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What Are the Odds??

 

I think we can safely put this in the category: “It’ll never happen again.”

Here’s something crazy that happened sixty-seven years ago this past week in a game between the Phillies and the Giants.

The day, August 17, 1957, started normally for lifelong Phillies fan Alice Roth. She and her two grandsons were doing what they did quite often during the summer months: They were attending a Phillies home game at Connie Mack Stadium. Before the day was over, Alice Roth would become the victim of one of the most unusual occurrences ever at a major league game.

The Phillies centerfielder, future Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn, hit a foul ball that sailed into the stands and nailed Alice Roth sitting along the third base line. The ball hit Alice squarely in the face, resulting in a serious fracture of her nose.  The Phillies’ staff immediately rushed to the aid of the stricken fan and put her on a stretcher. Ashburn was still at bat as the staff was in the process of removing her from the stadium and transporting her to nearby Temple Hospital.

And then it happened…

Defying all odds, another foul ball off the bat of Ashburn flew into the stands and actually hit Alice Roth again…this time in the leg! Some reports claim that her leg was fractured. What makes the story even more interesting is that Alice Roth was married to Earl Roth, the sports editor of the Philadelphia Bulletin. How Earl Roth reported on the incident in the next day’s paper is unknown. 

Richie Ashburn was known for his ability to foul off balls and make the opposition pitcher work, but I doubt he had this outcome in mind. Thankfully, Mrs. Roth was well out of range before another foul ball off his bat could reach her! They say the odds of catching a foul ball at a game are one-in-835. So what are the chances of getting hit twice…in the same at-bat? I doubt this has ever happened before or since.

Most fans know Richie Ashburn as a talented ball player, but most don’t know he was also one of the kindest, most caring individuals off the field. According to his son, Richie Ashburn, Jr.:

 

 

“He put the fans first. Especially the Philadelphia fans because they were knowledgable and fiercely loyal even with bad teams.” Growing up in the midwest in a place like Nebraska shaped who he was — a down-to-earth human being. A man who never laid a hand on anyone. While Philadelphia isn’t known for having the nicest of fans, my dad brought his midwest roots with him and impacted a vast number of people, including Alice Roth.”

The Phillies won the game 3-1 and Ashburn had two hits. But I doubt that the outcome of the game had much meaning for him. True to his caring nature, Richie was deeply moved by the injuries the foul balls off his bat had caused Alice Roth. After she was transferred to Montgomery Hospital, Richie visited her on numerous occasions until she was discharged, and he even autographed a baseball specifically for her. In the years following the incident, Ashburn never missed sending her a Christmas card or birthday card until she passed away thirty years later.

Richie Ashburn was a talented ball player who eventually landed in the Hall of Fame. But he was also a man of character, with his compassionate, caring nature far outweighing his accomplishments on the field.

Richie Ashburn’s Career

Richie “Whitey” Ashburn played 15 years in the major leagues (1948-1962) for the Phillies (1948-1959), Cubs (1960-1961), and Mets (1962). Over his career, he compiled a .308 batting average, with 2574 hits, a .396 on-base percentage, and 234 stolen bases. The six-time All-Star won the batting title twice, led the league in on-base percentage four times, and once in stolen bases.

His best year was probably 1958 when he hit .350, with a .440 on-base percentage, and 30 steals. That year he also led the league in triples (13) and hits (215). He was a member of the 1950 Nation League pennant-winning Philadelphia Phillies “Whiz Kids,” who lost the World Series to the Yankees.  He has the distinction of being the first batter in New York Mets franchise history.

The Tilden, Nebraska native also excelled as a defensive player, routinely leading the league in putouts. His 5,803 career putouts rank third among center fielders in major league history behind only Willie Mays and Tris Speaker. Following his playing career, from 1963 until his death in 1997, Ashburn was a color commentator for television broadcasts of Philadelphia Phillies games. Known for his dry sense of humor, he developed into one of the most beloved sports figures in Philadelphia sports history.

Richie Ashburn was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995. His uniform #1 has been retired by the Phillies. 

Gary Livacari 

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