CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) – On May 17, 1979, the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies played one of the wildest games in Wrigley Field history.
The Phillies beat the Cubs 23-22 in the second-highest scoring game in the major leagues, surpassed only by the same two teams playing a game in 1922 in the same ballpark (known then as Cubs Park); in the previous, all-time-record game, the Cubs beat the Phillies 26-23.
Two participants of the ’79 contest spoke to WBBM Newsradio: Barry Foote, who was the Cubs’ catcher after a trade with Philadelphia that year; and shortstop Larry Bowa, who the Phillies would trade to the Cubs in 1982.
Foote recalls thinking: “Can we please get this game over with?”
Yet he drove in the tying run in the 8th inning, making the score 22-22.
Bowa was also glad to have participated and is thankful Philadelphia managed to hold off the Cubs: “It would have been more historic after blowing a 12-run lead if we would have lost the game.”