A St. Patrick's Day tradition since ... ?

Last night Christine and I had a civil debate about whether the Phillies were the first team to wear green on St. Patrick's Day. I knew the Red Sox had done it for quite a few years, but I wasn't sure if some other team had done it first.

A Northeastern journalism professor, Charles Fountain, writing about spring training history for the Boston Globe, credits the Reds with being the first in 1978. That sounded almost right, until I read that he had the Red Sox as the second team in 1990.

There is no reference to the Phillies or Tug McGraw.

A 2004 MLB.com story on the Tugger places his St. Patrick's Day baseball tradition at McGraw's first Phillies spring training - 1975:

St. Patrick's Day: McGraw's favorite holiday. During his first Spring Training with the Phillies, he donned a uniform dyed green. Since then, the Phillies celebrate each March 17 by auctioning off green hats for their ALS charity. During the 2003 season, the Phillies hung a green No. 45 jersey in the dugout for each game.

So I guess that settles that. I hope the luck of the Irish is with Cole Hamels, who is reportedly fine but doubtful for opening day.

{And I bet some professor will soon claim that the Rays in 1998 were the first team to wear green on St. Patrick's Day.}

[Photo credit: Associated Press]