March 27: Wes Covington Excels in Philadelphia

The Main Event

Wes Covington (born 1932) – Acquired from the Kansas City Athletics during the 1961 season, Covington played five seasons with the Phillies with 61 home runs and 237 RBI while slashing: .284/.383/.471/.854.

Wes Covington emerged as one of the most dangerous part-time hitters in baseball during the late 1950s. He made his major league debut with the Milwaukee Braves in 1956 and quickly proved his value as a power bat, even without a full-time role.

His best year came in 1958 when he hit .330 with 24 home runs and 74 RBI, finishing third in the National League batting race and earning an All-Star selection. That performance followed up on a 1957 season that saw him hit 21 home runs with He followed that with another strong season in 1959, batting .301 with 21 home runs, 65 RBI and a .284 average as Milwaukee returned to the World Series.

Trade to Philadelphia and Immediate Impact

Covington was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies during the 1961 season, bringing an established bat to a club looking for offense. The Phillies gave him a larger and more consistent role than he had in Milwaukee, and he responded immediately.

Between Milwaukee and Philadelphia in 1961, Covington appeared in 105 games and hit a combined .270 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI. After the trade, he became an important part of the Phillies’ lineup, providing both power and experience.

Covington remained with the Phillies through the 1965 season and was a steady contributor during that stretch. In 1963 and 1964 Covington hit a total of 30 home runs, drove in 122 and batted .292 with the Phillies.

In 1963, he continued to be a reliable bat, appearing in 119 games and hitting .274 with 13 home runs and 68 RBI. While his power numbers declined slightly from earlier in his career, he remained an effective hitter who could drive in runs and handle regular playing time.

By 1965, his role began to shrink as the Phillies shifted toward a younger core. Following the 1965 season Covington was traded to the Chicago Cubs.

Later Career and Overall Legacy

After leaving the Phillies, Covington split the 1966 season with the Cubs and the LA Dodgers before retiring after the 1966 season. His later years were more limited in role, but he remained valued as a veteran hitter.

For his 11-year career, Covington posted a .279 batting average with 131 home runs and 499 RBI. He was never a traditional everyday star, but he was one of the most effective platoon hitters of his era and consistently produced when given opportunities.

His time in Philadelphia stands out as the longest stretch of regular playing time in his career. With the Phillies, he transitioned from a platoon specialist into a dependable lineup fixture, providing steady offense during the early to mid 1960s. Even without superstar recognition, Covington’s combination of efficiency and production made him a valuable contributor on every team he played for, especially during his years in Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Baseball Events for March 27

• March 27, 1921 – During spring training in Gainesville, Florida, members of the Phillies returned from practice to discover their clothing and personal belongings had been stolen from the clubhouse. The club suspected local students were responsible.
• March 27, 1948 – The Phillies traded pitcher Charley Schanz to the NY Yankees for cash considerations. Schanz had appeared in 141 games for Philadelphia from 1944–1947, posting a 25-41 record with a 4.19 ERA.
• March 27, 1979 – The Phillies signed free agent infielder Rudy Meoli, who would play in 30 games with the 1979 Phillies and hit just .178 in what would be his final season.
• March 27, 1979 – The Phillies traded Richie Hebner and Jose Moreno to the NY Mets for Nino Espinosa. Hebner was coming off a strong 1978 season in which he hit .283 with 17 home runs and 71 RBI, while Espinosa would go on to be a key part of the Phillies’ rotation, winning 14 games in 1979 and helping stabilize the pitching staff.
• March 27, 2022 – The Phillies traded Luke Williams and cash considerations to the San Francisco Giants for infielder Will Toffey. Williams had been a versatile utility player who debuted with the Phillies in 2021, while Toffey was acquired as infield depth but did not appear in a major league game for Philadelphia.

MLB Events for March 27

• March 27, 1984 – The Houston Astros release J.R. Richard, ending his major league career. The hard-throwing Richard had been the Astros’ top pitcher before suffering a stroke during the 1980 season, from which he never came back.
• March 27, 1993 – The Chicago Cubs put second baseman Ryne Sandberg (broken hand) and shortstop Shawon Dunston (lower back) on the disabled list. The two will miss Opening Day for the first time in nine years together.
• March 27, 2011 – Cubs P Carlos Silva, who broke into the majors with the Phillies, fails in his bid to become the team’s fifth starter, but says he will refuse an assignment to the minor leagues and makes disparaging remarks about pitching coach Mark Riggins. This pushes the Cubs to release him and swallow $8.5 million for the two years remaining on his contract, while the Seattle Mariners, who traded Silva to the Cubs before the 2010 season, are on the hook for another $5.5 million. Silva has a 10.90 ERA in spring training after a terrible second half of the 2010 season, and made headlines earlier for getting into a fight in the dugout with 3B Aramis Ramirez.

ICYMI

• Philly Baseball News – Two Stadiums, Two First Opening Days
• PBN Extra Innings – The Oddity That is Media Day (subscription required)