Philadelphia Phillies Share Heartfelt Rememberance Of Late Executive.

August 3, 2018; Philadelphia, PA, USA: Former player Shane Victorino is hugged by David Montgomery, chairman of the Philadelphia Phillies. © USA TODAY Sports, Bill StreicherThe Philadelphia Phillies are honoring David Montgomery, who passed away more than five years ago, at last.

Before the Phillies’ home game against the Washington Nationals on Saturday, Montgomery was inducted into the team’s Wall of Fame. In observance of Montgomery, Philadelphia honored him with a unique pregame ceremony that included the return of other team icons.
In another alteration to Citizens Bank Park, the team named the wall on the left side of center field “Monty’s Angle” and erected a new sign above the 409-foot marker in his honor. Paying homage to Montgomery, who advocated for those dimensions to raise the possibility of a home run inside the park, is appropriate.The Phillies should be commended for at last giving Montgomery the credit he so richly deserves. The Philadelphia native began working for his local team in 1971 as a member of the sales department and scoreboard operator, and he remained an employee for almost fifty years. He advanced fast through the ranks, and a few years later, he was elevated to head of the business department after serving as director of sales and marketing.Montgomery and Bill Giles paid $30 million for the organization in 1981. Montgomery, the organization’s first native of Philadelphia in more than 60 years, led the franchise as executive vice president before taking over as president in 1997.

With a laser-like focus on building the brand, Montgomery made the Phillies into a premier team very rapidly. He assisted with the opening of Citizens Bank Park in 2004 and approved long-term contracts for a number of superstars. From 2007 to 2011, the team’s attendance skyrocketed and it emerged as a formidable force, winning five consecutive NL East titles.Montgomery experienced health problems in his later years; in 2014, he was given a jaw bone cancer diagnosis. He was the team’s chairman from the time he returned from his leave of absence in 2015 until his death at the age of 72 in 2019 due to jaw bone cancer.Montgomery’s tenure saw Philadelphia consistently contend, which is evidence of his success. No one would be more proud of the Phillies’ performance this season than he is, as they have thrived since his death because of the foundation he helped establish.