Johnny Callison 1939-2006

For my parents’ generation, Johnny Callison was the man. For those Phillies teams that had one really good year in 1964, but continued the rest of the 1960s struggling for mediocrity, Callison was the team’s second-best player behind Richie Allen. Compared to the sometimes enigmatic and distant Allen, Callison seemed to be the player the fans could relate to.

Perhaps that had to do with the complexion of the issue – I don’t know. The Phillies certainly had problems with race issues during that time, which was documented in surprisingly publicity-shrouded book September Swoon, authored by William C. Kashatus and the very astute Gerald Early.

It’s definitely the book the Phillies don’t want you to read.

Those are issues for a different time, though. Today is for remembering Johnny Callison, the MVP of the 1964 All-Star Game. Callison died at age 67 today in Abington after an illness. Callison was made so at home when playing for the Phillies from 1960 to 1969 that he stayed in the area, living in Glenside.

Callison, though, was not one to hang out at the ballpark after his playing days. I should say he didn’t hang out at the park during the past six years the way old-timers Dick Allen, Greg Luzinski, and Gary Maddox do. Perhaps that’s why all I know about Callison was that he was MVP of the ’64 All-Star Game on the strength of his extra-inning, game-winning home run at Shea Stadium off Dick Radatz, and the fans liked him a lot.

Looking at his statistics show that he had some decent power during five years of his prime, twice driving in more than 100 runs and slugging more than 30 homers. He was an All-Star three times and was second in the MVP voting in 1964. That’s a pretty nice career.

Plus, he must have been doing something right to be such a favorite.

That’s not a bad way to be remembered.