Phun Phor All

I'm thinking of a Major Leaguer. He's 6'6", 300 lbs., wears size 20 shoes, and he's from the Galapagos Islands. He has a green complection, with a cylindrical beak and blue eyebrows. Give up? He now resides in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and goes by the name of the "Philly Phanatic".

When you hear "Major League Mascot" you don't think of Mr. Met or Billy the Marlin, the first mascot that comes to mind is the Philly Phanatic. ESPN commentator Chris Berman has been quoted to say "The Phanatic is, and always has been, wholesome fun for fans of all ages. His success, like baseball itself, has withstood the test of time!"

Before we get into the great debate about whether or not the Philly Phanatic is good for baseball or not we must dig into his history. He debuted into the Major Leagues way back in 1978 at The Vet. He had big shoes to fill, having to replace former Phillies mascot Philadelphia Phil and Philadelphia Phillis. The Philly Phanatic was named after the "fanatical" fans that came to The Vet to cheer on their team in the 1977 NLCS. The Phanatic was created because Phillies team VP Bill Giles wanted more families to come out to the ballpark and he thought that by creating a more family-friendly mascot, his wish would become a reality. Giles has gone on record saying that creating the Philly Phanatic was the worst decision of his life because of cost inefficiency, for the costume and the copyright ownership the Phillies found their team down $5,200 which Giles admits was a terrible waste of money.

Since his debut, the Philly Phanatic has remained in the Phillies organization and continues marking his stamp in the mascot world. Since his debut he has become the first mascot to ride on an ATV, and had various media appearances such as "The Simpsons", "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia", and the film "Rocky Balboa".

Is the Philly Phanatic good for baseball? Of course. The Phanatic is not only good for bringing fun to Citizen Bank Ballpark, but he is also the 10th man on the Phillies team. He is known for heckling the opposing team and distracting them by dancing in front of their dugout, distracting them from the game. Everything about the Phanatic is good for baseball and his legend will live on for years to come.

Notable Philly Phanatic Accomplisments

-Inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame (MHOF) in 2005.

-Voted by Sports Illustrated as the best mascot in the MLB.

- Helped the Phillies win the World Championship in 2008.