This is the first installment of a weekly review of former Philadelphia athletes who have passed through town.  However, this won’t be your normal look back at players like Mike Schmidt, Julius Erving, or Ron Jaworski.  Instead, I would like to focus on some players that made an impression with me, either good or bad, that for whatever reason have become a part of my memory and my desire to search them out and relive some of their great moments.  Players like… Steve Jeltz.

The greatest French born Major League Baseball player of all time spent parts of 7… yes 7 seasons playing shortstop for the Philadelphia Phillies starting in 1983 and ending, mercilessly, in 1989, when he was traded in the off-season to Kansas City for Jose Dejesus.

What most people recall about Jeltz was that he was born in France… and he didn’t give you much too remember either.  A career .210 hitter with only 5 homers to his name and the gall to not even be a good fielder left most Philadelphians with a bad taste in their mouth.But Jeltz’ glimmering, although drippy, mane made him a topic of conversation even outside of baseball circles.  At one point around 1985, folks started referring to Jheri Curls as Jeltz Curlz.

What amazed me, and pretty much anyone whoever watched Jeltz play, was that he was actually able to land a steady job in the Majors over a very long period of time. We’re not talkin’ defense off the bench or pinch-runner status… we’re not even talking platoon.  We’re talking 4 straight years of over 100 games, two of which he participated in over 140.  Anyone who argues that expansion has stretched the talent level too thin in baseball forget guys like Steve Jeltz.

But if you ask Phillies fans what they remember best about Jeltz was his inconceivable 2 homer game.  That’s right, 40% of his career home runs came in one game.  And he did it in a way no Phillie had ever done before.

On June 8th, 1989, in a game that the Phils trailed 10-2 against the Pittsburgh Pirates after just 1 inning, Steve entered the game in the second as a replacement for Tommy Herr.  Sure, people question Nick Leyva’s managerial acumen… but he was right on with this agressive substitution early in the game.  Jeltz promptly homered his 2nd time to the plate in the fourth inning and again in the 6th helping the Phils make an amazing comeback and beat the Bucks, (who were led by a young Barry Bonds) 15-11.  What was more impressive was that Jeltz hit a homer from each side of the plate.  That’s right, Jeltzy was a switch hitter (hey, you know how those French are).  Amazing, a guy hitting .210 for his career (although a robust .243 in ’89) actually had to switch hit in order to keep up his average.  No other Phillie had ever done that before.

It was a great story for the Phils that year, as they struggled yet again to be of any significance, finishing in last place, 26 games behind the Chicago Cubs in the old NL East Division.   Arguably the worst player in Phillies history played on one of it’s worst teams.  But on this day he entered folk hero status.  Not only did he spark the comeback but he sent Pittsburgh announcer Jim Rooker walking 300 miles back to Pittsburgh…

“If we lose this game, I’ll walk home”

Rooker used the opportunity to raise money for charity.  But it was this game that is still recalled nearly 20 years later that Steve Jeltz cemented his legacy and stamped Jehri Curls into Phillies lore.

Thanks Steve, we’ll always remember you.

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