A Wise man at 80

Baby boomers take note: Longtime major league pitcher and onetime Philadelphia Phillies icon Rick Wise turns 80 today.

Casual fans may best remember Rick Wise for his one-of-a-kind 1971 performance in which he hits two home runs while no-hitting the Reds in Cincinnati.

Seasoned Philadelphia fans, of course, remember that moment, but also best remember Wise as being the player the Phillies ship to St. Louis during spring training 1972 in a trade for contract holdout Steve Carlton.

Not such a popular trade at the time with Phillies fans, but that quickly changes as Carlton becomes one of the game’s most dominant pitchers over the next dozen seasons.

Wise does just fine, too, putting together an 18-year career in which he records 188 victories before retiring after the 1982 season.

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