The Double Switch

Charlie Manuel – in his nine seasons managing the Phillies – never mastered the double switch. That’s 1,486 games that he remained Charlie Befuddled – as Howard Eskin used to call him – when it came to mastering the double switch.

Between you and me, I learned the nuances of the double switch somewhere between the ages of 10 and 12. And if you’re reading this, you probably did too.

I’m in no way trying to minimize Charlie’s success as the Phillies skipper:

• 780-636 record (.551).
• Two National League pennants.
• One World Series championship.

Instead, I’m trying to emphasize the baseball acumen of one Gene Mauch – who is often credited with inventing the double switch. And I’m presenting an example of when The Little General doubled the double switch.

The Quadruple Switch

To set the stage, on July 4, 1964 – exactly 52 years ago today – the Phillies and Giants entered the eleventh inning with the score tied 2-2.

Jim Bunning pitched the first ten innings – giving up the two runs on six hits while striking out nine. Gaylord Perry – who’d come on in relief with two outs in the sixth – had given up a harmless single to Bunning in the top of the tenth. And nothing else.

But the Phillies got to Perry in the eleventh by packaging a single by John Herrnstein, a triple by Richie Allen, and a home run by Wes Covington to take a 5-2 lead.

Mauch then made the quadruple switch to start the bottom of the eleventh:

1. John Herrnstein moved from first to left.
2. Ruben Amaro moved from short to first.
3. Bobby Wine came in to play short – replacing Jim Bunning’s spot in the batting order.
4. Jack Baldschun came in to pitch – taking over Wes Covington’s place in the order.

And Baldschun went three-up-and-three-down to pick up the save:

1. Jim Ray Hart struck out swinging.
2. Duke Snider looked at a third-strike.
3. Willie Mays hit a routine fly to center.

And that – fellow baseball fans – is how you orchestrate the quadruple switch.

In addition to being the official Eagles Outsider for BlameMyFather.com, Barry Bowe is also the author of:

• Born to Be Wild
• 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant
• 12 Best Eagles QBs
• Birth of the Birds
• Soon-to-be-published sexy, police procedural Caribbean Queen
• Soon-to-be-published novel Stosh Wadzinski
• Soon-to-be-published novel Polish Widow
• Work-in-progress: A Fuckin All-American