Phillies’ World Series trophy to appear on campus

As the world-champion Philadelphia Phillies train for their upcoming season, their 2-foot tall trophy will make a stop at Temple.

The World Series trophy, which the Phillies snatched after winning last October’s historic game against the Tampa Bay Rays, will be on display at the Bell Tower March 24.

The event, which will feature other attractions such as appearances from the Phillies Ballgirls and giveaways, is part of annual College Spring Fling Week, when the franchise travels to local colleges to help promote the Phillies’ upcoming season.

Jillian Ashton, a season and group sales representative intern for the Phillies, said the College Spring Fling Week will run from March 23 to 27 and will include visits to six local colleges during the five-day span.

“This year, as an added incentive, we are bringing the World Series trophy along for our Spring Fling Week as part of the World Series Trophy Tour,” said Ashton, who graduated from Temple in August with a degree in sport and recreation management.

Although the promotional event will mostly be centered on the trophy, there will be plenty of other activities in which students can take part. Free photo ops with the Phillies Ballgirls and the trophy will be available for the duration of the event. A prize wheel will be available for students to try their luck as well.

For fanatical Phillies fans, event coordinators will distribute rally towels while supplies last.

In addition to the activities, the 2008 Phillies Video Yearbook, The Perfect Season will be for sale.

“Students are the primary target for this tour because we are trying to get all of the local colleges excited about the upcoming Phillies season,” Ashton said.

The World Series trophy, which the Phillies clinched in a 4-3 win over the Rays in Game 5, has been on a national tour since January.

Craig Solomon, who works in marketing in the Philadelphia Phillies organization and graduated from Temple last year with a degree in sport and recreation management, was designated to be the official trophy keeper. So far, he has made more than 100 appearances and traveled more than 10,000 miles while showcasing the trophy.

He says he does not permit anyone to touch the sterling silver trophy.

“The tour is an intimate time with the trophy. After the tour, the trophy may be found sitting on a podium under glass, meaning people can’t even breathe on it. But during its tour, there is no glass cover and people can get extremely close,” Solomon said.

The event will be held at Bell Tower from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. next Tuesday. In case of inclement weather, it will be relocated in the Student Center Atrium.

The trophy will travel to Saint Joseph’s University and the University of Pennsylvania following its visit.

Sergei Blair can be reached at sergei.blair@temple.edu.

TTN Video: Phillies Championship Parade

Phinally got it!

Reset the counter to zero.

For the first time since 1983, the City of Philadelphia has a championship team. On the streets of Philadelphia 25 years of anger, anguish and pain were relinquished.

Most of those celebrating weren’t even alive for the last championship when the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in 1983.

Some believed there was a curse on the Cradle of Liberty. Some thought William Penn’s statue atop City Hall was seeing shadows of taller skyscrapers, thus keeping a championship from the city.

Those myths are now exactly that – myths. The fortune was turned when the Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays, 4-3, in part two of Game 5 Wednesday night.

The euphoria that ensued was awe-inspiring and a bit fearful.

At the intersection of 15th Street and JFK Boulevard, three streetlights were torn to the ground, one of which took a woman down with it. The unidentified woman was taken from the scene in an ambulance while the jubilant fans saw her off with “Let’s Go Phillies” chants.

“It’s absolute mayhem,” said Temple alum Kyle McLaughlin. “This city is in turmoil, but it’s awesome.”

Glass from thrown beer bottles and smashed streetlights littered the streets around City Hall, but riot police appeared to have the scene under control. However, at Broad and Walnut streets, fans broke through the glass doors at Robinson’s Luggage and looted the store.

Philadelphia Police are reporting that only about 75 people were arrested.

Although mainstream media’s reports of incidents like those of the uprooted streetlights give the city a black eye, what was more apparent in this area was Philadelphia living up to its endearing title as the “City of Brotherly Love.”

Complete strangers were embracing in the streets, talking about how one of the four major sports teams finally came through, or how they had wished to see a day like this before they died.

While in the coming hours – or even the coming days – the focus may seem to be on the damage that was done after the Phillies won their first World Series in 28 years, the Brotherly Love appears to be alive and well in Philadelphia.

Dave Isaac can be reached at isaac@temple.edu.

Phillies clinch National League Pennant

Pitcher Cole Hamels led the Philadelphia Phillies to a 5-1 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series Wednesday night.

Shortly after the game ended just after 11:30 p.m., fans crowded the streets of Philadelphia. The Temple News reports from Center City.

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TRANSCRIPT:

It’s about quarter of midnight on Wednesday, Oct 15. The Philadelphia Phillies have just clinched the National League Pennant, and the fans have raided Broad Street.

At Broad and Locust, the fans are in the median, on the corners and in the streets themselves as cars are trying to pass by. Venders are already out with their National League Pennant shirts, selling for at least 5 or 10 dollars.

Police are on the scene here attempting to control the traffic as people from their cars are high-fiving the crowd as they go by. Passers-by can’t help but stop, and the crowd is absolutely wild.

A 5-1 win for the Phillies in Game 5 of the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cole Hamels pitched seven solid innings allowing only one run – a solo home run to Manny Ramirez. But otherwise, the Phillies did clinch in five games, leading the series 4-1. Again, this is their first World Series appearance since 1993. That’s a 15 year drought. Phillies fans are celebrating here in Center City Philadelphia not reserving their excitement for anyone.

The Temple News will have continuing coverage of the Phillies’ clinch of the National League Championship. Stay with us at temple-news.com and broadandcecil.com. Reporting in Center City, this is Chris Stover for The Temple News.