History
editCreation
editIntroduction
editThe Phillie Phanatic made his first public appearance on April 23, 1978, when he and Phillies player Tim McCarver appeared as guests on Captain Noah and His Magical Ark.[1] He made his in-game debut two days later, when the Phillies faced the Chicago Cubs at theri home ballpark of Veterans Stadium.[2] The team decided not to publicly announce the Phanatic, but "to just let him appear", because "These were the Phillies' fans – you weren't gonna force them into anything."[3]
Lawsuit
editCharacteristics
editPhysical description
editThe Phanatic, in costume, stands 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 m) and weighs 300 pounds (140 kg), with a waist circumference of 90 inches (230 cm).[4]
Portrayers
editPerformance
editPopular reception
editA number of legal incidents involving the Phanatic at games and other appearances have led to the character being labeled as "the most-sued mascot" in MLB. These incidents included knocking over a man in 1991, accidentally kicking a pregnant woman in the stomach in 1993, and hugging a man hard enough to cause injury in 1994.[5]
References
edit- ^ Rowan, Tommy (July 25, 2017). "Before the Phanatic, the Phillies had animatronic twins". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- ^ Amour, Lauren (December 15, 2021). "How the Phillie Phanatic Came to be America's Favorite Sports Mascot". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- ^ Osband, Noam (July 12, 2019). "From Muppets To MLB: Bonnie Erickson, The Phillie Phanatic ... And Dandy". WBUR-FM. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- ^ "Phillie Phanatic". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
- ^ Jarvis, Robert M.; Coleman, Phyllis (May 2002). "Hi-Jinks at the Ballpark: Costumed Mascots in the Major Leagues". Cardozo Law Review. 23 (5): 1635–1674. Retrieved November 15, 2021.