Mike Schmidt - 1977

Michael Jack had another impressive year in 1977. He led the league in home runs for the third straight year, hitting 38 in each year. He drove in over 100 runs and cut down on the number of strike outs. He'd been first in the league for strike outs the previous 3 years but dropped to third in 1977. In the National League he was 4th in slugging, 3rd in runs scored, 5th in total bases, 9th in rbis, and 3rd in walks.

The Phillies as a team had another great year, matching their 1976 performance with 101 wins. The Phillies faced the Dodgers in the 5-game NL Championship series and lost 3-1. The Dodgers would go on to lose the World Series to the Yankees in 6 games.

The Phillies had won the first game in LA , 7-5, with 9th inning hits by Schmidt, Bowa and McBride, but got crushed in the second game 7-1, which featured a grand slam by Dusty Baker. The win was the Phillies first-ever postseason win.

The Dodgers had a come-from-behind win in the 3rd game in Philadelphia. Trailing 5-3 with two outs in the 9th, pitch hitter Vic Davalillo beat out a 2-strike drag bunt followed by a long pitch-hit double by Manny Mota. Mota reaches 3rd on a throw that Ted Sizemore mishandles. Davy Lopes' grounder hits a seam in the carpet and caroms off Schmidt's knee to Larry Bowa. Bowa's throw to first is ruled late and Mota scores to win the game.

The Phillies go down meekly, 4-1 in the clinching game before an LCS record-breaking crowd of 62,924.