PHOENIX (AP) — Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt remembers the halcyon days of Philadelphia sports in the early 1980s when, during a span of consecutive seasons, the city’s four professional sports teams all played for championships.
The Flyers lost to the Islanders in the Stanley Cup Final. The 76ers fell to the Lakers in the NBA Finals. The Eagles were blown out by the Raiders in the Super Bowl. Only the Phillies — Schmidt and those fabulous Phillies — were successful, beating the Kansas City Royals in six games to win the World Series.
Schmidt called 1980 a “year that I’ll never forget,” not only for that championship but for the start of his long friendship with Royals third baseman George Brett, one that endures to this day but will be put to the test on Sunday.
