FIM Recap

I'm still up for absolutely no reason whatsoever so I decided to recap moment 15-2 of the Famous/Infamous Moment series. Tomorrow morning I will post #1 which is pretty obvious as to what it is. Here is the list:

#15 - Steve Cartlon (1994), Mike Schmidt and Richie Ashburn (1995), and Jim Bunning (1996) get inducted into the Hall of Fame.

#14 - The 2007 run when the Phillies helped the Mets create the biggest choke in baseball.

#13 - The birth of our beloved Phillie Phanatic.

#12 - The Phillies record career loss #10,000 versus the Cardinals in 2006.

#11 - Veterans Stadium is imploded.

#10 - Ryan Howard wins the Rookie of the Year and MVP in back-to-back seasons.

#9 - The departure of Harry Kalas and Whitey Asburn.

#8 - The Phillies trade Larry Bowa and Ryne Sandberg for Ivan DeJesus.

#7 - The collapse in 1964.

#6 - Schmidt hits his 500th homer.

#5 - The Whiz Kids win the 1950 pennant.

#4 - Jim Bunning goes perfect in 1964.

#3 - The Phillies win their first world championship in 1980.

#2 - Joe Carter breaks our hearts.

I wonder what #1 will be.....

FIM #13: The Birth of the Phillie Phanatic

He's from the Galapagos Islands. He warms our hearts. He's big, green, and furry. He resembles a character Dr. Suess would have invented. He is the Phillie Phanatic and he is by far the coolest mascot in all of professionial sports. Moment #13 is when he was introduced back in 1978. Sports Illustrated voted the Phanatic as the best mascot in all of sports only a few years ago.

Dave Raymond was the original mascot, donning the costume from 1978-1993. Tom Burgoyne currently wears the costume. Raymond invented the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2005, makin the Phanatic a charter memember. Along with the San Diego Chicken, the Phanatic has helped revolutionize the sports mascot with their silly antics and hilarious pranks.

Some of the Phanatics normal pranks include his provacative dancing and shaking his belly, his giant kiss, and the infamous "Whammy Hand" while he stands on the Phillies dug out in late innings. He also is known for his pregame antics of teasing opposing players as they warm up and riding his ATV, the first mascot to ever do so.

His most famous and proud moment has to be making Tommy Lasorda snap. In a game years ago when the Phillies were playing the Dodgers, the Phanatic hopped on his ATV and ran over a dummy wearing a Lasorda Jersey. It enraged Lasorda who actually attacked the Phanatic. People thought it was in good fun but in fact, Lasorda really hates the Phanatic. "I hate the Phillie Phanatic. That type of a display should not be shown in ballparks, especially in front of children. It exhibits violence and disrespect," said the hypocritical Lasorda who actually body slammed the lovable mascot.

He's the best mascot in all of sports bar none. It's not even being a biased fan. Ask any fan in the world who the best mascot in all of sports is and they will say the big furry green guy in Philly. Well except Mets fans of course who think their stupid baseball-headed Mr. Met is more entertaining than the Phanatic. It's hard to go to a Phillies game and not watch the Phanatic. Keep on whammying, big fella.