Phillies’ Success Brings This Town Together
It doesn’t matter if you know the box score of every inning of every game played, or you’re the ultra-casual fan who just started watching midway through the playoff series, this is an incredible time for Philadelphia sports, and Phillies fans in particular. This team has been so good.
Spoken like a true bandwagon jumper, right?
I’d classify myself as a casual fan. We try to go to a game when we can. My first game, in fact, was in 1970 at the old Connie Mack Stadium, with the Phils playing the Pirates. The Pirates won, but I did get to see Roberto Clemente in person, who had a great game.
I think Woody Fryman was the losing pitcher for the Phils that day. The picture at the top of this article is one I took at a 1972 game my Dad took us to see at Veterans Stadium, just one year into that big stadium’s existence. That’s Jim Fregosi at the plate for the Mets! I can’t remember, or see, who was pitching for the Phils, but I know it wasn’t Lefty.
In this atmosphere, I can’t help but think of those Phillies games, and all the other ones I had the pleasure of seeing over the years. One I remember in particular was the time we were doing a radio station promotion at the Vet. It was on June 11, 1985, and that was the game where the Phillies absolutely decimated the Mets 26-7! Von Hayes hit two homers in the first inning, including a grand slam! It’s hard to forget a game like that.
And now, here we are, the Fightins are doing so well as a club. You cannot help but feel the excitement and positive vibes in the air. People are happier, talking Phillies with one another (imagine that!) and have a collective hope that big things happen for our Phils.
Bandwagon or not, that’s worth it for me. Now LET’S GO PHILS!!
