There are big games. And then there are nights that slip into folklore. For nearly 130 years, only three Phillies had ever touched that impossible height.
Delahanty in 1896.
Klein in 1936.
Schmidt in 1976.
Three centuries. Three ballparks. Three different versions of the sport. Now, Schwarber has made it four and turned a summer night in 2025 into another chapter of Philadelphia thunder.
Ed Delahanty — July 13, 1896, West Side Grounds, Chicago
He was the original slugger of Philadelphia, a 19th-century legend whose bat carried the Phillies through the 1890s. On a hot summer day against the Cubs, Delahanty went 5-for-5 with four homers and a single. Two of those shots never even left the yard — they were inside-the-park dashes around the bases.
And yet, in pure Phillies fashion, even a four-homer game wasn’t enough. The Cubs still won, 9–8. It was only the second four-homer game in Major League history, and Delahanty was already proving why he’d one day end up in Cooperstown.
He was the original slugger of Philadelphia, a 19th-century legend whose bat carried the Phillies through the 1890s. On a hot summer day against the Cubs, Delahanty went 5-for-5 with four homers and a single. Two of those shots never even left the yard — they were inside-the-park dashes around the bases.
And yet, in pure Phillies fashion, even a four-homer game wasn’t enough. The Cubs still won, 9–8. It was only the second four-homer game in Major League history, and Delahanty was already proving why he’d one day end up in Cooperstown.
Chuck Klein — July 10, 1936, Forbes Field, Pittsburgh
Forty summers later, the spotlight shifted to another Phillies icon. Chuck Klein, the 1932 Triple Crown winner, walked into Forbes Field and authored one of the most dramatic power displays the game had ever seen.
Klein didn’t just hit four home runs — he saved his best for last. His fourth blast came in the 10th inning, putting the Phillies ahead for good in a 9–6 win. It was the first time in baseball history that a player’s fourth homer had given his team the lead in extra innings. For a club that spent most of the 1930s in the basement, Klein’s night was a burst of glory.
Forty summers later, the spotlight shifted to another Phillies icon. Chuck Klein, the 1932 Triple Crown winner, walked into Forbes Field and authored one of the most dramatic power displays the game had ever seen.
Klein didn’t just hit four home runs — he saved his best for last. His fourth blast came in the 10th inning, putting the Phillies ahead for good in a 9–6 win. It was the first time in baseball history that a player’s fourth homer had given his team the lead in extra innings. For a club that spent most of the 1930s in the basement, Klein’s night was a burst of glory.
Mike Schmidt — April 17, 1976, Wrigley Field, Chicago
If Delahanty was 19th-century baseball’s thunder and Klein was the 1930s’ beacon, then Schmidt was the franchise’s modern titan. On a windy afternoon at Wrigley, the Phillies trailed the Cubs 13–2 in the fourth inning. What followed is the stuff of Philadelphia legend.
Schmidt hit four home runs in his final five at-bats, including the game-winner in the 10th inning. The Phillies stormed all the way back to win, 18–16. By day’s end, Schmidt had gone 5-for-6 with four homers and eight RBIs. It was the ultimate Schmidt moment — power, timing, and a defiant reminder that no lead was safe against him.
You can add Schwarber to the list.
If Delahanty was 19th-century baseball’s thunder and Klein was the 1930s’ beacon, then Schmidt was the franchise’s modern titan. On a windy afternoon at Wrigley, the Phillies trailed the Cubs 13–2 in the fourth inning. What followed is the stuff of Philadelphia legend.
Schmidt hit four home runs in his final five at-bats, including the game-winner in the 10th inning. The Phillies stormed all the way back to win, 18–16. By day’s end, Schmidt had gone 5-for-6 with four homers and eight RBIs. It was the ultimate Schmidt moment — power, timing, and a defiant reminder that no lead was safe against him.
You can add Schwarber to the list.
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