Bill Conlin: 5 Top trades in Phils history

With the Phillies on the verge of the blockbuster acquisition of Roy Halladay, Daily News columnist Bill Conlin offers the top 5 trades in team history:

1Oct. 7, 1969. General manager John Quinn traded unhappy superstar Dick Allen, infielder Cookie Rojas and RHP Jerry Johnson to the Cardinals for CF Curt Flood, OF Byron Browne, LH reliever Joe Hoerner and C Tim McCarver.

The trade assumed tremendous economic significance when Flood, refusing to be "dealt like chattel," refused to report to Philadelphia and opted to sue major league baseball's reserve clause, which bound a player to the club that held his contract until he was traded or released. To replace Flood, the Cardinals sent the Phillies OF/1B Willie Montanez and minor league pitcher Jim Browning. Flood's suit went to the Supreme Court, where the honorables held for baseball. But the majority decision decreed that baseball's future economic matters should be settled through arbitration. Thus the stage was set for a ruling by a federal arbitrator that declared pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally to be free agents. Ironically, the flashy Montanez was eventually traded for CF Garry Maddox, a better defensive outfielder than Flood.

2Feb. 25, 1972. Quinn traded ace RHP Rick Wise to the Cardinals for LHP Steve Carlton.

Both pitchers had made contract demands that angered management. So the Phillies sent a very good pitcher to St. Louis for a quirky mound genius who became one of the greatest lefthanders of all time. It would be Quinn's final major deal as one of the last of the old-school GMs and helped atone for the Ferguson Jenkins debacle.

3Dec. 11, 1917. The great Grover Cleveland Alexander and C Reindeer Bill Killefer to the Cubs for C Pickles Dillhoefer, RHP Mike Prendergast and $55,000.

The cash-strapped Phillies had won their first pennant in 1915. Alexander was coming off three straight seasons with 30 or more victories on his way to a career total of 373.

4 April 21, 1966. RHP Ferguson Jenkins, CF Adolfo Phillips and 1B John Herrnstein to the Cubs for veteran RHPs Larry Jackson and Bob Buhl.

Quinn made this move in search of veteran help for Gene Mauch's pitching staff. Jenkins unfurled a Hall of Fame career in Chicago and Boston. Jackson was 15-13 in '66 and Buhl was 6-8. He retired early in the 1967 season with these words, "When I can't even get them out with my spitball, it's time to hang 'em up."

5Jan. 27, 1982. Veteran shortstop Larry Bowa and minor league infielder Ryne Sandberg to the Cubs for veteran shortstop Ivan DeJesus.

Phillies president Bill Giles dealt the popular Bowa after a nasty hissing match involving contract matters that went public. Former Phillies manager Dallas Green happened to be running the Cubs' front office. In his previous role as farm director, he had drafted the gifted Sandberg on a late round. Most clubs thought Sandberg would honor a college basketball scholarship commitment. Cynics believed that when Giles asked adviser Hugh Alexander to give Dallas a list of names to choose from for the minor league player, he slipped Sandberg on it and Green had himself a future Hall of Fame second baseman.

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