This Date in Phillies History: November 19

Notable Philadelphia Phillies Events on November 19

November 19, 1956 – The Phillies traded longtime slugger Del Ennis to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for infielder Bobby Morgan and outfielder Rip Repulski, ending Ennis’s 11-year stint in Philadelphia.
November 19, 1986 – Third baseman Mike Schmidt of the Phillies won his third (and final) National League Most Valuable Player Award, becoming only the third player in NL history at that time to win three MVP awards.
November 19, 2021 – The Phillies made their first trade of the offseason (albeit a minor one): they acquired right-hander Nick Nelson and catching prospect Donny Sands from the New York Yankees in exchange for left-hander Joel Valdez and first baseman T.J. Rumfield.

Phillies-Related People Born on November 19

Bob Boone (1947): A longtime Phillies catcher (among other teams), Boone played major league ball for 19 seasons and was known for his defensive prowess.
Ryan Howard (1979): First baseman who spent his entire MLB career with the Phillies (2004–2016), Howard, a.k.a. The Big Piece, was a Rookie of the Year and National League MVP. He also holds the Phillies record for home runs in a season at 58.

A DEEPER DIVE… The Boone Baseball Family

Bob Boone is one of the central figures in one of the most enduring baseball families in American sports. His long playing career, his years as a manager, and the fact that two of his sons reached the major leagues have made the Boones one of only a few three-generation MLB families. Their story is woven through several eras of the sport, from post-war baseball to the data-driven game of today.

Bob grew up in a baseball household because his father, Ray Boone, was already an established major league infielder. Ray played mostly with Cleveland and Detroit and was known for being a steady hitter with good power. Baseball was always around the house, but Bob didn’t immediately follow the same path as a hitter. Instead, he grew into a defensive-minded catcher, a position that ultimately defined both his career and his reputation. His understanding of pitching, game planning, and the mental side of baseball became the traits that kept him in the league for nearly two decades.

Bob debuted with the Phillies in 1972 and became their primary catcher for the next decade. He was part of the franchise’s most successful run to that point, catching one of the greatest pitching staffs in team history and helping guide the 1980 Phillies to the first World Series championship in franchise history. What stood out most was his consistency behind the plate. He was a four-time All-Star and won seven Gold Gloves, and those awards reflected the way pitchers trusted him. Phillies pitchers often said he seemed to know what they needed to throw even before they did. Boone’s offensive numbers were modest, but his value came from handling staffs that featured Steve Carlton, Tug McGraw, Ron Reed, Larry Christenson, and many others. After leaving Philadelphia he added solid years with the Angels and Royals, finishing with more than 2,200 games caught, which was a record for a catcher at the time.

When Bob transitioned into managing, first with Kansas City and later with Cincinnati, the same thoughtful approach to pitching and preparation carried over. His managerial record was not as strong as his playing résumé, but he built a reputation as someone who could work with young players and steady a clubhouse. Even after leaving managing he remained involved in front office and developmental roles because teams valued the depth of his baseball knowledge.

The Boone legacy extended through his sons. Bret Boone, the older of the two, was a second baseman who spent most of his career with the Mariners and Reds. He became known for his surprising power and his energetic style of play. Bret’s peak years, from 2001 to 2003 with Seattle, produced some of the best offensive seasons for a second baseman in modern times. He developed into a multi-time All-Star and won several Gold Gloves. Bret often credited his father for teaching him the finer points of infield play and for encouraging a professional approach to daily routines. He also embraced the mental challenge of staying sharp over a long season, something he learned from watching his father navigate the demands of catching.

Aaron Boone, the younger brother, carved out a different path. He was a reliable infielder known for his athleticism and line-drive swing, and he played for several teams, most notably the Reds and Yankees. Aaron is best remembered for his dramatic walk-off home run in the 2003 American League Championship Series, which instantly became one of the defining postseason moments of that era. Injuries later shortened his playing career, but his baseball instincts and communication skills made him a natural fit for broadcasting and eventually managing. When the Yankees hired him as manager, it continued the Boone tradition of leadership roles in the sport. Aaron’s tenure has featured multiple playoff teams and the challenge of guiding a high-expectation franchise in a data-heavy, analytically driven age.

There is also the earlier generation to consider. Ray Boone set the foundation for the family’s baseball story. He played in the 1950s and early 60s and brought home two All-Star selections and a World Series ring with the 1948 Indians. Ray’s influence shaped Bob’s appreciation for the game, and Bob later passed that same approach to his own sons. In the Boones’ case, baseball did not just run in the family, it became a way of understanding discipline, teamwork, and how to handle both success and setbacks.

Taken together, the Boone family holds more than seventy years of influence in professional baseball. They have played, coached, managed, broadcast, and contributed to the sport across vastly different eras. Their legacy is built on adaptability, baseball intelligence, and an ability to stay relevant as the game evolved. Few families have touched baseball in as many ways for as long, and their story remains one of the most recognizable in the game’s generational history.

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