▁first ▁five ▁seasons , ▁the ▁Blue Cla ws ▁failed ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁play offs . ▁Their ▁overall ▁record ▁to pped ▁the ▁. 5 0 0 ▁mark ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁All ▁told , ▁in ▁their ▁first ▁eight ▁seasons , ▁the ▁Blue Cla ws ▁to pped ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁fans ▁at ▁a ▁game ▁three ▁times , ▁most ▁recently ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁when ▁they ▁retired ▁Ryan ▁Howard ' s ▁# 2 9 . ▁ ▁Other ▁develop ments ▁On ▁September ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁Ryan ▁Howard ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁former ▁Blue C law ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁major ▁le agues , ▁playing ▁first ▁base ▁for ▁the ▁Phill ies ▁in ▁a ▁ 7 – 2 ▁loss ▁to ▁the ▁Atlanta ▁Bra ves ▁at ▁Cit iz ens ▁Bank ▁Park . ▁He ▁played ▁for ▁the ▁Blue Cla ws ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁season . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁National ▁League ▁Ro ok ie ▁of ▁the ▁Year , ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁National ▁League ▁Most ▁Val u able ▁Player . ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁while ▁on ▁the ▁ 1 5 - day ▁disabled ▁list , ▁Ryan ▁Howard ▁played ▁two ▁re hab ▁games ▁with ▁the ▁Blue Cla ws ▁after ▁suffering ▁a ▁ham string ▁injury . ▁Each ▁game ▁drew ▁over ▁ 8 , 0 0 0 ▁fans ▁and ▁helped ▁push ▁the