After an unsuccessful 1988 season with the Phillies distinguished only by his league-leading 16 HBP, Bradley returned to the AL and became a key part of the resurgent 1989 Orioles.
The former University of Missouri quarterback began his career with the Mariners. He hit 26 homers for them in 1985 but never hit more than 14 in any subsequent season, and he settled into his role as a hustling leadoff hitter with good extra-base-hit power and base-stealing ability. Despite hitting poorly at the start of most seasons and striking out frequently, Bradley batted at least .297 in each of his four full seasons with Seattle and is the only player to have a .300 batting average for his
career as a Mariner.
Complaining about the Mariners, their ballpark, and their fans, Bradley was traded to Philadelphia. At the time of his departure, he held the Mariner season records for batting average, hits, total bases, and on-base percentage, and was tied for season team records for hits, consecutive hits, triples, and runs in a game. He was also the Mariners' career leader in triples and was second in career stolen bases.
Years after his departure from the game, Bradley expressed regret that he hadn't give up football earlier. "If you have to choose between two sports, you better choose baseball," he told Baseball America in 2001. "If you miss a year in baseball and you are a hitter you might never get your stroke back."
(TF/GL)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»July 9, 1985: In the bottom of the third inning of a game between the Blue Jays and the Mariners, Phil Bradley is on second with one out when Gorman Thomas singles to right. Jesse Barfield's throw to Buck Martinez nails Bradley, though Martinez breaks his ankle in the collision. When Thomas tries to take 3B on the play, Martinez' throw sails into LF. Thomas tries to score but George Bell's throw to Martinez beats him. Buck makes the catch and tag while sitting on the ground. Whitt takes over catching and the Jays win in 13 innings, 9–4. The big blow is a grand slam homer by George Bell in the 13th —the first extra inning slam in club history—to break a 4–4 tie.
»August 9, 1988: The Cubs and Mets play the first official night game at Wrigley Field, a 6–4 Chicago victory. New York's Lenny Dykstra hits the first night home run, supplanting Phil Bradley, whose leadoff home run last night was washed out. Reliever Frank DiPino is the winner over Mets' starter Sid Fernandez.
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