Manny Trillo Makes the Greatest Throw in Phillies History

Game changing throws have been a vital part of many of the scant Philadelphia Phillies' championship seasons. Older Phillies fans remember Richie Ashburn's throw that cut down the Dodgers' Cal Abrams at the plate in the final game of the 1950 season. Ashburn, a great centerfielder with a reputedly weak arm, made the throw that saved the season for the Phillies and allowed Dick Sisler to come to the plate in the 10th inning and hit a three-run home run that gave the Phillies their first pennant in 35 years. And then, of course, there was Chase Utley's alert fake to first and throw to home that caught the Tampa Bay Rays Jason Bartlett trying to score from second base, preserving the Phillies one-run lead in the final game of the 2008 World Series. Both great plays at the most critical of times.

For my money though, the greatest throw in Philadelphia Phillies playoff history occurred on October 12, 1980 against the Houston Astros in the fifth and final game of the National League Championship Series. The throw was made by Manny Trillo, who was just inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame on August 7, 2021. The reason I consider this the greatest in Phillies history is that no other second baseman in the history of the game could have made that throw. Not Chase Utley. Not Ryne Sandberg. Not Roberto Alomar. Not Bill Mazeroski. Not Honus Wagner. Manny Trillo had the strongest most accurate arm I have ever seen in a second baseman and that strength and accuracy were on full display on this play. Trillo had begun his professional career as a catcher and that quick-snap, whip-like throwing motion never left him.

Game 5 of the NLCS was played in the Houston Astrodome. The Phillies and Astros had battled each other through four gut wrenching games. Games 3 and 4 went into extra-innings and were filled with big hits, great defense, outstanding pitching, and some truly bizarre plays. By the time the fifth game rolled around, players, managers, coaches, umpires, and fans were all emotionally drained. In the winner take all finale, Astros veteran ace Nolan Ryan faced off against Phillies rookie Marty Bystrom. 

The Astros opened the scoring in the first inning on a Jose Cruz double, which scored Terry Puhl, who had singled. The Phillies took a 2-1 lead when Trillo singled, Gary Maddox walked, and after moving up on a Larry Bowa groundout, both scored on a Bob Boone single to center field. In the bottom of the second, with one out, Luis Pujols walked. Pujols was nursing a sore foot injured earlier in the series and was not running at 100%. The next hitter, Astros shortstop Craig Reynolds, lined a Bystrom pitch down the right field line. You can see what happened next below.

https://youtu.be/nqJlTcV7tKU

 

As you can see, Trillo goes well up the first base line to receive the relay throw from Bake McBride, who fields the ball on the warning track. McBride's throw is perfect. Trillo then wheels and with that characteristic sling shot motion, launches a laser to Bob Boone. The throw is both powerful and extraordinarily accurate. Boone receives the ball  and sweeps the tag in one motion, just nipping Pujols as he slides by. 

That's Keith Jackson on the call, and color man Don Drysdale saying he didn't think they had a chance to get him. You also hear Howard Cosell declaiming, "And again, Manny Trillo becomes the significant figure." Trillo had made a great play in the first inning, going to his right to backhand a Denny Walling bid for an RBI base hit and wheeling to throw him out at first by a step. Cosell was likely referring to that play and Trillo's significant contributions to the Phillies win in game four of the series.

Of course, Trillo was not done in this game. His two-run triple capped off a five-run eighth inning Phillies rally that brought them back from a 5-2 deficit in one of the finest offensive innings in Phillies history. But that is a story for another day. Right now the focus is on Trillo's amazing throw.

The next day, the Philadelphia Daily News' Ray Didinger called it a "tracer bullet", that was "the pivotal defensive play of the series." Bake McBride, Trillo's best friend on the team, said, "It's funny, We practiced that play on our off day [in Houston]. I practiced digging the ball out of the corner and throwing to Manny. He practiced taking the throw and making the relay. The only thing was, Manny kept practicing making the throw to third base. I said 'Hey, why don't you practice making the throw home, too?' He said he didn't need to practice that. He knew he could do it if he had to."

Trillo was named the MVP of the NLCS. Interviewed at the trophy presentation ceremony, Trillo's wife, Maria, predicted the Phillies would win the World Series. The Trillo family could get nothing wrong that October.