The man’s first trip out, he caught a 44 lb Chinook salmon. Who knew that passion would be his last! While most remember Larry Christenson for the 1977 Philadelphia Phillies night when he turned from a pitcher to an unlikely hero with his grand slam against the Chicago Cubs and helped his team secure the NL East crown, we knew he made a mark beyond that. Whether through charity or goofing around with his best bud Tug McGraw, LC was a friend, a happy soul, a style icon, and, of course, a superstar pitcher.
Christenson, a former World Series champion, reportedly died while spending time with family and friends on a trip, with the Phillies confirming his passing. While the circumstances surrounding his death have not been revealed, MLB has lost not only a pitcher who etched his name into Phillies history but also a man remembered for his involvement in community work, supporting Phillies Charities, Tug McGraw Foundation, and many other non-profit organizations.
“The Phillies are saddened to learn of the unexpected passing of former pitcher Larry Christenson this morning while on a fishing trip with family and friends in Washington state. He was 72. Christenson, who spent his entire 11-year major league career with the club from 1973-83, was selected by the Phillies in the third round of the 1972 MLB Draft. “LC” was a member of the 1980 World Series championship team and the National League pennant-winning club in 1983,” The Phillies shared via their official X handle.
“The club and its fans are forever grateful for his contributions and the legacy he leaves behind in Philadelphia. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Larry’s beloved daughters, Claire and Libby, his extended family and friends, and former teammates at this difficult time.”
The only report that came out around Christenson’s demise was that he was on a fishing trip with his friends and family on August 28 when he sadly passed away. While the investigations are ongoing because the team never mentioned the trip was the accident, we will wait for the final update.
LC’s demise breaks Phillies fans to an extent beyond imagination, especially those who have experienced the team’s late-seventies era. In his 11 seasons with the team, they reached the playoffs six times.
But the Phillies were most dominant between 1976 and 1983.
They won the National League East Division championship in 1976, and repeated the same feat the next two years. In 1980, they won their first World Series. Next year, they qualified again for the NL East Division series qualifier, and in 1983, another NL championship followed.
It was first in 1973 that the Phillies fans witnessed Larry Christenson’s show.
Against the New York Mets, he pitched 9 innings, allowing only one run and recording 3 strikeouts. A 19-year-old pitched a complete-game win on April 13 – that record is still unbroken. That day, he finished with a 1.00 ERA. However, his most clutch moment was kept for the 1977 season.
Every time someone talks about Christenson, his 1977 heroics take center stage. While MLB has a few contemporary examples like Shohei Ohtani, who carries equal dominance from both ends of the ball, a full-fledged pitcher entering the batter’s box out of need and hitting a grand slam is still unique in baseball.
The day was Sept. 27 – Philadelphia defeated the Chicago Cubs 15-9 to clinch their second consecutive NL East Division title. Pitching for 7.0 innings and then going for two more batters in the 8th inning, LC recorded 3 strikeouts and allowed 6 runs, while also hitting a grand slam and driving in 5 runs at the plate. That season was also his career-best.
19 wins. National League Pitcher of the Month honors for September.
There are past examples like Tony Cloninger, who hit two grand slams in one game on July 3, 1966. Names like Schoolboy Rowe, Tommy Byrne, Dizzy Trout, Camilo Pascual, Bob Gibson, and Rick Wise (with whom LC is tied for most homers by a Philly pitcher in the franchise history – 11) also have two grand slams named after each of them. However, what made Christenson special was the impact of his grand slam on his team.
But his iconic moments were not a one-off. But let’s take a step back here, breathe, and remember the legend for a minute.
“My heart is heavy today,” Phillies HoFer Larry Bowa shared in a note with the team. “LC was a tremendous teammate, an outstanding pitcher, and a true friend. Win or lose, he was always the life of the clubhouse. He loved the game and enjoyed every minute of his big league career. He will be deeply missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
In the teenage LC’s debut game at Veterans Stadium, Bowa went 2-for-5 out of the leadoff spot and shared the field with his till 1981.
While Christenson retired in 1983 because of lingering elbow issues, probably from 3 years back, he was very much a part of that year’s NL-winning franchise, despite his postseason absence. And his connection with the Phillies didn’t end there. Neither did the memories.
Christenson’s Phillies connection stayed even after his retirement
After retiring from baseball, he actively supported Phillies Charities and various local health and community nonprofits in the Philadelphia area.
Christenson was a tireless supporter of the Phillies’ official charitable foundation, Phillies Charities, Inc. He reportedly also worked with foundations supporting research and care for multiple sclerosis, leukemia, heart disease, and diabetes.
Fans and his colleagues also remember Christenson’s charm.
“Larry was very special,” another Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said in the Phillies’ announcement, adding that Christenson “always had a smile on his face.”
Born on November 10, 1953, in Everett, Washington, Christenson was drafted by the Phillies in the first round of the 1972 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut the next year at just 19. A debut to remember! That excellence stayed till the end of time, as witnessed in 1980.
He made his start in Game 161, returning in August from elbow surgery in May to finish the season for his team, as they chased another NL East title.
Finishing the regular season 5-1, he left a huge impact in Philadelphia’s postseason push. LC came in as a relief pitcher in the deciding Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Houston Astros. His team won 10-7 in extra-innings. Then, he started Game 4 of the World Series against Kansas City.
While that was a brief outing and Christenson could only record one out, his October 4, 1980 comeback that helped Philadelphia get into the playoffs will always be remembered.
LC started that game against the Montreal Expos at Olympic Stadium. He threw for six innings and gave up only two runs. His reliable buddy Tug was also there, finishing off in relief to seal the team’s win, while Schmidt had his contributions with a 2-run homer in the top of the 11th.
The eccentric relief pitcher that Tug was, he used to walk into the clubhouse and ask something to LC, loud enough for everyone to hear:
“LC, are you pitching tonight?”
And if Larry said yes, Tug would respond:
“Then so am I,” Tug McGraw Foundation shared on Instagram.
While their bond has probably been one for the history books, because look at the coincident…
August 30 is McGraw’s birthday, and just two days before that, his friend decided to celebrate the man’s 82nd birthday up in heaven.
But LC has been a heartwarming presence to so many…
He even kept in touch with journalists who covered the team as a teenager for a regional paper. Not just sharing emails or teasing the woman about a crush she had on another player, LC also had one particular capture hung in his office – now-author and historian Rebecca Price Janney shared on Instagram.
From owners of food joints, like The Original Crabby Bill’s, to legendary boxing promoter Joe Sr, LC had an all-round presence.
His career stats show that Christenson had 781 strikeouts and a 3.79 ERA. Add his career 11 homers, and it calls for cult stats.
Survived by his two adult daughters, Claire Christenson and Libby Christenson, we pray for strength for his family and peace for the Phillies’ veteran. We bet he is rocking the Philadelphia Phillies’ iconic all-burgundy jersey from 1979 wherever he is.