Phillies Lose 10,000th Game

Phillies First Professional Team to 10,000 Losses

(As reported by the Associated Press)


Never known as lovable losers, cursed, or even affectionately as bums, the Philadelphia Phillies have long held a more pitiable title: The losingest team in sports.

From the Baker Bowl to the Vet and Citizens Bank Park, futility has tailed them like the sound of boos that echo throughout Philly for the disheartenment of every September collapse, every last-place finish, every near miss.

No team has lost quite like the Phillies. Now, make it 10,000 times.

Bad starting pitching, brutal relief, hardly any hitting, it was all in there in Sunday's milestone loss. Albert Pujols hit two of the St. Louis Cardinals' six homers in a 10-2 rout.

"I don't really care about it,'' Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "We haven't been really talking about it. Our players haven't been talking about it.''

Maybe there wasn't much chatter in the clubhouse, but the fans jumped all over the ugly number. They started Web sites that counted down to 10,000, blogged about the memorable defeats and brought signs to the game that poked fun at the unimaginable number.