Mike Schmidt

DURING THE Phillies Alumni Weekend, there is a ceremony to honor living members of the team's Wall of Fame as well as to welcome the latest inductee. Last month at Citizens Bank Park, Hall of Famers Robin Roberts and Steve Carlton were among those who took one more bow. So did fan favorites Tony Taylor and Greg Luzinski. A no-hit pitcher, Jim Bunning. Dallas Green, the only manager to lead the Phillies to a World Series win. The sellout crowd saved its loudest and longest applause, though, for Michael Jack Schmidt.

Fourteen seasons, and this has been the best. Fourteen seasons bursting with two Most Valuable Player awards, nine Gold Gloves, 10 All-Star Game selections, a dozen 30-homer seasons and eight 100- RBI seasons. And this season has been better than any of them. "Yeah, if you take the total picture," Mike Schmidt agreed the other day, "I've been a consistently better player this year than I've ever been. " Age 37, and at the peak of his career. That is something very few men who have played the game of baseball can say. But now Mike Schmidt can. And that is why it's so strange that there is one other thing Schmidt can say these days: He can say that next season - almost certainly - will be his last.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - In 1983, Mike Schmidt finished third in National League MVP voting despite a .255 batting average and league-leading 148 strikeouts. Three years later, Schmidt won the MVP at age 36 with a .290 batting average and five more walks (89) than strikeouts (84). "I changed," Schmidt said, "and I was very stubborn throughout my career. I was in my 14th year and made major changes to my approach both mentally and physically. I became maybe the best hitter in my career in my last couple of years.

In the final days, Mike Schmidt's mind wandered. At Dodger Stadium a week ago, where the Phillies began what would be his last road trip, he compared his fading skills to Kirk Gibson. When the action shifted to Candlestick Park, the measuring sticks were Will Clark and Kevin Mitchell. "I was wondering if I could compete with those guys anymore," Schmidt said yesterday. "I'm watching them and feeling like a shadow of the player I used to be. "And that was telling me it was time to turn the reins over to somebody else.

Market Street Live, the sprawling Center City sports-bar complex that included Phillies legend Mike Schmidt as an investor, closed for good last weekend. The Dallas-based company that had managed the complex since it opened in April 1990 said the bar fell victim to several factors, including the economy and the fact that popular summer-only bars and restaurants on the Delaware riverfront "pulled traffic out of the downtown area. " Market Street Live had encompassed five distinct places in the basement and street levels of the Mellon Independence Center - the former Lit Bros.

Charlie Hayes left the Phillies after the '91 season, a most unhappy fellow. He returned yesterday with a smile so big, an attitude so upbeat, you'd have thought he won the Florida lottery. "Of all the players we ever got, he's got to be the happiest," Phillies manager Jim Fregosi said about his old-new third baseman. "I'm just excited, man," Hayes said after donning the red and white uniform with the No. 13 on the back. "The last time I was here, I was immature. I took everything to heart.

Former Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt works on his basketball game in Cooperstown, N.Y. Schmidt and announcer Rich Ashburn, the former Phillies centerfielder, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame tomorrow.

Former Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt, with wife Donna looking on, shows off special achievement award he was presented by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association. Schmidt was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by an overwhelming margin earlier this month, and will be inducted on July 30.

Sometimes, nice guys finish fourth - and it's more than enough. Receiving 96.52 percent of the vote, the fourth-highest mark ever, Mike Schmidt was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday. The names of the only three players to top him - Ty Cobb, Tom Seaver and Hank Aaron - show what kind of legendary company the Phillies' great slugger now rightfully keeps. The man that Phils' announcer Harry Kalas loved to call Michael Jack was a thoughtful recipient of the honor.

Mike Schmidt is not the easiest ball player to love. Maybe it's his playing style - too precise, too contained. So often flawless, but so rarely inspirational. More likely it's his personality - the tight smile, the tendency to hunker down when things go sour. People look for the exceptional in their athletic heroes; they respond instinctively to the youthful enthusiasm of a Pete Rose, the extraordinary grace of a Julius Erving, the paternal calm of a Willie Stargell, even the outrageous egomania of a Reggie Jackson.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Mike Schmidt and Dallas Green were asked to pick an era Monday morning. Their first option was that enchanting time from 1975 through 1983 when the Phillies, behind Schmidt's big bat and Steve Carlton's wicked left arm, evolved from a perennial second-division team into a consistent contender that won five division titles, two National League pennants, and a World Series. The second option was this current group of Phillies, which also has won five division titles, two pennants, and one World Series.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - In 1983, Mike Schmidt finished third in National League MVP voting despite a .255 batting average and league-leading 148 strikeouts. Three years later, Schmidt won the MVP at age 36 with a .290 batting average and five more walks (89) than strikeouts (84). "I changed," Schmidt said, "and I was very stubborn throughout my career. I was in my 14th year and made major changes to my approach both mentally and physically. I became maybe the best hitter in my career in my last couple of years.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - In 1983, Mike Schmidt finished third in National League MVP voting despite a .255 batting average and league-leading 148 strikeouts. Three years later, Schmidt won the MVP at age 36 with a .290 batting average and five more walks (89) than strikeouts (84). "I changed," Schmidt said, "and I was very stubborn throughout my career. I was in my 14th year and made major changes to my approach both mentally and physically. I became maybe the best hitter in my career in my last couple of years.

John Kruk became the newest Phillie to join the club's Wall of Fame before Friday night's game against Washington. A bronze plaque bearing Kruk's likeness was unveiled by Jim Eisenreich as the Phillies began Alumni Weekend. The 50-year-old Kruk, who played for the raucous 1993 team that lost to Toronto in the World Series, was introduced by Darren Daulton. "This is the greatest place I've ever been," Kruk said as he addressed the crowd at Citizens Bank Park. "I met my wife here.

WHEN THE subject turns toward the greatest Phillies slugger of all time, the discussion must begin with Mike Schmidt. Schmidt is not only the only Phillie with 500 home runs. He's also the only guy with 400. Ryan Howard, though, is getting close to joining him in the 300 club. Howard, who is second in club history, hit his 274th homer on Saturday to put him halfway to Schmidt's total of 548. The Daily News decided to take a look at the two players with stats and stuff on Page 49, but here are a couple other observations and fun facts: Howard probably missed about a full season of major league experience in 2004 and 2005 because Jim Thome played first for the Phillies.

For Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt , spring means working with the Phillies hitters, to be sure, but what it really means is that he'll be going fishing more. Schmidt, who lives in Jupiter, Fla., is working with the World Fishing Network to drum up interest in a contest called Ultimate Fishing Town USA. Anglers are being asked to nominate their town at www.WFNFishingTown.com for the chance to win $25,000 to support a local fishing project, as well as a 30-minute TV show on WFN. Could be a new dock, says Schmidt, or a public ramp.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Hall of Famer began with a compliment. "Maybe the best ever," Mike Schmidt said of these Phillies. For a few minutes, Schmidt considered whether he had seen a better starting rotation in baseball. He concluded he had not. Then he questioned the one unit that could ruin it. "With the exception of a few guys, I think they underachieved as hitters last year," said Schmidt, who attends spring training annually as a guest instructor. He called out Jimmy Rollins, saying he needs to be more "Pete Rose-like," and wondered why Shane Victorino was trying to be a power hitter.

BROAD STREET BILLY will always remember the thrill of seeing Roy "The Flyin' Mississippian" Oswalt gallop through Phils third-base coach Sam Perlozzo's "Whoa!" sign on his way to sliding home - setting off a hair-raising, 45,000-voice howl from the belly of the Bank beast that was pure 2008. There is no "I" in "swagger. " In one sweet swoop, Oswalt gave the Phils their mojo back again. And can that guy pitch, or what? PHILLIES THERAPY: Heather Donish, 35, of Freeland, Luzerne County, sent Billy this beautiful testimonial to how deeply her dad loves his Phillies - and how deeply she loves her dad. "On July 3, 2009, my dad, Terry Schiavone, took me to my first Phillies game," Donish wrote.