It was Aug. 11, 1973, and the Phillies, Mets, and Yankees all were experiencing their version of the “Dog Days of Summer.”

In baseball, those “dog days” can quickly become glory days. You remember the phrase. In baseball, it can mean when a team is sluggishly moving through a part of the season.

Going back to ancient lore, it was a time from July 3 to Aug. 11 when the days are presumably the hottest and also a time when “all liquids are poisonous, when bathing, swimming, or even drinking water can be dangerous, and a time when no sore or wound will heal properly.”

That can be frightening. But it was basically a time when you really didn’t feel like doing too much because of the heat.

In this week’s version of my Yesterday column - reminiscing about sports and pop culture back in the 1960s, 70s, 80 and sometimes beyond - I’ll look back at the end of the 1973 season for the aforementioned clubs, as well as some pop culture items.

Who were the Baltimore Claws? And what were Yankee Doodles?

Ya Gotta’ Believe

... Future Phillies’ reliever Tug McGraw coined the phrase, “Ya gotta believe!” back in 1973 for the Mets when it appeared that his club would be destined for a finish near the bottom of the National League East. On Aug. 11, the Mets were 52-62 after an 8-7, 11-inning loss to the Giants. Back then, the NL had two divisions (East and West) with six teams apiece.

The Mets had one of baseball’s biggest turnarounds - going from last to first in September- winning the division with a 6-4 victory over the Cubs and Burt Hooten (remember him?) on Oct. 1. The Cardinals were right behind with an 81-81 record, marking one of the lowest number of wins to capture a division.

Back then, John “The Hammer” Milner led the team in homers with 23 and had 72 RBIs, Wayne Garrett (ring a bell?) had 16 homers and 58 RBIs, and Rusty Staub had 15 homers and 76 RBIs. Willie Mays, who was past his prime, played in 42 games and hit .211, and reportedly stayed in the game for the money.

But it was the Mets’ pitching with Tom Seaver (19-10, 2.08 Earned Run Average), Jerry Koosman, Jon Matlack, and the often-forgotten George Stone that made the difference. Jim McAndrew was the fifth starter. McGraw had 25 saves.

The Mets beat the Reds in the NLCS, and it was marked by the Pete Rose-Bud Harrelson fight in Game 3. The Mets then had a classic seven-game series with Oakland in the World Series.

Ironically, the Mets fell to a 71-91 record in the 1974 season and finished fifth.

Phillies Fightin’

... On Aug. 11 in 1973, the Phillies were 54-62 after they had beaten the Dodgers, 4-1. Ken Brett tossed a seven-hitter for his 12th win of the season.

That year, Mike Schmidt was hitting seventh and would finish with a .196 average and 18 homers in his rookie season. A blast from the past was Cesar Tovar, who played right field (his lone season was marked by injuries). Bill Robinson (known for his pinch-hitting and versatility) was in center, and Craig Robinson (once a highly-touted prospect) was at shortstop. Greg Luzinski was in the cleanup spot and led the club with 29 homers and 97 RBIs. You may have to think long and hard to remember Jose Pagan as a backup infielder.

The Phils finished 71-91 and in last place. Steve Carlton was 13-20, but Brett and Wayne Twitchell were both 13-9. Jim Lonborg was 13-16, and Mac Scarce had 12 saves and a 1-8 record.

By the way, the NL Rookie of the Year that season was young Atlanta slugger Gary Matthews. Brett was traded in the winter to Pittsburgh for Dave Cash, which started the franchise’s upward swing.

Yankee Doodles

... In 1973, the Yankees were on the verge of becoming a World Series contender. Thurman Munson was a rising star and boasted a .301 average. They had the distinction of Felipe Alou at first base, and Matty Alou in right field.

Bobby Murcer and Graig Nettles posted some impressive numbers, and your thinking caps would have to be on to recall the likes of Celerino Sanchez, Otto Velez (an original Blue Jay), and ex-Phillie Johnny Callison on the squad.

On. Aug. 11, the Yanks were 64-55 and came off a 7-3 loss to the A’s and Vida Blue. Mel Stottlemyre took the loss, and he finished the season with a 16-16 record. How many of you remember George “Doc” Medich (an actual doctor) who was 14-9? Sparky Lyle finished with 27 saves.

The Yanks finished 80-82, fourth place in the American League East. They rebounded the following year with an 89-73 record under new manager Bill Virdon and played their games at Shea Stadium while Yankee Stadium was refurbished.

And do you remember Drake’s Yankee Doodles? They were sweet black cupcakes with crème filling. It was a good switch sometimes from a Tastykake or Hostess.

Yeah, That League

... Every week, I’ll look back at a defunct league from our past. This time, we’re back to the ABA. How many people remember some of these teams? - Memphis Tams, San Diego Conquistadors, Utah Stars, Denver Rockets and Dallas Chaparrals.

In the 1975-76 season, Baltimore tried to launch a franchise and named it the Claws. They had acquired Dan Issel, but were only in existence for 40 days due to financial reasons.

You Knew the Saying

... Back in the 1960s and 70s, the saying or response “S’awright,” began to quickly evolve. It emerged from a noted ventriloquist named Senor Wences who used his dummy Pedro in his act during the 1940s, 50s, and 60s.

In the 60s, Wences was a guest on the Ed Sullivan Show and others, and the saying became popular. We should all remember it.

Bedrock Special ... Back in the early 70s, “Yabba Dabba Do” punch hit the shelves from the prominence of the Flintstones. I vaguely remember this one with the flavors of lemonade, grape and fruit punch as a rival of Hi-C and Hawaiian Punch.

Like its competitors, this brand had just 10% fruit juice and was filled with sugar, which we didn’t care about then.

Another Classic Game

... In 1978, amid the rush of electronic games, Galoob released MVP baseball, a “hand-held” game. It came complete with plastic base runners that you could pop on top of the bases, as well as a paper scorecard.

Again, this was something simple that could keep us busy.

Final Thought

... Michael Lorenzen’s no-hitter recently marked the second starting pitcher the Phillies acquired from Detroit who achieved the feat. The first? It was Jim Bunning, who had a Father’s Day no-hitter in 1964 after he was acquired in 1963.

Memory Lane ... Every week, I will look back at a former player, coach, manager, or media personality from our yesterday.

Do you remember former Phillie Rick Joseph? He was a utility man who played left field, second base, third base, and first base for 245 games from 1967-70, hitting .245. He broke in with the Kansas City A’s in 1964 and hit .222 in 17 games.

Feedback ... Your comments, thoughts, and ideas will be published. Email tnsports@tnonline.com