The Philadelphia Phillies should be the new ‘America’s Team’
Christopher Tremoglie
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The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-1 on Saturday night to take a 3-2 lead in the National League Championship Series.
The baseball team finds itself on the brink of earning a trip to its second consecutive World Series. Along the way, they have earned the affection of baseball fans throughout the country.
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For those who follow sports, many will know that the nickname “America’s Team” belongs to the Dallas Cowboys. However, the Cowboys haven’t really been relevant in nearly 30 years. It’s time for a change. Life is all about adapting, and sports should be no different. And it’s for that reason that the Philadelphia Phillies should be considered the new “America’s Team.”
The Phillies have the most losses in Major League Baseball history. They have been around since 1883 and have over 11,200 losses. For decades, not just years, but decades, the Phillies were one of the worst teams in baseball. From 1916 to 1949, the team never made the playoffs. They made the World Series in 1950, losing to the New York Yankees. The franchise then didn’t make another postseason appearance until 1976. That’s one postseason appearance in 60 years. The Phillies didn’t even win their first World Series until 1980. It was a franchise mired in futility.
But that is ancient history, and things are different now. The downtrodden losers have become one of baseball’s best franchises. In the last 15 years, they will have been to the World Series four times (assuming they win one of the next two games). That’s more than
any other team except the Houston Astros (who were mired in a scandalous cheating controversy in 2017 and 2018). And, when the Phillies win, “The Bank” is arguably the best venue in all professional sports to attend a game — especially a playoff game. But more than that, they are also a team that does things the right way and is filled with great character.
For example, the team regularly honors those who serve and protect the country. Numerous times throughout the year, the franchise pays respect to those who served in the military. They also extend this honor to first responders in the Philadelphia area. In fact, during the team’s last three home games in the playoffs, the Phillies honored police officers who were shot in the line of duty on two separate occasions.
Additionally, one of the things that separates this team from others is, unquestionably, its charm. They personify grit. They fought and scuffled to make their way to the postseason the last two years. Each time they knocked off, well quite frankly dominated, the heavily favored and 2021 World Series champions Atlanta Braves in the playoffs. It was the quintessential underdog story — something the city has long been known for due to the popularity of the fictional character “Rocky Balboa.” The team is filled with an unparalleled determination and a “never give up” mentality.
The Phillies have enjoyed a lot of success in the last two seasons, and they overcame a lot of adversity each time. In June 2022, with a loaded and expensive roster, the team was underachieving and fired its manager, Joe Girardi. Longtime bench coach Rob Thomson took over for him, and the team turned around their season. It served to be the spark the team needed.
Thomson had been a coach in baseball since 1990, performing a number of coaching roles in both the minors and major leagues. He had never been a manager for an MLB team before. After he was named manager, Philadelphia, long associated with being an underdog sports town, went on an improbable run and reached their first World Series since 2009. They ultimately lost to the Houston Astros. Thomson’s story is a feel-good Disney movie waiting to happen.
As Charles Dickens wrote in the 19th century, the “best of times and worst of times” can be experienced in Philadelphia in one baseball game, one inning, and sometimes even one player. I’ve mentioned the story about Rob Thomson, but there’s also the story of Trea Turner. The fanbase made headlines earlier this year when it gave the struggling Turner (who signed a $300 million contract in free agency but was drastically underperforming) a standing ovation before his at-bat during a game in August. After that ovation, Turner went on a tear and became arguably one of the best players in MLB in the last two months. He credited the ovations and the fans for supporting him and as part of the reason for turning his season around.
Additionally, they have captivated one of the country’s best sports towns and created a baseball environment that has earned rave reviews from nearly anyone who has ever attended a postseason baseball game at “The Bank” — the nickname for the team’s home stadium, Citizens Bank Park.
Watching a Phillies game in October is an experience unlike any other. The fans are committed, die-hard, and indicative of the fighting spirit for which the city of Philadelphia is known. Sitting in the press box, I could genuinely feel an energy emanating from the stadium. The fans live or die on every inning, every out, and every pitch. It’s a roller coaster ride of emotions that only happens in the City of Brotherly Love. It’s not a baseball game; it’s a life experience. In a world that has seemingly been on fire every day for the last few years, the Phillies provide a sense of hope, optimism, and calmness — except when the opposing team has the go-ahead runner on third with less than two outs.
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The Philadelphia Phillies represent everything great about America. From its owner, John Middleton, who stays after games to personally give baseballs to little children who wait by the Phillies dugout, to honoring the city’s police officers who were shot on duty, to the clutch performances of the team’s star players Bryce Harper, Turner, Zack Wheeler, and Kyle Schwarber, they embrace grit, determination, and an indomitable spirit that embodies the spirit of our nation.
The 2023 Phillies aren’t just a baseball franchise; they are a baseball experience — the Phillies experience. And, unquestionably, they should be considered “America’s Team.”