1971 Philadelphia Phillies season

The 1971 Philadelphia Phillies season was the 89th season for the franchise in Philadelphia. The Phillies finished in sixth place in the National League East, with a record of 67–95 thirty games behind the first place Pittsburgh Pirates.

Offseason October 7, 1970: Doc Edwards was released by the Phillies.Doc Edwards page at Baseball-Reference November 3, 1970: Curt Flood and a player to be named later were traded by the Phillies to the Washington Senators for Greg Goossen, Jeff Terpko, and Gene Martin. The Phillies completed the trade by sending Terpko back to the Senators on April 10.Curt Flood page at Baseball Reference December 16, 1970: Grant Jackson, Jim Hutto and Sam Parrilla were traded by the Phillies to the Baltimore Orioles for Roger Freed.Roger Freed page at Baseball Reference

Regular season On April 10, the Phillies officially opened Veterans Stadium, their new home park, with a 4–1 victory over the Montreal Expos.

Harry Kalas was hired by the Phillies in 1971 to succeed Bill Campbell, and was the master of ceremonies at the 1971 opening of Veterans Stadium.

The Phillies played an exhibition game against the Reading Phillies on June 17, 1971, in Reading. The Phillies had signed second-round draft pick Mike Schmidt on June 11. Schmidt made his professional debut in the exhibition game in Reading. Schmidt played the whole game at shortstop for the Phillies and hit a game-winning home run against Reading. He was subsequently assigned to the Reading club, where he played the balance of the season.

On June 23, Rick Wise threw a no hitter against the Reds. Wise also hit two home runs in the 4–0 win. Pete Rose hit a sharp liner to 3rd baseman John Vukovich for the final out.

On June 25, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Willie Stargell hit what wound up being the longest home run in Veterans Stadium history off of pitcher Jim Bunning in a 14–4 Pirates win over the Phillies. The spot where the ball landed was marked with a yellow star with a black "S" inside a white circle until Stargell's 2001 death, when the white circle was painted black. The star remained until the stadium's 2004 demolition.

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions April 22, 1971: Johnny Briggs was traded by the Phillies to the Milwaukee Brewers for Ray Peters and Pete Koegel.Johnny Briggs page at Baseball Reference June 12, 1971: Tony Taylor was traded by the Phillies to the Detroit Tigers for Carl Cavanaugh (minors) and Mike Fremuth (minors).Tony Taylor page at Baseball Reference July 17, 1971: Jerry Martin was signed as an amateur free agent by the Phillies.Jerry Martin page at Baseball Reference

Draft picks June 8, 1971: 1971 Major League Baseball draft Mike Schmidt was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2nd round. Player signed June 11, 1971.Mike Schmidt page at Baseball Reference Dane Iorg was drafted by the Phillies in the 1st round (22nd pick) of the Secondary Phase. Player signed June 19, 1971.Dane Iorg page at Baseball Reference

Game log Legend Phillies win Phillies loss PostponementBoldPhillies team member

|- style="background:#fbb" | 1 || April 6 || @ Pirates || 2–4 || Dock Ellis (1–0) || Chris Short (0–1) || None || 39,712 || 0–1 |- style="background:#fbb" | 2 || April 8 || @ Pirates || 0–2 || Luke Walker (1–0) || Woodie Fryman (0–1) || None || 12,289 || 0–2 |- style="background:#bfb" | 3 || April 10 || Expos || 4–1 || Jim Bunning (1–0) || Bill Stoneman (0–1) || Joe Hoerner (1) || 55,352 || 1–2 |- style="background:#bfb" | 4 || April 11 || Expos || 11–4 || Barry Lersch (1–0) || Carl Morton (0–2) || Bucky Brandon (1) || 12,431 || 2–2 |- style="background:#fbb" | 5 || April 12 || Pirates || 3–4 (11) || Dave Giusti (1–0) || Dick Selma (0–1) || None || 19,469 || 2–3 |- style="background:#fbb" | 6 || April 13 || Pirates || 3–9 || Nelson Briles (1–1) || Chris Short (0–2) || None || 14,934 || 2–4 |- style="background:#bfb" | 7 || April 14 || Pirates || 6–5 || Joe Hoerner (1–0) || Mudcat Grant (0–1) || Dick Selma (1) || 8,379 || 3–4 |- style="background:#fbb" | 8 || April 16 || Braves || 7–8 || Cecil Upshaw (3–0) || Jim Bunning (1–1) || None || 15,099 || 3–5 |- style="background:#fbb" | 9 || April 17 || Braves || 2–6 || Ron Reed (2–1) || Barry Lersch (1–1) || None || 10,686 || 3–6 |- style="background:#fbb" | 10 || April 18 || Braves || 4–5 (10) || Cecil Upshaw (4–0) || Woodie Fryman (0–2) || None || 29,583 || 3–7 |- style="background:#bfb" | 11 || April 20 || @ Expos || 1–0 || Chris Short (1–2) || Ernie McAnally (0–1) || None || 11,634 || 4–7 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || April 21 || @ Expos || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 20 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 12 || April 22 || @ Cardinals || 2–5 || Steve Carlton (4–0) || Jim Bunning (1–2) || None || 8,411 || 4–8 |- style="background:#bfb" | 13 || April 23 || @ Cardinals || 8–6 || Bucky Brandon (1–0) || George Brunet (0–1) || None || 29,290 || 5–8 |- style="background:#fbb" | 14 || April 24 || @ Cardinals || 0–5 || Jerry Reuss (2–2) || Bill Champion (0–1) || None || 17,733 || 5–9 |- style="background:#fbb" | 15 || April 25 || @ Cardinals || 4–5 || Frank Linzy (1–0) || Woodie Fryman (0–3) || None || 13,122 || 5–10 |- style="background:#bfb" | 16 || April 26 || @ Astros || 2–1 || Rick Wise (1–0) || Tom Griffin (0–3) || None || 7,227 || 6–10 |- style="background:#fbb" | 17 || April 27 || @ Astros || 0–1 || Larry Dierker (3–0) || Jim Bunning (1–3) || None || 8,152 || 6–11 |- style="background:#fbb" | 18 || April 28 || @ Astros || 3–4 (10) || Jim Ray (1–1) || Bucky Brandon (1–1) || None || 8,576 || 6–12 |- style="background:#bfb" | 19 || April 30 || @ Cubs || 1–0 || Chris Short (2–2) || Milt Pappas (3–2) || None || 9,110 || 7–12

|- style="background:#fbb" | 20 || May 1 || @ Cubs || 4–7 || Ferguson Jenkins (4–2) || Rick Wise (1–1) || None || 16,618 || 7–13 |- style="background:#fbb" | 21 || May 2 || @ Cubs || 1–7 || Bill Hands (3–3) || Jim Bunning (1–4) || None || 9,585 || 7–14 |- style="background:#bfb" | 22 || May 3 || Cardinals || 3–2 || Barry Lersch (2–1) || Chris Zachary (0–1) || Joe Hoerner (2) || 9,102 || 8–14 |- style="background:#fbb" | 23 || May 4 || Cardinals || 3–7 || Jerry Reuss (3–3) || Chris Short (2–3) || None || 9,339 || 8–15 |- style="background:#fbb" | 24 || May 5 || Cardinals || 1–5 || Reggie Cleveland (2–2) || Joe Hoerner (1–1) || None || 10,184 || 8–16 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 6 || Cardinals || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: September 6 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#fbb" | 25 || May 7 || Astros || 1–8 || Don Wilson (2–2) || Jim Bunning (1–5) || None || 15,728 || 8–17 |- style="background:#bbb" | – || May 8 || Astros || colspan=6 | Postponed (rain); Makeup: July 27 as a traditional double-header |- style="background:#bfb" | 26 || May 9 || Astros || 2–1 || Barry Lersch (3–1) || Jack Billingham (2–2) || None || 36,145 || 9–17 |- style="background:#fbb" | 27 || May 10 || Cubs || 0–3 || Ferguson Jenkins (6–2) || Chris Short (2–4) || None || 8,606 || 9–18 |- style="background:#fbb" | 28 || May 11 || Cubs || 2–6 || Bill Hands (4–4) || Rick Wise (1–2) || None || 9,873 || 9–19 |- style="background:#fbb" | 29 || May 12 || Cubs || 4–9 || Ken Holtzman (2–4) || Jim Bunning (1–6) || None || 8,518 || 9–20 |- style="background:#fbb" | 30 || May 14 || @ Braves || 2–3 || Ron Reed (5–2) || Barry Lersch (3–2) || Cecil Upshaw (5) || 10,164 || 9–21 |- style="background:#fbb" | 31 || May 15 || @ Braves || 2–6 || Phil Niekro (3–3) || Chris Short (2–5) || None || 4,976 || 9–22 |- style="background:#bfb" | 32 || May 16 || @ Braves || 4–3 || Rick Wise (2–2) || Pat Jarvis (0–5) || Woodie Fryman (1) || 16,990 || 10–22 |- style="background:#bfb" | 33 || May 17 || @ Reds || 3–2 || Jim Bunning (2–6) || Jim Merritt (0–5) || Bucky Brandon (2) || 7,089 || 11–22 |- style="background:#fbb" | 34 || May 18 || @ Reds || 3–4 || Don Gullett (4–2) || Barry Lersch (3–3) || Joe Gibbon (3) || 7,399 || 11–23 |- style="background:#bfb" | 35 || May 19 || Mets || 4–1 || Chris Short (3–5) || Jerry Koosman (3–2) || None || 19,159 || 12–23 |- style="background:#bfb" | 36 || May 20 || Mets || 1–0 || Rick Wise (3–2) || Gary Gentry (3–4) || None || 14,619 || 13–23 |- style="background:#fbb" | 37 || May 21 || Reds || 3–7 || Tony Cloninger (2–1) || Jim Bunning (2–7) || Wayne Granger (5) || 26,159 || 13–24 |- style="background:#bfb" | 38 || May 22 || Reds || 5–3 || Barry Lersch (4–3) || Jim Merritt (0–6) || None || 31,628 || 14–24 |- style="background:#fbb" | 39 || May 23 || Reds || 3–4 || Don Gullett (5–2) || Chris Short (3–6) || Clay Carroll (6) || 40,455 || 14–25 |- style="background:#bfb" | 40 || May 24 || Reds || 2–1 || Rick Wise (4–2) || Gary Nolan (3–4) || None || 13,614 || 15–25 |- style="background:#fbb" | 41 || May 25 || @ Mets || 4–5 (12) || Danny Frisella (2–1) || Jim Bunning (2–8) || None || 18,853 || 15–26 |- style="background:#bfb" | 42 || May 26 || @ Mets || 3–2 (12) || Bucky Brandon (2–1) || Tug McGraw (3–2) || None || 22,409 || 16–26 |- style="background:#fbb" | 43 || May 28 || @ Dodgers || 2–6 || Al Downing (4–2) || Chris Short (3–7) || None || 27,309 || 16–27 |- style="background:#fbb" | 44 || May 29 || @ Dodgers || 3–9 || Bill Singer (3–9) || Rick Wise (4–3) || None || 35,843 || 16–28 |- style="background:#fbb" | 45 || May 30 || @ Dodgers || 1–2 (12) || Jim Brewer (3–1) || Bucky Brandon (2–2) || None || 36,385 || 16–29 |- style="background:#bfb" | 46 || May 31 (1) || @ Padres || 3–1 || Jim Bunning (3–8) || Al Severinsen (1–1) || Bucky Brandon (3) || see 2nd game || 17–29 |- style="background:#fbb" | 47 || May 31 (2) || @ Padres || 3–6 || Bob Miller (2–1) || Barry Lersch (4–4) || None || 7,458 || 17–30

|- style="background:#fbb" | 48 || June 2 || @ Padres || 0–6 || Steve Arlin (2–7) || Rick Wise (4–4) || None || 2,425 || 17–31 |- style="background:#bfb" | 49 || June 4 || @ Giants || 5–3 || Chris Short (4–7) || Gaylord Perry (6–3) || Jim Bunning (1) || 9,403 || 18–31 |- style="background:#bfb" | 50 || June 5 || @ Giants || 5–3 || Joe Hoerner (2–1) || Jerry Johnson (6–2) || None || 10,945 || 19–31 |- style="background:#bfb" | 51 || June 6 (1) || @ Giants || 1–0 || Rick Wise (5–4) || Steve Stone (4–4) || None || see 2nd game || 20–31 |- style="background:#fbb" | 52 || June 6 (2) || @ Giants || 3–4 (12) || Rich Robertson (2–2) || Joe Hoerner (2–2) || None || 33,516 || 20–32 |- style="background:#fbb" | 53 || June 8 || Dodgers || 2–4 || Bill Singer (4–9) || Chris Short (4–8) || Jim Brewer (5) || 21,388 || 20–33 |- style="background:#bfb" | 54 || June 9 || Dodgers || 9–4 || Ken Reynolds (1–0) || Claude Osteen (6–4) || Woodie Fryman (2) || 19,004 || 21–33 |- style="background:#bfb" | 55 || June 10 || Dodgers || 4–2 || Rick Wise (6–4) || Don Sutton (4–6) || None || 19,493 || 22–33 |- style="background:#fbb" | 56 || June 11 || Padres || 1–2 || Dave Roberts (5–5) || Barry Lersch (4–5) || None || 19,260 || 22–34 |- style="background:#bfb" | 57 || June 12 || Padres || 3–0 || Jim Bunning (4–8) || Steve Arlin (2–9) || Bucky Brandon (4) || 17,039 || 23–34 |- style="background:#fbb" | 58 || June 13 || Padres || 8–9 || Bob Miller (3–1) || Bill Wilson (0–1) || Dick Kelley (1) || 35,343 || 23–35 |- style="background:#bfb" | 59 || June 14 || Giants || 9–4 || Rick Wise (7–4) || Gaylord Perry (6–5) || None || 16,118 || 24–35 |- style="background:#fbb" | 60 || June 15 || Giants || 0–6 || Ron Bryant (6–3) || Barry Lersch (4–6) || None || 21,588 || 24–36 |- style="background:#bfb" | 61 || June 16 || Giants || 6–3 || Jim Bunning (5–8) || Steve Stone (4–5) || Joe Hoerner (3) || 27,212 || 25–36 |- style="background:#fbb" | 62 || June 18 || @ Mets || 0–2 || Gary Gentry (6–4) || Ken Reynolds (1–1) || None || 45,428 || 25–37 |- style="background:#fbb" | 63 || June 19 || @ Mets || 5–6 (15) || Danny Frisella (3–1) || Bill Wilson (0–2) || None || 52,171 || 25–38 |- style="background:#fbb"