Top-5 Phanatic Birthday Games
Top-5 Phanatic Birthday Games

The Phillie Phanatic’s birthday is one of the best annual traditions in South Philly. It doesn’t happen on the same day every year (which is weird, we’ve been meaning to ask him about that) but it always makes for a great family day at the park.

It’s also, amazingly, tends to be a great day for the Phils on the field. The Phillies are 30–11 in games on the Phanatic’s birthday, dating back to his first celebration in 1979. While get set for another celebration this afternoon (and with fans this time!), take a look at the five best games on the Phanatic’s birthday.

5. 2001: Bobby Abreu caps off nine-run second.

The Phillies got the party started early for the Phanatic at Veterans Stadium in 2001. Trailing the Giants, 2–1, the Phils sent 14 batters to the plate and scored nine runs in the second inning, highlighted by a bases-clearing double hit deep into left-center by Bobby Abreu. The Phillies needed every one of those nine runs as they finished off the Giants, 10–8.

4. 1990: a grand comeback

The Phanatic likes to dance on top of The Phillies dugout in the seventh inning. It’s fun for the fans every game. Sometimes, it can even spark a rally.

On this birthday, the Phils entered the seventh trailing the Dodgers, 5–3. Pinch hitter Randy Ready singled in one and Lenny Dykstra drove in the tying run. Then, with the bases loaded, up stepped first baseman Ricky Jordan. He blasted the first pitch he saw for the first grand slam of his career. The birthday boy had the best seat in the house.

3. 1979: Manny Trillo walks it off

The Phillies began this tradition with a bang. One year before second baseman Manny Trillo, the newest Phillies Wall of Fame addition won the NLCS MVP award on the way to a World Series title, he smacked a walk-off single to beat the Padres and send the Phanatic home with a birthday win.

2. 1991: Phils turn three

In the 20th year at Veterans Stadium, it took some Phanatic birthday magic to pull off the stadium's first-ever triple play.

With runners on first and second stealing, Tony Gwynn lined a ball at Randy Ready. He caught the ball (out No. 1), stepped on second for a force out (out No. 2) and threw to first for another force out (out. No. 3). Ready could have just tagged the runner next to him for what would’ve been the second unassisted triple play in Phillies history, but he decided to spread the love to Ricky Jordan at first base.

Bonus fun: the fans’ neon green Phanatic hats, a giveaway to celebrate the birthday, are hard to miss during the slo-mo replay.

2003: Kevin Millwood’s no-hitter

There’s basically nothing else that can beat this. On a warm afternoon with a packed crowd celebrating the Phanatic, 28-year-old Kevin Millwood had a bad pregame bullpen session. He didn’t think he had a good game in him.

Then he walked to the mound and everything fell in place.
['Philadelphia Phillies']
['Phillies', 'Philadelphia', 'Birthday', 'Baseball', 'MLB']