Let Freedom Ding: A History of Philly Connections to the UK

On Saturday June 8th, the Philadelphia Phillies will take the field at the Olympic Stadium in London, England. In doing so, they will become one of only six teams to play a major league ballgame in the United Kingdom.

But this is not the first time the UK (and Ireland) and the city of brotherly love has crossed paths. In the more than a century that baseball has been played in Philadelphia, over half a dozen British and Irish born players have represented the city on the diamond. So let’s explore the weird and wonderful connections between Philly and the UK.

Philly before the Phillies

Prior to the Phillies founding in 1883 (We’ll get back to that later), There were no less than three professional teams that represented the city of Philadelphia. Chief among them was the Athletic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia. Founded in 1860 as an amateur team, The ‘Athletics’ began professional play in 1871 as founding members of the National Association, and would join the National League in 1876 before folding at the end of the season.

The Athletic Base Ball Club of Philadelphia. 1874. (Wikimedia Commons)

Two British, and one Irish, born players represented the Athletic Club: Al Reach (remember him for later), born in London in 1840, played four seasons for the Athletic Club, batting .247 with 56 RBI and a 0.7 WAR.

Fergy Malone, born in County Tyrone, Ireland, played as a catcher for the Athletic Club as well as both the Philadelphia White Stockings (Philly’s second pro team between 1873-75) and the briefly present Philadelphia Keystones. In 1874, he was the highest paid player in pro baseball, raking in $2,800. Equivalent to $75,402 today, enough to live off I suppose. Malone batted .274 with 157 RBI and one singular HR, achieving a 3.6 WAR. He would go on to manage the White Stockings and Keystones, retiring in 1884.

Philadelphia Catcher, Fergy Malone. Date Unknown.

Stepney born George Hall played two seasons with the Athletic Club, including the inaugural season of the National League, before being suspended for throwing two games as part of a gambling scandal at the end of the 1876 season. Hall, held the NL single season homerun record with 5, from 1876-79; was the first player in NL history to hit two homeruns in a single game; and is credited unofficially with hitting for the first cycle in major league history, although the exact nature of one of his five hits on the day cannot be verified. Hall finished his career with a .322 avg with 252 RBI and 13 HR.

George Hall during his time with the Boston Red Stockings. 1874. (Wikimedia Commons)

Now try not to get confused here, because in 1882 the Philadelphia Athletics (different from the Athletic Club) was founded as part of the American Association of Base Ball Clubs. The team would fold in 1890, a year before the league itself, but not before a couple of Brits took the field sporting an Athletics jersey.

UK born Pete Hansey had a grand total of seven whole at bats in 1890, amassing one hit and scoring one run. Dennis Fitzgerald went literally one better than Hansey, with 8 at bats and 2 hits in his brief baseball career, although failing to register a run scored.

A Tale of Two Britons

By 1883 pro baseball in Philadelphia had had multiple false starts, and would yet see another two teams rise and fall in the city, but there was hope on the horizon. Enter stage left, Al Reach. That’s right, in 1883 London born Al Reach, along with attorney John Rogers, founded the Philadelphia Phillies as a National League expansion team.

Reach had made his money in sports goods manufacturing after retiring from baseball, allowing him to replace the Worcester Brown Stockings in the National League, with the then Philadelphia Quakers. The Philly ballclub would play as the Quakers, Blue Jays and Phils throughout their 141 year history, but the Phillies name always stuck around. And all thanks to a stern-faced, burly-moustached bloke from England. You’re welcome, Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Phillies founder Al Reach (Wikimedia Commons)

But back in 1883, another Brit, Sheffield born Harry Wright, enters stage right. Now you’d think a man born in the steel city would be more at home on the other side of Pennsylvania, in America's steel city, Pittsburgh. Not the case, however. Wright entered the baseball scene early, joining the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1866 as player-manager after transitioning from a similar role at the local Union Cricket Club. This seemingly trivial choice would lead to Wright being the manager of the first professional baseball team in history in 1869, leading Cincinnati to an undefeated season.

Wright landed in Philadelphia with four National Association and two National League pennants under his belt. He was tasked with turning around the fortunes of the infant Phillies franchise, who finished their first season 17-81, dead last in the league and the worst record in franchise history to this day. Technically speaking, Wright completed that task. He would leave Philadelphia with a .531 winning percentage over 11 seasons, but without ever being able to place higher than 2nd in the standings.

Wright retired after the 1893 season after his contract with the Phillies was not renewed. In recognition of his work within the game, the National League appointed him Chief of Umpires. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953, making him the first and only British born player to be inducted. Wright is also credited with making the first written mention of the ‘Seventh Inning Stretch’, in a letter he wrote during his time in Cincinnati. You’re welcome, baseball.

Manager Harry Wright takes in a game (Wikimedia Commons)

It’s Always Rainy

Since the Phillies founding in 1883, and the exploits of Wright and Reach, only two British born players have taken the field for the Philadelphia ballclub. George Chalmers, born in Aberdeen, played seven seasons in Philly amassing a 3.41 ERA, 290 K’s and 29 wins over 646.1 innings. The Aberdeen Oilers named their field in Chalmers honour after it was renovated in 2018.

George Chalmers sporting a Phillies uniform (Wikimedia Commons)

75 years after Chalmers, Northampton born Danny Cox joined the Phillies in the 1991-92 offseason. He would pitch only nine times for the Phils before being traded to Pittsburgh partway through the 1992 season. Cox left Philadelphia with 2 wins, 2 losses, 30 K’s and a 5.40 ERA over 38.1 innings. He is best remembered for his time with the St. Louis Cardinals, where he was elected into their hall of fame in 2022, and for winning the 1993 World Series with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Danny Cox' card from the 1992 season, which he began with the Phillies (Ebay)

Beyond the Ballpark

The connections between the ‘City of Brotherly Love’ and the UK go well beyond the on-field fortunes of Philadelphia’s ballclubs. We’ll start with the outright bizarre, by travelling from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Philadelhpia, Tyne and Wear?!?

You read that correctly, over 3,400 miles from the US of A, a village in north east England shares the cities namesake, and not by accident. Following the 1777 taking of Philadelphia during the American Revolutionary War, a local mine owner gave the name Philadelphia to his Colliery, where the present day village now stands. This was to either commemorate a British victory, or show solidarity with the cause of American independence, unfortunately there is no concrete evidence either way.

Philadelphia Spiritualist Church, Philadelphia, Tyne and Wear, England (Wikimedia Commons)

Not to let an opportunity go by, the local cricket ground is named ‘Bunker Hill’, after the Battle of Bunker Hill which took place in 1775, also during the Revolutionary War.

Our final connection is another doozy. In 1751, when Philadelphia was still situated in the Pennsylvania Colony of Great Britain, the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly commissioned a new bell for their state house. Inscribed on the bell was a quote from Leviticus 25:10, which reads “Proclaim LIBERTY Throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants Thereof”.

The Liberty Bell outside Independence Hall in Philadelphia in April 2017 (Wikimedia Commons)

Henceforth, the bell became known as the liberty bell and became a key symbol of the United State’s struggle for independence against the British. Ironically, however, the bell was founded by London-based firm Lester and Pack, located at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, 34 Whitechapel Road, London, England. The building that housed the foundry still stands today and is probably worth a visit if you’re coming from across the pond. Once again, YOU’RE WELCOME PHILADELPHIA.

The Gang Return the Favour

So there you have it, a winding but enjoyable romp through history to explore just how close Philly, in particular its ballclub, and the UK have been over the centuries. The Phillies will be looking to pay back what The Ministry is declaring a pretty big debt, at the weekend when they take the field against the New York Mets at the Olympic Stadium in the 2024 London Series. Hopefully, by delivering the more of the show stopping speed and power that has seen them be the first team to reach 40 wins this season.

If you enjoyed this article, please consider following The Ministry on X, Instagram and Facebook, and leave a comment down below if you know of any other connections between Philly and the UK that we may have missed!