Expos for the divisional crown the following day.
The two parties in the NL West race were the Astros and Dodgers. The Astros were a very talented team with the additions of Joe Morgan and Nolan Ryan during the off-season, but a stroke to ace pitcher J.R. Richard in late July and inner turmoil threatened to tear the team apart. In his book, Joe Morgan – A Life in Baseball, Morgan recounted how he called a players-only meeting in August after a series against the Padres in San Diego. He challenged his teammates to be less selfish and he singled people out and it worked. Immediately following the meeting, Houston went on a tear and gained a three game lead in the NL West. Everyone was happy, according to Morgan, except manager Bill Virdon, who felt Morgan had overstepped his bounds. Their relationship changed after that. As the team continued to surge, players would talk about how much of an influence Morgan was which made the problem worse. Virdon began benching Morgan late in games and it would come back to bite them later on. While the Phillies were putting their finishing touches on clinching the NL East during the last weekend of the season, the Astros had a meltdown at Dodger Stadium. All Houston had to do was win one game and they would qualify for their first ever post-season appearance; instead, they were swept in three games by the second-place Dodgers to force a one game playoff the next day.
More than 50,000 people packed Dodger Stadium on Monday, October 6 for the one-game playoff to determine the NL West champion. The Astros sent 19-game winner Joe Niekro to the mound, while the Dodgers countered with Dave Goltz, who signed as a free-agent in the 1979-1980 off-season. Goltz recorded double-digit wins for six straight seasons in Minnesota, but his first season in Dodger Blue was a disappointment, as he entered the most important game of the season with a 7–10 record and a 4.31 ERA. Houston would knock Goltz out the game early and go on to win 7–1, setting the stage for a Phillies versus Astros NL Championship Series.
Ramón Avilés, Bob Boone, Larry Bowa, Warren Brusstar, Marty Bystrom, Steve Carlton, Larry Christenson, Greg Gross, Greg Luzinski, Garry Maddox, Bake McBride, Tug McGraw, Keith Moreland, Dickie Noles, Ron Reed, Pete Rose, Dick Ruthven, Kevin Saucier, Mike Schmidt, Lonnie Smith, Manny Trillo, Del Unser, George Vukovich.
Joaquín Andújar, Alan Ashby, Dave Bergman, Bruce Bochy, Enos Cabell, César Cedeño, José Cruz, Ken Forsch, Danny Heep, Art Howe, Frank LaCorte, Rafael Landestoy, Jeffrey Leonard, Joe Morgan, Joe Niekro, Terry Puhl, Luis Pujols, Craig Reynolds, Vern Ruhle, Nolan Ryan, Joe Sambito, Dave Smith, Denny Walling, Gary Woods.