The stump (lower left) and some remains of the Prometheus tree (center), in the Wheeler Bristlecone Pine Grove at Great Basin National Park near Baker, Nevada from Wikipedia
August 6, 1964 – Prometheus, a bristlecone pine and the world’s oldest tree, is cut down
The other day as I looked over the events that happened on August 6th throughout history, I came across a now, that worked out real well, didn’t it” moment or maybe a “What was I thinking moment! It seems that back in 1964 Donald Currey was sampling Bristlecone Pine Trees (Pinus longaeva) near Wheeler Peak in eastern Nevada. One of the trees that Currey was evaluating was Prometheus (recorded by Currey as WPN-114) Prometheus had been named by Naturalists back in 1958 or 1961. Currey wasn’t able to get a definitive core used for aging the tree, for whatever reason, and it was decided that the tree down would be cut down. When the tree was toppled it was discovered that the tree was the oldest known non-clonal organism, and was at east 4,862 years old, possibly more than 5000 years old!! Oops! My bad!…. Whether or not Currey and/or Forestry personnel knew the age of the tree or even if Currey had to or should have cut the tree down is up for debate. You can read the whole story here at Wikipedia!
After reading the above I came across a “that worked out well” moment for the Phillies…..
The Tale of Ray Culp and Phillies trades…….
After reading about Prometheus and Mr Currey I looked over the birthdays and came across a pitcher for the Phillies in the 1960s Ray Culp. As a rookie in 1963 Culp went 14-11 for the Phillies, made the All-Star team and was named the National League Rookie Pitcher of the year by the Sporting News.
Over the next three seasons, Culp would go 29-21 for the Phils. In December of 1966 Culp along with cash was traded to the Chicago Cubs for eight-year veteran Dick Ellsworth. Ellsworth in his career in Chicago had compiled an 84-11o record for the dreadful Cubbies. Ellsworth’s best year was 1963 when he won 22 games – his worst 1965 the year BEFORE he became a Phillie when he lost 22 games!! Neither player distinguished themselves in 1967 Culp went 8-11 for the Cubs and was traded to the Red Sox receiving in return Bill Schlesinger and cash. Ellsworth meanwhile won 6 games for the Phillies while losing 7 and after the season he was shipped off to Boston with Gene Oliver for catcher “Irish” Mike Ryan,
So let’s recap, at the start of the 1968 season, as a result of all these deals Boston had Dick Ellsworth and Ray Culp in their rotation along with Gene Oliver. The Phillies had catcher Mike Ryan and the Cubs infielder Bill Schlesinger. Here’s their stats for the season.
For Boston…
Ray Culp – 16-6
Dick Ellsworth – 16-7
For the Phillies…
Mike Ryan – BA .190 HR 1 RBI 15
For Cubs
Schlesinger – played in the minor leagues!!
Hum, seems like the better organization got the best of these deals. Culp would go on to have a 71-58 record over his 5-year career in Boston winning 17 games in 1968 and 1969 and making the All-Star team for a second time in 1969. Ellsworth never repeated his 1968 success winning only 19 more games over the next 6 years of his career. Ryan went on to play several more years with the Phillies amassing lifetime total of 21 homers and 91 rbi, while batting .190. Irish Mike did go on to be a long-time Phillies bullpen catcher and coach! As for Schlesinger his contract was repurchased by Boston from the Cubs in June of 1968 and then in May of 1969 he was dealt from Boston to the PHILLIES for outfielder Don Lock, but he never made it back to the major leagues!!
Oh one other side note, the Phillies had acquired 1st baseman Gene Oliver from the Atlanta Braves for Bob Uecker!!
Ok so the moral of this ramble is that you should NEVER cut down an old tree and the Phillies should never trade with Boston or the Cubs! Something that they should have learned in 1966, when the Phils traded Fergie Jenkins along with John Hernstein and Adolfo Phillips to the Cubs for washed up pitchers Larry Jackson and Bob Buhl! All Jenkins did was go on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Cubs. The Phils also forgot this rule in 1982, when they traded Larry Bowa for Ivan DeJesus and threw in future member of the Hall of Fame Ryne Sandburg!! But then some teams never learn do they!!
