Ever since I was three or four years old I have gone to at least one Phillies game every season with my mom, dad, or brother. I would slowly start to understand more and more of what was going on in the sport as I got older. I had thoroughly enjoyed going to these games for the giveaways they often had. My mother and I would go every season to the game on Phillies Phanatic’s birthday and always get the giveaway they had. I guess by continuously going to the games and watching them on TV, I gained a new passion for my home team. I would read the articles in the paper and always keep up with them; cry when they lose and cheer when they win. I could say that the Phillies influenced me to stay in Philadelphia for college, but as to who influenced me; it would have to be myself wanting to do better than my parents.
When I was old enough to understand what was going on, I would keep track of stats of all the players. I developed a passion for the Phillies and also began my collection of bobble heads and other memorabilia from various games. My favorite player used to be Scott Rolen back when he was still a Phillie. He won Rookie of the Year and two MVPs and was arguably the best third basemen on the Phillies since Mike Schmidt and probably the best third baseman in the league at the time. As a Phillie, he averaged nearly 25 homeruns a season along with a .229 batting average and nearly 90 RBIs a season. After he left Philadelphia he became a hated man because of how he left the team. When he got traded, he disrespected the team and said that they did not want to win. After that he got booed every time he entered our stadium.
Becoming an avid Phillies fan and also a fan of the city made me rethink where I would go to college. I had originally dreamed of going to school at New York University, which is in my favorite city, or even Boston University, or Georgetown. I knew for certain that I wanted to stay on the East Coast but where on the East Coast. In the end I chose to apply to University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University. I realized I wanted to stay in Philadelphia because I could not miss the excitement that the Phillies brought to me every year. I now know I have made the right decision by attending Drexel University.
Another reason I enjoy the Phillies so much is because it was something that my oldest brother and I would do together all the time. He was eight years older than me so at times we were not very close because of the huge age gap. He was in high school and I was still in grade school so we did not really hang out much. We seemed so far apart. But the Phillies was something we would do together every year despite the age gap we had. I remember the first game we went to together, he was a senior and I was in the fourth grade and he brought me along with his friends to the game. It made me feel cool to be hanging out with him and his friends. My brother and I still go to the Phillies game now and have gotten a lot closer because of it; but we have yet to go to a playoff game together.
My brother taught me everything I know about the Phillies to this day. Without him influencing me into being a Phillies fan I would have missed out on their World Championship, and never would have gone to the parade because I wouldn’t have the passion for it as I do now. I can say that I am proud to be a Phillies fan even during their down seasons where they never made the playoffs. I’m glad to have been following them since I was born and even before they were the championship team that they are now.
Another person that greatly influenced my interest in the Phillies is my mom. She took me to so many games when I was younger. We would go to at least three or four games a year. We always had the traditional Phillie Phanatic Birthday Game that we went. I enjoyed going to this game because I loved the Phillie Phanatic and also enjoyed the free stuff they gave away every season on that day. I remember going to the last Phillie Phanatic Birthday game at The Vet when Kevin Millwood pitched a no-hitter. It was an amazing game to watch even though at the time I was younger and did not understand completely what was happening and the history that was being made. Going to the Phillies games with my mom became a fun way for us to hang out. Then I got older and stopped going with her and started going more with my friends or my brother. We had many memories going to the games and have a lot of Phillies memorabilia to go along with these memories from many of the games.
Now that the Phillies are in the playoffs season after season I can take my passion for the game into October where the games are more exciting. I may not know much about the Phillies in their earlier years but I am pretty sure I can keep up with the best Phillies fans of my generation. I gained this literacy of the Phillies with the help of my mom and a lot from my brother. Without them introducing me to the Phillies and taking I to so many games I may have never became the diehard Phillies fan that I am now. I am glad that I have stayed here in Philadelphia for college or else I would be upset that I am missing what the Phillies are doing every year. I will make sure I go to another playoff game and enjoy another World Series Championship and another parade down Broad Street this year.