Events on October 23 (Phillies history)

  • 2023 – Phillies lost Game 6 of the 2023 NL Championship Series at Citizens Bank Park, a 5–1 defeat to the Arizona Diamondbacks that forced a Game 7. Aaron Nola took the loss and Merrill Kelly earned the win.
  • 1993 – In Game 6 of the 1993 World Series, Lenny Dykstra hit a three‑run homer that keyed a five‑run seventh inning and gave the Phillies a temporary lead in that game.

Phillies related birthdays from October 23:

  • Kyle Gibson (born 1987) — Right‑handed pitcher born October 23, 1987, who was a member of the Phillies’ pitching staff in 2021–2022 and made multiple starts for the club during his tenure.
  • Rip Rollins (born 1959) — Born October 23, 1959; Rollins was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round (23rd overall) of the 1978 MLB June Amateur Draft and spent time in the Phillies’ farm system.
  • Jim Bunning (born 1931) — Hall of Fame right‑hander born October 23, 1931, who pitched for the Phillies in the 1960s – including a perfect game in 1964 – was later honored in the Phillies Wall of Fame and had his number retired by the club.

A DEEPER DIVE… The life and times of Jim Bunning

James Paul David Bunning rose from a working class upbringing in Southgate, Kentucky to become one of baseball’s most durable and feared pitchers of the postwar era. He attended St. Xavier High School and pitched at Xavier University before signing a professional contract and working his way through the minors. Bunning debuted in the major leagues with the Detroit Tigers in 1955 and quickly established himself as a power pitcher who could miss bats and eat innings. His lanky frame and competitive temperament defined a career that spanned 17 seasons and multiple franchises. .

Bunning’s peak years combined high strikeout totals with heavy workloads and league leadership. He led the American League in wins in 1957 and led the major leagues in strikeouts several times. Bunning threw a no-hitter in 1958 in the American League and later achieved baseball immortality by pitching a perfect game in 1964. He was a nine-time All-Star and finished his career with more than 2,800 strikeouts, a total that ranked among the very top when he retired. Teammates and opponents remembered him for competitiveness on the mound and for an old fashioned approach to preparation and pitching. .

The chapters of Bunning’s career tied him closely to Philadelphia. After stints with Detroit and later with Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, he returned to the Phillies and produced some of his most famous moments in a Phillies uniform. The perfect game came on Father’s Day, June 21, 1964, against the New York Mets in the first game of a doubleheader at Shea Stadium. That masterpiece marked the first National League perfect game since the 19th century and it remains central to Bunning’s baseball legacy. His career totals included 224 wins, a sub 3.30 earned run average, and a reputation as a pitcher who combined craft with velocity.

When his playing days ended Bunning translated his name recognition and competitive drive into a lengthy political career. He served in the Kentucky state senate and then in the United States House of Representatives before winning a seat in the United States Senate in 1998. He was notable for being the only Hall of Famer to serve in the U.S. Senate and for approaching politics with the same blunt style he had shown on the mound. His congressional years featured energetic constituent services and strong support for some conservative priorities, and he served two full terms in the Senate. Bunning’s transition from sports to elected office made him a rare example of successful public life after professional athletics. .

Anecdotes collected over the years highlight Bunning’s toughness and showmanship. He was known to drink a beer in the dugout on occasion and he once famously refused to yield the mound when a fan’s heckling grew loud, opting instead to stare down the disturbance and finish the inning. Later life brought both honors and controversy. Bunning was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1996, a recognition that arrived after lengthy debate among historians and writers. He remained a vivid presence in baseball lore and in Kentucky politics until his death in 2017, which prompted wide remembrances of a man who excelled in two very different public arenas. .