Richard Orodenker offers readers a rich collection of baseball literature that chronicles the dramatic history of the Philadelphia Phillies. The stories include the athletic achievements of such legendary Phillies as Chuck Klein, Richie Ashburn, Dick Allen, Mike Schmidt; the political turmoil surrounding the "ok" from manager Ben Chapman to "ride" Jackie Robinson about the color of his skin; the bizarre shooting of Eddie Waitkus; the heroics of the Whiz Kids; the heartbreak of "64; and the occasional triumphs and frequent travails of controversial managers Gene Mauch, Frank Lucchesi, and Danny Ozark. From Red Smith to James Michener, "The Phillies Reader" presents for the first time an archive of Phillies literature that reveals what it is that makes legends.