Why I Love the Phillies – Michael

I Love the Phillies, especially the 2012 team.

I grew up a Phillies fan having gone to my first game back in 1983 at Veterans Stadium. I got a patch that night in celebration of 100 years of baseball with different “P’s” on each base. It’s one of my most cherished baseball possessions; but even more important to me are the memories of my dad taking me to the ballpark and teaching me about the game. (I love you, Dad & thank you.)

With all the successes of the Phillies in recent years, games have become a mainstay on my family’s television from April to October – although I still listen to lots of games on the radio & really miss Harry K. (RIP). These days, I am now a dad and I am making new memories watching games with my daughter. At the end of the 2011 season my daughter asked me to take her to a game…so that is what I did.

On June 6, 2012, her last day of 2nd grade, we visited Citizens Bank Park and took in our first live ball game together. We sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” as we walked through the parking lot and took lots of pictures on the way to our seats. She got to hear the big bell ring 3 times that night with home runs from Victorino, Wiggington, & Rollins. Sadly, the Phillies went down in a six to five loss that night but we left wearing the Phanatic Dangler hats and ice cream-sticky miniature plastic batting helmets. More importantly, I left that night knowing I had left something special in my daughter’s head and heart…a night at the ballpark with her dad.

It was an up and down 2012 for the Phightin’ Phils. The anticipation of April’s arrival and the chance for post-season play in late September keeps me tuning in to the TV & radio broadcasts and will keep me bringing my daughter back to the ballpark.

Thank you to this year’s Phillies and to all the teams that came before….thank you for the memories.

– Michael

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