The 1980 National League Championship Series was played between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Houston Astros from October 7 to 12. Philadelphia won the series three games to two to advance to the World Series. It was the first playoff series victory in Phillies history. The Phillies went on to defeat the Kansas City Royals for their first World Series Championship.
The 1980 National League Championship Series is remembered as the closest, most grueling playoff series in major league history. The series went to its five-game limit, with the final four games requiring extra innings to determine a winner.
Coming into the series both teams had dog fights to the end, the Phillies 6-4 win vs the Montreal Expos on the last day of the season secured the division for them. The Astros were swept by the Dodgers forcing a one-game playoff to determine the NL West champion. The Astros sent 19-game winner Joe Niekro to the mound, while the Dodgers countered with Dave Goltz, who signed as a free-agent in the 1979-1980 off-season. Goltz recorded double-digit wins for six straight seasons in Minnesota, but his first season in Dodger Blue was a disappointment, as he entered the most important game of the season with a 7–10 record. Houston would knock Goltz out the game early and go on to win 7–1, setting the stage for a Phillies versus Astros NL Championship Series.
Take a look at the historic match up and the highlights of each game . . .
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