The Phillies and Halloween: A tradition like no other?
Actually, there’s not really much history for the Phillies on Halloween. It used to be that the baseball season was well wrapped up by the time the 31st
came around. But these days, with the addition of extra playoff rounds, the World Series now regularly stretches into November.
But there have been a few important Phillies happenings on the holiday. Perhaps the most prominent came on October 31, 2008. The Phillies had wrapped up their second World Series title four days prior, so the holiday afternoon was spent with a parade down Broad Street, capped off by a memorable speech by Chase Utley. (NSFW language.)
October 31, 2009 was not as pleasant for Phillies fans. I’m not sure why the World Series started later that year, but game three of the World Series between the Phillies and Yankees took place on October 31.
The game started off well enough, with the Phillies getting off to a 3-0 lead in the second inning. But Cole Hamels’ uneven 2009 season continued into this game, and he could not hold the lead. Alex Rodriguez’s questionable home run off a TV camera cut the lead to 3-2, and the Yankees rallied for three more in the fifth to put them on top 5-3.
The Phillies battled the rest of the game, but their pitching staff was unable to keep the Yankees off the board, and they fell by a score of 8-5, en route to dropping the World Series four games to two.
The Phillies would not return to the World Series until 2022. Game three of that series was originally scheduled for Halloween but was delayed until the following day due to concerns about the weather. The Phillies found the game to be worth the wait as they blasted five home runs in the 7-0 win.
Sadly, the rest of the series didn’t go the Phillies’ way as they dropped the next three games.
The hot costume of the year
The Phillies have inspired one of the trendiest Halloween costumes of the year. But it won’t be kids dressing up as Bryce Harper, Garrett Stubbs, or the Phanatic. No, it will be everyone’s favorite Florida based Phillies fan: Phillies Karen!
If you’re the type who likes to go out to the bars and get drunk on Halloween, do a shot every time you see someone in a Phillies Karen costume. (Please only do this if you can capably handle your liquor and/or have a support system who can help get your drunk butt safely home.)
A Halloween scene at Citizens Bank Park
As a treat to the fans, Phillies owner John Middleton has invited season ticket owners to bring their children to Citizens Bank Park for a special trick-or-treating event. The field has been decked out in elaborate Halloween decorations, and there are several stations where kids can go up to employees and get candy.
As the event gets underway, Middleton is standing with team president Dave Dombrowski, surveying the scene.
Middleton: We really went all out on decorations this year, huh?
Dombrowski: I’d say our decorations are very good. But…
Middleton: I don’t like the sound of that but, Dave.
Dombrowski: We’ve got to accept that some teams simply had a better display this year.
Middleton: But we spent so much money!
Dombrowski: I don’t want to name specific teams, but other teams have had a lot of success bringing in decorations from Japan.
Middleton: Why can’t we get any of those Japanese decorations?
Dombrowski: Unfortunately, everyone wants the Japanese decorations. But the Japanese are particular about where the decorations go, and they keep going to the same team.
Middleton: Even if we offer the company more money? I’ve got lots of money!
Dombrowski: It doesn’t matter. The Japanese companies seem to think that their decorations are better staying on the west coast.
They are interrupted when a young boy wearing a Phillies uniform walks up to them.
Boy: Trick or treat!
Middleton: Look at this kid! In a Phillies uniform and everything! Hey, let’s get a picture with him!
He signals for team photographers to take a picture with him and the boy.
Middleton: That’s such a great costume, son. (Laughs) I think we’re going to use you in all our marketing materials next year!
He puts some candy in the boy’s bag, who then walks away.
Middleton: Anyway, if we can’t get those Japanese decorations, how can we improve things?
Dombrowski: One place we can really improve is in right field. That mechanical skeleton out there? It seemed like a good investment at the time, but it can barely move now, and it just kind of moans all the time now.
Middleton: (Nodding) It certainly doesn’t sound happy.
Dombrowski: One thing to consider is that all these decorations use a lot of electricity. We may simply not have enough power.
Middleton: But power is expensive.
Dombrowski: But the teams that have the best decorations usually have a lot of power. We’re going to need to find some more, even if it costs us.
They’re interrupted by the same boy from earlier, who now has his father with him.
Father: My son wants some candy.
Dombrowski: We already gave him some candy.
Father: Yes, but he’d like more. You just told him he was going to be the centerpiece of your publicity from this event. With that in mind, I’d like to get some guarantees that he’ll be able to keep receiving candy well into the future.
Dombrowski: No. Let’s face it. It’s a cute costume, but is it an elite costume? I don’t think so. Plus, he’s what, eleven years old? I don’t think it’s a great idea to promise candy to a kid who is getting older and is unlikely to be as cute as he once was.
A media contingent, including some hosts from WIP notice the conversation and come over.
WIP host: Hey, did you hear that? Dombrowski thinks this kid isn’t cute enough anymore! I bet he wants him to go trick or treating with another team!
Boy: (looking visibly upset) You want me to trick or treat with some other team??
Dombrowski: No, not at all. I just think that you need to show that you can come back next year with a better costume than this year’s.
Father: You’ve really upset my son! I think you should give him more candy to make it up to him.
Dombrowski: No.
Father: Well then next year, you need to let him bring some of his friends along to this event! It’s tough for him having to trick or treat all by himself.
Dombrowski: We’re going to do whatever we can to make this event great. And we want your son to be a big part of it! I just don’t know how many of his friends we can afford to invite…
Middleton: (Shakes head) This is going to be a long offseason.
From all of us at The Good Phight, have a fun, happy, and safe Halloween!
