Gregory Smith/AP
Chase Utley follows through after connecting for a hit in the fifth inning that resulted in a triple.
- Chase Utley 11/4/09
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Photos: Phillies return from New York- More World Series coverage
- Audio: Utley, Howard, Manuel reflect on loss
- Sam Donnellon: Scrappy Phillies come up short
- Phil Sheridan: Phillies didn't play like champions
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Ed Barkowitz: Reggie Jackson sings Utley's praises
MR. OCTOBER finally met Mr. November, and he was very impressed.
Reggie Jackson, who cemented his legend by hitting .357 in 27 World Series games when the World Series used to be played in October, sought out Chase
Utley before last night's game.
He had to duck through Shane Victorino and around Carlos Ruiz, but he eventually caught up to the Phillies second baseman. The chat was brief, but eventually could be like those old pictures of Babe Ruth and Ted Williams standing together - give or take a few hundred homers.
Jackson, the Cheltenham High grad who now serves as a special adviser for the Yanks, set the record for homers in a single World Series with five in 1977 against the Dodgers. Utley tied him with his second two-homer game on Monday. The biggest difference between the two accomplishments was that Jackson did it while leading the Yankees to the championship. Utley's Phillies were down in the series when he hit Nos. 4 and 5 on Monday.
"He doesn't really care about it that much," Jackson said before last night's game. "They're down, 3-2, and that's where he's at [mentally], and I admire that. I admire that professionalism."
It is all about winning the World Series, but they've been playing the World Series since 1903 and only two guys have dominated like this offensively. It is notable.
"He reminds me of what you might call old school: 'Records are nice, but we're down, 3-2,' " Jackson said Utley said. "The talk is really about winning. You'd rather hit three home runs and win the World Series than hit seven and not. I'm known for the postseason, not what I did during the [regular] season - and I had a pretty good career."
Where's Willie?
Speaking of tied records, where's Willie Wilson?
Glad you asked.
Ryan Howard's eighth-inning strikeout was his 13th of the series and erased Wilson's dubious record set in 1980.
Howard's trouble with strikeouts is nothing new. He has struck out at least 180 times each of the last 4 years.
Wilson's struggles were puzzling. He wasn't a slugger, he was a leadoff hitter; and 1980 was his best season. Wilson hit .326 for the Royals that year and finished fourth in the AL MVP voting. His World Series misery was confounding and ended only when Tug McGraw struck him out to clinch the Phillies' first title.
Wilson redeemed himself in 1985, when he helped lead the Royals to the franchise's only title. He hit .367 that World Series as Kansas City came back from a 3-1 deficit to stun the Cardinals in seven.
Today, he runs the Kansas City-based Willie Wilson Baseball foundation, which tries to provide dental care for underprivileged children. Wilson, 54, couldn't be reached for comment, but the foundation's slogan of "Changing children's lives, one smile at a time" is appropriate.
Now he's off the hook. That oughta make him smile.
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