How about these names in today’s edition of This Date in Phillies History? Scott Rolen, Charlie Manuel, Steve Carlton, and Jim Thome. That’s three Hall of Fame players and the winningest manager in Phillies history.

Phillies events that occurred on November 4

  • 1997 — Scott Rolen named National League Rookie of the Year. Rolen led National League rookies in several categories and earned unanimous recognition as the NL Rookie of the Year on this date in 1997.
  • 2004 — Charlie Manuel hired by the Phillies. The club brought in Charlie Manuel as a special assistant. Manuel would later become the Phillies’ manager and lead the team to multiple postseason appearances, finishing his career as the winningest manager in the club’s history.
  • 2009 — World Series Game 6 (Yankees defeat Phillies). The Yankees captured the 2009 World Series with a 7–3 victory in Game 6 over the defending-champion Phillies.
  • 1980 — Steve Carlton wins his third National League Cy Young Award. Carlton’s dominant 1980 season (24–9, 2.34 ERA, 304 innings) earned him the Cy Young on this date in 1980.
  • 2011 — Jim Thome signs a one-year contract to return to the Phillies. The veteran slugger rejoined the Phillies on a one-year deal announced on November 4, 2011, adding power and veteran leadership to the roster.

Phillies players, managers, executives, and broadcasters born on November 4

  • Tito Francona — (1933( Francona had a long major-league career that included a stint with the Phillies; he was a versatile outfielder/first baseman known for power and leadership during throughout a 15-year big-league career.
  • Joe Savery — (1985) The left‑handed first round pick by the Phillies in 2007 made his major‑league debut with Philadelphia in 2011 and pitched in relief and spot roles for the Phillies from 2011–2013 before later appearing with Oakland.

A DEEPER DIVE… Scott Rolen’s ride from Rookie of the Year to the Hall of Fame

Scott Rolen’s career reads like a study in steady excellence, occasional tension, and eventual vindication. He arrived in the majors as a 21-year-old kid, debuting with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1996 and quickly establishing himself as a complete third baseman. Rolen combined advanced defensive instincts with a compact, powerful swing. He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1997 and followed with seasons that made him one of the best all-around players of his generation.

Defense was the calling card. Rolen won eight Gold Glove Awards across his career and routinely made plays that changed games. His range, soft hands, and throwing ability made routine plays look like child’s play and difficult plays look routine. Offensively he was no slouch. He produced 10 seasons with 20 or more home runs and three seasons with 30 or more home runs, drove in over 1,200 runs, and hit.281 during a 17-year career. Advanced metrics later confirmed what scouts already believed: Rolen provided significant value at a premium defensive position, and his career Wins Above Replacement of 70.1 ranks him among the top third basemen in modern history.

The arc of his career included a high-profile midseason trade in 2002, when the Phillies sent him to the St. Louis Cardinals. The move became a flashpoint. In the aftermath there were stories about clubhouse chemistry and questions about how Rolen fit with the club. Some commentators and observers used harsh language, at times labeling him a “cancer in the clubhouse.” Rolen and those close to him disputed that portrayal. He pushed back against the notion that he was a disruptive presence and described himself as a fiercely competitive teammate who demanded accountability. Over time, teammates and coaches in St. Louis and elsewhere offered their own perspectives, many emphasizing Rolen’s leadership by example and his willingness to do practice and perform hard for the team.

Those tensions, real or exaggerated, never erased the bright spots. In St. Louis Rolen enjoyed a renaissance. He produced some of his most productive seasons there, earning four All-Star appearances, collecting three more Gold Gloves. Rolen played a critical role on a Cardinals team that won the World Series in 2006. He rebounded from injuries and showed a professional resilience that endeared him to new teammates and fans. It’s telling that managers and front offices repeatedly valued him for the combination of glovework and run production he brought to the hot corner.

Rolen’s personality in interviews could be blunt and candid. That frankness sometimes created media-friendly sound bites, and a few of those lines were amplified into narratives that didn’t always capture the full picture. He was outspoken enough to be misunderstood at times, and that produced a tension between the public storyline and the quieter daily reality of his clubhouse relationships. He later reflected on those moments with humility, acknowledging that competitive intensity can be misread and that younger players especially can grow into roles where their intensity becomes an asset rather than a liability.

His career achievements stacked up in ways that ultimately left little doubt about his place in baseball history. Rolen compiled defensive and offensive credentials that modern evaluators prize, and his career WAR placed him squarely in the conversation with other elite third basemen. Seven elections to the All-Star Game and eight Gold Gloves served as milestones along the way. The capstone came with his election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2023. The Hall’s recognition was both personal vindication and a statistical confirmation: voters ultimately rewarded a body of work defined by peak performance, consistent excellence, and undeniable defensive value.

At his Hall of Fame induction he spoke with the kind of gratitude and focus that had characterized him as a player. He highlighted family, the small-town roots that shaped his work ethic, and the teammates who helped him become better every day. That moment reframed much of the earlier debate. Where critics once emphasized conflict, the Hall ceremony emphasized contribution and legacy.

When you look back at Scott Rolen’s career you see an athlete who combined elite defense, productive offense, and a competitiveness that sometimes veered into controversy. Even so, the most lasting image is of a player who elevated the third base position and who left a mark on every club he played for. The “cancer” label remains a footnote debated by fans and writers, while the Gold Gloves, All-Star nods, World Series ring, and finally Cooperstown stand as the clear, enduring elements of his baseball story.