Phillies Events on January 16
1917 – The Chicago Cubs traded pitcher Jimmy Lavender and $5,000 to the Philadelphia Phillies for pitcher Al Demaree; Demaree would later be sent to the Giants in July of that season.
1964 – American League owners voted against moving the Kansas City Athletics to Louisville; while not a Phillies transaction per se, this decision directly affected the Athletics franchise that had once been Philadelphia’s American League club before its moves to Kansas City and later Oakland.
2000 – By Saam, a legendary broadcaster whose career included serving as play-by-play voice for the Philadelphia Athletics (1938–1954) and the Philadelphia Phillies (1939–1949 and 1955–1976) passed away at the age of 85. Saam was given the Ford C. Frick Award for his broadcasting contributions in 1990.
2007 – The Philadelphia Phillies claimed infielder Greg Dobbs off waivers from the Seattle Mariners, adding a versatile bench player who would become a regular contributor in the late 2000s.
Phillies Birthdays on January 16
Erskine Mayer (born 1890) – A right-handed pitcher who debuted with the Phillies in 1912 and pitched for them until July 1, 1918 when he was dealt to Pittsburgh for Elmer Jacobs.
Buck Jordan (born 1907) – First baseman acquired from Cincinnati in June of 1928, Jordan finished the season with the Phillies before retiring. Jordan hit .299 in 10-plus major league seasons.
Gene Stone (born 1944) – First baseman/pinch hitter whose entire career consisted of 18 games with the Phillies in 1969 when he hit .214.
Reid Brignac (born 1986) – Reid Michael Brignac was born in St. Amant, Louisiana, and went on to a major league career as a middle infielder. After being drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the second round of the 2004 MLB Draft, he made his big-league debut in 2008 and played parts of several seasons with Tampa Bay, Colorado, New York (Yankees), Miami, Atlanta and the Phillies (2014).
Jeff Manship (born 1985) – Manship was a right-hander out of Notre Dame. He made 20 relief appearances with the Phillies in 2014 and posted a 6.65 ERA. He also pitched for Minnesota, Colorado, and Cleveland in an eight year MLB career.
A DEEPER DIVE… The Career of By Saam
Byrum “By” Saam didn’t start out as some polished, big-city “voice of baseball.” He was a Fort Worth, Texas kid who got comfortable talking into a mic early, calling high school football and then working his way through college broadcasts before landing in professional radio. When he arrived in Philadelphia in the late 1930s, he wasn’t stepping into an easy situation. He was stepping into a two-team town where both clubs were about to give their fans a whole lot more disappointment than champagne. Still, Saam’s steady, patient style was exactly what the city’s baseball listeners ended up leaning on.
In 1938, Saam became the first full-time voice of the Philadelphia Athletics, and starting in 1939 he also handled Phillies broadcasts. Because the A’s and Phillies shared Shibe Park and didn’t schedule home dates at the same time, he was able to pull off something that sounds almost impossible now: being the daily soundtrack for both big-league teams in the same city.
Those clubs weren’t exactly making it easy on him. Saam’s legend is tied to the grind as much as the glory. He spent decades calling games in Philadelphia without the cushion of frequent contenders, which is why the Hall of Fame later praised his calm, reassuring manner and the way he kept listeners engaged even when the standings weren’t giving anyone much hope.
STADIUM WEEK: SHIBE PARK/CONNIE MACK STADIUM (1938-1970)
Partners, pacing, and the “rolling along” vibe
If you’re trying to picture Saam on the air, don’t imagine the modern, hype-every-pitch approach. Saam was old-school. He was polished, descriptive, and even-keeled, and he had a habit that became a signature: between innings, he’d often say some version of “rolling along,” like “we’re rolling along here…” It was a small phrase, but it fit him perfectly. It told you the game was moving, the day was moving, and he was going to be right there with you through all nine, no matter what the scoreboard said.
He also had a long list of booth partners across multiple eras. Early on with the Phillies, the partners changed frequently, and later years got more familiar to modern fans: Claude Haring was a key name alongside him in different stretches, and the Phillies’ own historical listings show how the booth evolved from the 1950s into the 1970s.
The big turning point came in 1963, when former Phillies outfielder Richie Ashburn joined the broadcast team. Saam and Ashburn paired with Bill Campbell through most of the 1960s, and then, as the 1970s began, Harry Kalas entered the picture. From 1971 through Saam’s retirement after the 1975 season, the booth mix most associated with that stretch was Saam, Ashburn, and Kalas. It’s a pretty wild bit of timing that Saam, who’d already been “the voice” for so long, ended up sharing the mic with two icons who would define Phillies broadcasting for the next generation.
Big moments on bad-timing teams
Here’s the part that always gets people: Saam was not have been tied to many Philadelphia pennant races, but he still called huge baseball history. SABR credits him with calling 13 no-hitters, a total that’s almost hard to wrap your head around, and one of the crown jewels was Jim Bunning’s perfect game in 1964. Saam’s call on the final out is remembered for the pure release in his voice: “He gets it! He gets it! A perfect game!”
When Saam finally stepped away after 1975, the Phillies broke through almost immediately, reaching the postseason the next year. The Hall of Fame biography leans into that irony when describing how he spent thousands of games in the city without the payoff of being associated with a winner, yet remained unflappable and beloved anyway.
Legacy and honors
In 1990, Saam received the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which is basically Cooperstown’s way of saying, “You didn’t just call games, you shaped how baseball sounded.” His reputation is rooted in consistency, professionalism, and warmth, plus that calm presence that made even a rough July road trip feel like something you enjoyable from your porch radio. He passed away on January 16, 2000, but in the story of Philadelphia baseball, his voice still “rolls along.”
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.
Privacy Policy | Contact us
© 2025 LV Sports Media. All rights reserved.
Philly Baseball News 