February 10: Hall of Famers return to the City of Brotherly Love

The Main Event

February 10, 1916 – The Philadelphia Phillies purchased the contract of Hall of Fame pitcher Charles “Chief” Bender. Bender was already a legendary figure from his 12 years with the Philadelphia Athletics. Bender played one season in Baltimore before returning to Philadelphia with the Phillies.

February 10, 1945 – Jimmie Foxx signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as a free agent. The former Philadelphia Athletics icon and future Hall of Famer returned to the city where he had become a star, giving the Phillies a major name during the World War II era. Foxx spent 11 seasons with the A’s and one season with the Phillies.

When the Phillies signed Chief Bender and later Jimmie Foxx, they weren’t just adding recognizable names to the roster. They were bringing two of Philadelphia’s most famous baseball figures back to the city, only this time in red pinstripes instead of the familiar white and blue of the Athletics. In different eras and under very different circumstances, both signings carried emotional weight that went well beyond wins and losses.

Chief Bender Comes Back to Philadelphia

By the time the Phillies purchased Chief Bender’s contract in 1916, his legacy in Philadelphia baseball was already secure. Bender had been one of the defining figures of Connie Mack’s Athletics dynasty, starring on multiple World Series championship teams and establishing himself as one of the premier pitchers of the Deadball Era. Known for his intelligence on the mound and his calm demeanor, Bender was a complete pitcher at a time when durability and guile mattered as much as raw stuff.

His return to Philadelphia with the Phillies came late in his career, but it still mattered. The Athletics were fading from their peak, and the Phillies were trying to build credibility as a contender after their own 1915 pennant run. Bender no longer had the workload he once carried, yet his presence brought instant respectability. Younger pitchers learned simply by watching how he prepared and competed. For fans, it was a reminder that one of the city’s greatest players was still part of Philadelphia baseball, even if the uniform had changed.

Bender’s Phillies stint did not redefine his career, but it added a meaningful final chapter. He helped the club when healthy and remained a professional presence before eventually transitioning toward mentoring and coaching roles. His Hall of Fame plaque would always read Athletics first, but his connection to the Phillies ensured his legacy belonged to the city as a whole.

Jimmie Foxx’s Homecoming in Wartime

Jimmie Foxx’s signing with the Phillies in 1945 carried a different tone. Foxx had been one of the most feared hitters in baseball history during his prime with the Athletics. His power was legendary, his numbers staggering, and his role in multiple championships undeniable. By the mid-1940s, though, Foxx was nearing the end of a career that had been hard on his body.

World War II had thinned rosters across the league, and the Phillies saw value in bringing Foxx back to Philadelphia. Even diminished, his bat still commanded attention, and his name alone drew fans. There was also something fitting about Foxx finishing his major league career in the same city where he became a superstar.

Foxx’s Phillies tenure was brief and physically challenging. Injuries limited his effectiveness, and he no longer resembled the unstoppable slugger of the 1930s. Still, his presence mattered. Younger players shared a clubhouse with a living legend, and fans had one last chance to see Foxx take the field in Philadelphia. It was less about production and more about connection, a symbolic closing of the circle.

Two Careers, One Shared Thread

Bender and Foxx represent different sides of Philadelphia baseball history, yet their Phillies signings share a common theme. Both were long-time Athletics icons whose identities were inseparable from the city itself. When they joined the Phillies, it blurred the lines between rival franchises and reminded everyone that Philadelphia baseball history was bigger than any single team.

Their returns also highlight how baseball treats its legends. Sometimes greatness ends quietly, sometimes imperfectly, but often with a sense of respect and gratitude. The Phillies did not get the peak versions of Bender or Foxx. What they received instead was experience, leadership, and a link to the city’s golden eras of baseball.

In the end, those signings weren’t just transactions. They were moments when Philadelphia welcomed back two of its own, even as time and circumstance had changed them. That shared history is what still makes their Phillies chapters worth remembering.

Philadelphia Baseball Events on February 10

February 10, 2021 – The Phillies signed shortstop Didi Gregorius as a free agent to a two-year contract. Gregorius returned after a strong 2020 season and was viewed as a stabilizing presence in the infield and clubhouse.

In The Majors
February 10, 1982 – The New York Mets come to terms with slugging outfielder George Foster on a five-year contract, thereby completing a four-player trade with the Cincinnati Reds. The Mets had already agreed to send catcher Alex Trevino and pitchers Greg Harris and Jim Kern to the Reds for the power-hitting Foster.

Philadelphia Birthdays on February 10

Curt Welch (born 1860) – An outfielder for the Philadelphia Athletics for two-plus seasons from 1888-1890. In all, Welch played 10 seasons in the majors.
Ches Crist (born 1882) – A catcher who appeared in just six MLB games, all of them with the Phillies in 1906. Crist spent most of his professional career in the minors.
Walt Lerian (born 1903) – A catcher for the Phillies in 1928 and 1929. Lerian’s career and life were tragically cut short when he was hit by a truck and pinned to a building. He was just 26-years-old.
Roy Bruner (born 1917) – A right-handed pitcher who appeared for the Phillies from 1939 to 1941, Bruner’s career was interrupted by military service during World War II.
Lenny Dykstra (born 1963) – One of the most recognizable players in modern Phillies history, Dykstra was a key contributor to the 1993 National League championship team and a three-time All-Star during his Philadelphia tenure.
Jeanmar Gomez (born 1988) – A reliever for the Phillies from 2015 to 2017, Gomez served as the team’s closer during the 2016 season and recorded 37 saves with Philadelphia.
Max Kepler (born 1993) – A major-league outfielder born on February 10, Kepler played one season for the Phillies after signing as a free agent. He is currently under an 80-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy.

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