Philadelphia sports fans were always the loudmouths, the louts. Fans of your favorite team can certainly be obnoxious. But at least they’re not like Philly.
After all, Philadelphia fans once booed Santa Claus. During a 1989 game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys in the City of Brotherly Love, spectators at Veterans Stadium pelted players, refs, and broadcasters with snowballs—and the Eagles won.
Things got so bad at the Vet that a jail and courtroom were installed in the bowels of the stadium to handle unruly fans.
Last year a Phillies fan tossed the cell phone of a Mets supporter out of the left-field seats.
GQonce rated the Phillies and Eagles as having the first and second worst fan bases in America, respectively.
for one, felt pangs of jealousy last week, when watching Phillies star Bryce Harper discuss his adoration for Philadelphia after smacking two home runs in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, a 10-2 victory over Atlanta. “I love this place,” he said.
“Flat out, I love this place. There’s nothing like coming into the Bank [Citizens Bank Park] and playing in front of these fans. Blue-collar mentality. Tough. Fighting every single day. I get chills, man. I get so fired up.”
He ducked his head, about to tear up. “Man, I love this place.”
As a New York Mets fan, I can’t remember a Mets player ever speaking so lovingly about us long-suffering supporters. I struggle to remember any athlete getting so emotional about their fans.
