Raymond Mirra History of the Philadelphia

Raymond Mirra was born in Salem County in New Jersey. He attended the University of Illinois at Champaign and then joined the Army in WWII. While he was in the service, his baseball career spanned parts of fourteen seasons for three different franchises. The Indians, Phillies and Rangers chose him in successive years as their closer. His record-breaking 13 saves against the Chicago White Sox in the famous ” Yankee Stadium Classic” series remains one of the more remarkable pitched games ever witnessed in baseball.

After the war, Raymond played two seasons for the Atlanta Braves. In those years, he set a career record with 13 saves. Those achievements helped earn him a trade to the Brooklyn Dodgers in which he played two more seasons. A move to the New York Yankees helped shorten his career. But he always remained a part of the New York Giants, the team which he represented throughout his career.

Though he played several years for the Dodgers, his time with the Giants was the most dominant period of his career. The Giants won three World Series and went on to beat the Philadelphia Phillies in four straight World Series. He was named the World Series’ Most Valuable Player. In so doing, he became the first player in franchise history to be named the World Series’ Most Valuable Player three times.

When he signed with the Washington Senators following the conclusion of his playing career, he found himself at the center of quite a media storm. Philadelphia media repeatedly asked the famous reliever about his retirement. Rumor after rumor indicated that he would sign a deal with the Washington Senators to return to the game. In actuality, however, he remained with the Philadelphia Phillies. His decision not to play another season in the majors was widely criticized.

However, the real Ray Mirra had remained true to his belief that he would one day return to the game. He stated many times that he felt like a man who had finally achieved his dream. It was not until he had become a coach with the New York Yankees that he really believed that he had what it took to return to the big leagues as a coach. As a result, he coached the team for twelve seasons. He made the transition well, cementing his place as one of the greatest coaches ever.

Championship

The story of the Philadelphia Athleticians is one of resilience. After numerous injuries, they finally won the first World Series in over a century. Even with their long journey to the championship, they still managed to give their fans something to look forward to each year. They reached the Series once more, and once more they seemed to be out to dethrone the New York Yankees from their dominance of the sport. Eventually they did.

It was not easy for them, of course. They were without their leader, catcher, and almost without a real position player. Many times the team would lose a game but they would come back the next week and win the game. They finally reached the world series however, and it was the team that clinched it.

The history of the Philadelphia Athleticians is one that has left an impression on many fans. They finally reached the pinnacle of success that they so desperately desired. Some of the stories have even become part of baseball’s folklore. Some of the players that came before them, such as Babe Ruth and Joe Dimaggio, are now legends in their own right.