The dawn of MLB divisional play, saw the Philadelphia Phillies embark on a four-year battle with the expansion Montreal Expos, for the right to claim last place in the NL East. Youthful stars coming up in the early '70s, such as Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski, Don Money, Willie Montanez, Bob Boone, Denny Doyle, and Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, began to give the Fightin' Phils a fighting chance. With the additions of placid manager Danny Ozark, and ace hurler Steve Carlton, the Phillies blossomed into perennial contenders from the mid-1970s, through the early-1980s.



Many of the players and coaches who paved the way for this rise, are present and accounted for, in this 1972-1976 Phillies team-signed baseball consecutive season run of (5). These period signed baseballs are all ONL/Feeney models in (EX to NM) condition. A (5) ball combined total of (124) autographs range ("5" to "9") in strength. Of particular note, is the 1972 team ball, signed by Hall of Famer Steve Carlton during his historic first season with the Phils, when he racked up an incredible 27-10 record, with an ERA of 1.97 and 310 strikeouts, for a team that went 59-97.





Featured are:



1972 Ball signed by (30) with: sweet spot: Paul Owens; east panel: Billy DeMars, Mike Ryan, Ken Reynolds, Greg Luzinski, Pete Koegel, Darrell Brandon, Bob Terlecki, John Bateman; south panel: Jim Nash, Billy Champion, Billy Wilson, Denny Doyle, Roger Freed, Dick Selma, Don Money; east panel: Terry Harmon, Steve Carlton (HOF), Tommy Hutton, Brandy Davis, Gary Neibauer, Mac Scarce, Dave Downs; west panel: Barry Lersch, Wayne Twitchell, Bill Robinson, Ray Ripplemeyer, Gulliermo (Willie) Montanez, Oscar Gamble, Joe Lis.



1973 Ball signed by (24) with: sweet spot: Danny Ozark; north panel: Barry Lersch, Dick Ruthven, Tommy Hutton, Bobby Wine, Denny Doyle, Ken Brett; south panel: Terry Harmon, Larry Bowa, Bob Boone (official rookie season), Bill Robinson, Greg Luzinski, Mike Anderson, Jose Pagan; east panel: Wayne Twitchell, Ray Ripplemeyer, Larry Cox, Larry Christenson, Jim Lonborg; west panel: Steve Carlton (HOF), Dick Selma, Deron Johnson, Billy Wilson, Mike Ryan.



1974 Ball signed by (24) with: north panel: Larry Christenson, Tommy Hutton, Terry Harmon, Bill Robinson, Jay Johnstone, Tony Taylor, undetermined; south panel: Larry Cox, Tom Underwood, Al Bannister, Mike Schmidt (HOF, second season), Del Unser, Bobby Wine; east panel: Ron Schueler, Mike Rogodzinski, Jesus Hernaiz, Jim Lonborg, Bob Boone, Willie Montanez; west panel: Ray Ripplemeyer, Carroll Beringer, Frank Linzy, Ollie Brown, Mac Scarce.



1975 Ball signed by (21) with: sweet spot: Danny Ozark; north panel: Billy DeMars, Bob Boone, Joe Hoerner, Terry Harmon, Tom Underwood, Mike Anderson; south panel: Steve Carlton (HOF), Larry Fritz, Bobby Wine, Greg Luzinski, Jerry Martin; east panel: Ray Ripplemeyer, Carroll Beringer, Ron Schueler, Jay Johnstone; west panel: Tommy Hutton, Larry Christenson, Ollie Brown, Johnny Oates, Jim Lonborg.



1976 NL East Division Champions ball signed by (25) with: north panel: Tommy Hutton, Dave Cash, Bob Boone, Tim McCarver, Greg Luzinski, Mike Schmidt (HOF), Tony Taylor, Gene Garber; south panel: Terry Harmon, Carroll Beringer, Tom Underwood, Jay Johnstone, Jim Lonborg; east panel: Jim Kaat (HOF), Ray Ripplemeyer, Dave Cash, Ron Schueler, Wayne Twitchell, Bobby Wine; west panel: Billy DeMars, Larry Christenson, Jerry Martin, Larry Bowa, Bobby Tolan, Johnny Oates.



Auction LOA from James Spence/JSA.

Opening Bid $200.