This trade happened in mid-season of 1910, which may seem like pre-historic times.
24-year-old first baseman Fred Luderus came to the Phillies from the Chicago Cubs for a 28-year-old Bill Foxen, a left-handed pitcher. It turned out to be a great Phillies trade.
What classifies it as “great”? My ground rules: the new player must have a minimum of five impactful seasons with the Phillies.
Luderus played 11 seasons (1910–20) for the Phillies: 1,311 games, 1,322 hits, a .278 average. He played in 533 consecutive games (1916–1919), setting a major league record. It was also a Phillies record that was finally broken by Richie Ashburn in the 1950s. And, he played the most games at first base in franchise history (1,298) until Ryan Howard passed him in 2015.
Prior to the 1915 season, manager Pat Moran named Luderus the team captain. The Phillies won their first pennant that season but lost the World Series to the Boston Red Sox, 4–1. Luderus hit the Phillies first World Series home run (Game 5) and finished with a .438 average. That mark stood as a Phillies high until Jayson Werth batted .444 in the 2008 World Series.
Foxen, who broke in with the 1908 Phillies, pitched in just five games with Cubs over his last one and a-half seasons. His overall career record: 16–20; 1–1 in Chicago.
Text originally published at Phillies Insider on May 9, 2020 as “Wheelin’ and dealin’: Great Phillies trade from long, long ago” and republished here by permission of the author.
MATT VEASEY 