On September 15, 1973, a 22-year-old catcher on the Philadelphia Phillies named Jim Essian stepped to the plate in the fifth inning with the Montreal Expos leading his Phillies 4-1 at Parc Jarry. Phillies starter Dick Ruthven had been battered around for 4 earned runs on 4 hits and 5 walks in his 3 1/3 innings. Ron Diorio came in to finish the bottom of the 4th for Ruthven. Leading off the top of the 5th, Essian pinch-hit for Diorio and took his rips against Expos starter Mike Torrez in the first of Essian’s 2,146 Major League plate appearances. Essian was replaced by pitcher Barry Lersch in the bottom of the inning. The Phillies would rally to tie the game 4-4 in the 8th inning, but the Expos would eventually go home with a walk-off, 5-4 win in the bottom of the 10th inning.

Happy anniversary of your Major League debut, Skip!