Phillies events on November 28
- November 28, 1961 – The Phillies traded pitcher John Buzhardt and infielder Charley Smith to the Chicago White Sox for first baseman Roy Sievers.
- November 28, 1962 – The Phillies traded outfielder Ted Savage and first baseman Pancho Herrera to the Pittsburgh Pirates for third baseman Don Hoak.
- November 28, 2007 – The Phillies acquired pitcher Shane Youman off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Phillies personnel born on November 28
- Adam Bernero (1976) — former major-league pitcher who made 1 start for the Phillies in 2006 and allowed eight runs in two innings of work.
- Ken Howell (1960) — Howell pitched his final two seasons (1988-1989) with the Phillies and was a combined 20-19, 3.85 in 50 starts and 1 relief appearance. He had previously pitched five seasons for the Dodgers.
- Sixto Lezcano (1953) — The Phillies acquired Lezcano from the San Diego Padres on August 31, 1983. He spent the rest of the ’83 season and all of the 1984 season in Philadelphia and hit 14-47-.278/.370/.458 in Philly. He also played for Milwaukee, San Diego, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis.
A DEEPER DIVE… The Phillies–Pirates Rivalry in the NL East Era
For more than two decades, the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates shared one of the National League’s most spirited geographic rivalries. From 1969, when MLB realigned into two divisions, through 1993, when the league prepared for yet another restructuring, the Phillies and Pirates battled annually in the National League East. Those years created a unique stretch of competition defined by shifting periods of dominance, memorable individual performances, and an odd mixture of mutual respect and border-state resentment.
The rivalry was steeped in proximity as much as performance. The two cities sit just across Pennsylvania from one another, creating a natural intrastate clash. Many fans traversed the commonwealth to take in the rivalry, which added a personal edge to road games. But what truly deepened the rivalry was how frequently one team’s success directly hindered the other’s. In the 1970s, the Pirates emerged as the more consistent powerhouse, capturing six division titles between 1970 and 1979. The Phillies, meanwhile, surged at the end of that decade with a core built around Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Bob Boone, and Larry Bowa. Their division championships in 1976, 1977, and 1978 were particularly meaningful because they came during an era when the Pirates were strong enough to challenge them every year.
Those late-70s clashes often felt like postseason baseball months before October. The Pirates’ blend of power, speed, and swagger, led by stars like Willie Stargell, Dave Parker, and Bill Madlock, created a sharp stylistic contrast to Philadelphia’s more pitching-centered approach anchored by Carlton and later by a deep bullpen. The Pirates “We Are Family” team of 1979 overshadowed the Phillies that season, but Philadelphia’s persistence paid off in 1980 when they finally captured a long-awaited World Series championship. Even then, Pittsburgh remained a constant obstacle, finishing above .500 nearly every year in that stretch.
The rivalry carried a distinctly different tone in the 1980s. From 1981 onward, both clubs dealt with transition periods, aging cores, and inconsistent results. The Phillies’ lone peak came in 1983 with the “Wheeze Kids” reaching the World Series, while the Pirates slipped into one of the most difficult stretches in franchise history. Yet even in a down decade, the division alignment ensured meaningful head-to-head meetings. Both clubs turned to youth late in the 1980s, setting the stage for another wave of competitiveness.
By the early 1990s, the Pirates had rebuilt themselves into a contender behind Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, Doug Drabek, and Andy Van Slyke. They won three straight NL East titles from 1990 through 1992, a final burst of excellence before the division dissolved. Meanwhile, the Phillies were assembling their own memorable 1993 roster—one that would win the last NL East title before realignment and reach the World Series. In those seasons, the rivalry still flared, though Pittsburgh’s dominance had re-established the upper hand just before the teams separated competitively in 1994 when the Pirates moved to the NL Central.
Beyond the on-field competition, the Pirates and Phillies created several memorable trade connections. The 1962 trade sending Pancho Herrera and Ted Savage to the Pirates for Don Hoak was an early example that had meaningful roster ripples. Longtime Pirates relief ace Kent Tekulve was traded to the Phillies on April 20, 1985 in exchange for Al Holland and a minor-leaguer. More recently, though still within the broader historical rivalry, the Phillies picked up pitcher Shane Youman off waivers from the Pirates in 2007, a lesser move but one that symbolized how often the two franchises continued to exchange players.
Several other notable names wore both uniforms at different points in their careers without being directly involved in trades between the teams. Jim Bunning, one of the greatest pitchers in Phillies history, spent a brief stint with Pittsburgh late in his career. Terry Mulholland, an All-Star with the Phillies, pitched for the Pirates during the later phases of his career. Though far more famous for his long tenure in Pittsburgh Andrew McCutchen also played for the Phillies before going back to the Pirates. McCutchen became a fan favorite in both cities. And of course, the Gravedigger, Richie Hebner spent time in both a Pirates and Phillies uniform. The list goes on and is long enough that dual-franchise players form a quiet sub-theme in the rivalry’s history.
When the 1994 divisional realignment ended the shared-division era, the rivalry naturally cooled. Without regular high-stakes meetings, the emotional temperature dropped, and fan focus shifted to newer adversaries like the Mets, Braves, and Nationals. But for the better part of 25 years, the Phillies and Pirates created a uniquely Pennsylvanian baseball tradition. It was a rivalry shaped by close competition, iconic players, and timing—never as nationally recognized as some others, but always meaningful within the state and among longtime fans who remember those summer battles on opposite sides of Pennsylvania.
Scroll down to leave a comment or a rating on this story.
Please scroll down to comment on this story or to give it a rating. We appreciate your feedback!
Disclaimer: Some of the products featured or linked on this website may generate income for Philly Baseball News through affiliate commissions, sponsorships, or direct sales. We only promote items we believe in, but please assume that PBN may earn a cut from qualifying purchases that you make using a link on this site.
© 2026 LV Sports Media. All rights reserved.
