Inside Baseball: Fun facts about the Phillies' playoff history

So yet another Phillies postseason gets started this week. (Raise your hand if you never expected to read that phrase in your lifetime.)

And to paraphrase Roy Halladay, who will be participating in his first, they get "funner" every year.

Anyway, before the drama gets gripping, the remotes stop flipping, the hearts start skipping, and the fans start sipping, it might be a good time to take a "funner" look at the Phillies' October (and last year, November) history.

Phils postseason trivia

1. Who was the first Phils pitcher on the mound in Game 3 of the 2008 World Series?

2. What seven Hall of Fame pitchers have earned decisions in postseason games involving the Phils?

3. What three Phils have hit two home runs in a single postseason game?

4. What Phils pitcher won a postseason-series MVP award despite having no decisions in that series?

5. In the infamous ninth inning of Game 3 of the 1977 National League Championship Series - Black Friday - whom did the Dodgers' Vic Davalillo and Manny Mota pinch-hit for?

6. Who were the only two sitting presidents to attend a Phillies postseason game?

7. Which postseason opponent was a prohibitive 2-5 favorite against the Phils?

8. Who hit and fielded the ball that, before a lengthy argument and discussion caused the call to be overturned, was ruled a triple play in Game 4 of the Phils-Astros NLCS in 1980?

9. What two World Series involving the Phillies each involved a pair of managers in the first year with their team?

10. In 1915, Philadelphia and Boston met in a second straight World Series, but the Phillies were making their first postseason appearance. How was that possible?

11. The two hitters with the most strikeouts in a single World Series played in Series involving the Phillies. Can you name them?

12. What umpire has worked the most Phils' postseason games?

13. Curt Simmons won 17 games for the 1950 Phils. Where was he for Game 1? (A) The mound, (B) the bullpen, (C) an Army base, or (D) the grandstands.

14. Who performed the national anthem before the decisive Game 6 of the 1980 World Series at the Vet?

15. Who threw out the ceremonial first ball before that same game?

16. Who are the only grandfather-father-son umpires to have worked Phils postseason games?

17. Jamie Moyer (45), Steve Carlton (38), and Pedro Martinez (38) were the three oldest Phils World Series starters. Who were the three youngest?

18. Name the three Phils relievers who preceded Mitch Williams in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series, the Joe Carter game.