A short news item that was published on LancasterOnline in 2020 gives some history associated with the Phillies' hex sign giveaway:
"In June 1970, the Philadelphia Phillies were suffering from a truly stunning series of injuries, and had decided to turn to Pennsylvania Dutch superstitions to try and turn their luck around."It all started May 2, when Phils catcher Tim McCarver had his right hand fractured by a foul ball during a game in San Francisco. Mike Ryan replaced him and, literally minutes later, broke his left hand in a play at the plate."Three weeks later, starting May 21, five more players were out with injuries over the span of just six days."Thus, the power of the hex sign was enlisted."Jacob Zook, a 'hexologist' from Paradise, was enlisted to create three large hex signs to be mounted on the dugout roof at Connie Mack Stadium in Philadelphia. The signs were installed without injury, but only time would tell if their mojo was successful in protecting the players."
George Crudden, who was sports editor of the Lancaster Sunday News at the time, helped Shenk and the Phillies get in touch with Zook for the dugout hex signs.2 And the smaller hex signs that were later made for the Aug. 9, 1970, giveaway were produced in Lancaster County. According to an article by Lancaster New Era Sports Editor Larry Greybill that was published August 3, 1970, the signs were made by Dutch Peddler, a Reamstown company run by Ron Good of Ephrata and Dan Durso of Reading.
Good approached Bill Giles, then the Phillies' vice president, about the potential giveaway.
"Giles liked the idea of buying the signs from a Lancaster County firm," Greybill wrote. "Good took care of the details. His firm will produce 8,000 hex signs in a deal that involves several thousand dollars."
At the conclusion of his column, Greybill asks: What if the Phillies lose with 8,000 hex signs in the crowd?
"I don't even want to think about," Good told him. "That's enough to keep me awake nights."
Well, it turned out to be a split decision. The Phillies hosted the Chicago Cubs for a Sunday doubleheader on August 9. In front of a crowd of 19,907, the Phillies lost the opener, 4-1, but won the second game, 6-1, thanks to the efforts of Tony Taylor and Barry Lersch.
Writing a column about baseball superstitions for the Philadelphia Daily News the next day, Stan Hochman began: "It was 'Double Distlefink Day' at the old ballyard and [Phillies coach] Doc Edwards looked at the gaudy little disk with two tulips and the two birds perched on the heart and he said, 'they look like pheasants to me,' which tells you how little West Virginia catchers know about Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs. The birds are supposed to be goldfinches and the arrangement is supposed to bring good luck. And when was the last time a Pennsylvania Dutchman struck out with the bases loaded? Anyway, there's a place for hex signs at the ballyard."
The Phillies finished the 1970 season with a record of 73-88, a half-game out of last place in the National League East. Would they have been even worse without the hex signs from Lancaster County? The following season, the Phillies moved into Veterans Stadium and lost 95 games.
Today, those hex signs from the 1970 ballpark giveaway are extremely hard to find and likely sell for quite a bit of money on the rare occasions when they hit the market.
Meanwhile, 54 summers later, the 2024 Philadelphia Phillies are 81-56 and have the second-best record in Major League Baseball. But I'll say no more. I wouldn't want to put a bad hex on them.
Footnotes
1. The widely accepted spelling of the word today is distelfink. But most of the coverage from 1970 that I came across spelled in distlefink.
2. I was LNP | LancasterOnline's sports editor for 4½ years during 2014 through 2018, but didn't do anything to directly help the Phillies. The Eagles, however, did win their Super Bowl during my tenure.
