THAT'S ONE. The Fightin' Phillies won their first World Series game since 1993 Wednesday night over the Tampa Bay Rays. That's one. The same number worn by Richie Ashburn, the Nebraska boy who grew up to be one of Philadelphia's most beloved athletes and broadcasters.

That's Whitey sliding into home in a cloud of dust and a hearty hi-yo-Silver against the Dodgers in 1950, the year the Fightin's were officially born (see yesterday's column). During his years as a center fielder with the Phillies (1948-1959) Ashburn lived up to the accolade paid to the World Champion 1980 Phillies center fielder of whom it was once said, "Two thirds of the planet Earth is covered by water. The other third is covered by Garry Maddox." Or Richie Ashburn.

Whitey (a nickname he earned before his naturally blonde hair turned naturally white) was a .308 lifetime hitter, a five time National League All-Star game selection and a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer. He was also Harry Kalas's best friend. I'll never forget listening to Whitey and Harry talking on the radio as I was driving on the Schuylkill Expressway durng a rain delay in a game against Montreal. The subject was power hitter Mick Schmidt, who was in the midst of a baffling slump. It was a long languorous conversation just to fill time and Whitey misspoke, referring to Schmidt as the word that rhymes with Schmidt without the "m."

The word hung in the air like a bad check. Or a ripe turd. "The thing about Schit. . ." Whitey said, stopping suddenly and waiting for salvation. All you could hear was crowd noise and vendors yelling, "Beah heah!" It was excruciating and hilarious. Finally (maybe five seconds) Whitey said, "Harry, I was hoping you'd help me out there." To which the K Man said, "I wasn't going to touch that with a ten foot pole."

And after more that 30 years of broadcasting thousands of often Schitty Phillies games, Whitey died in 1997, having lived to see his Fightin's win one of the three World Series where he was able to announce "Oh Brother."

Whaddaya say 2008 Phillies? Let's win this one for Whitey.