Categories: NewsPosts

The Phillie Phanatic is Being Sued: Is Nothing Sacred?

Just read an interesting piece in the Philadelphia Inquirer this morning about the Worlds Greatest Mascot, the Phillie Phanatic, and his litigation troubles. It seems that our green friend injured a woman at a Reading Phillies game; she’s seeking $50,000 in damages.

The woman’s lawyer said that those around him liken it to “suing Santa Claus.” It’s understandable if you read the article; the woman has arthritis and the Phanatic’s horseplay set it off, causing her to seek medical attention. But does the Phanatic need to walk around with a waiver form nowadays?

The person inside the costume, Tom Burgoyne, is one of several parties being sued in this case. It’s certainly an unfortunate chain of events, but you figure something like this was bound to happen. And actually, it’s happened several times before, although just a few times in the last decade.  The Phanatic has been sued before!?

We normally don’t go all politico on you, however, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this topic…

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Pat Gallen

Pat joined Phillies Nation in July 2009, coming over from Examiner.com. As a previous employee of both Comcast SportsNet and the National Basketball Association, Pat prides himself on being a well-rounded individual when it comes to sports. However, the Phillies are first on the list. You’ll usually find Pat chiming in on the Phillies Nation Facebook or Twitter account, weekdays on 97.3 ESPN radio or hosting Phillies Nation TV. He’s also a Senior Writer for the site, and in his free time is a music enthusiast and Will Ferrell movie-follower. His favorite beer: Philly’s own Yards. In 2015, Pat moved on from Phillies Nation as a sports anchor and reporter for CBS-3 in Philadelphia.

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