On September 9, 1997 — Hall of Famer and beloved Phillies announcer Richie Ashburn, an excellent contact hitter who once fouled off 14 pitches in one at-bat, passes away of an apparent heart attack in his New York hotel room after broadcasting a Mets-Phillies game last night at the age of 70. Regarded as an outstanding center fielder, Ashburn batted .308 lifetime and won two National League batting titles. He also established a major league record by leading the NL in fielding chances nine times. ‘Whitey’ collected the most hits by any major leaguer during the decade of the 1950’s.