50 Years of Best of Philly: The Phillies
From the Phanatic to the Decade of Daulton to the Flyin’ Hawaiian, some of our favorite Phils-related winners over the years
BOP50: 50 years of Best of Philly’s Phillies love / Photograph via Getty Images
The Phillies are 91 years older than Best of Philly, so we had to play catch-up for BOP50. Here are some of our favorite Phillies-related winners over the years.
1979
Our pick for Best Ballpark Entertainment is a no-brainer: the Phillie Phanatic, in just his second season. “He’s the one who should have the six-figure contract,” we write, ribbing Pete Rose and his record (at the time) four-year, $3.2 million commitment. In 2009, the Phanatic — dapper as ever — graced the cover.
1980
Greg Luzinski becomes the first celebrity to have a turn at the Best of Philly cover. Two months later, the Phils win their first World Series.
1982
In a “Yeesh-that-didn’t-age-well” head-scratcher, we give the award for Best Pro Sports Move to the installation of new artificial turf at Veterans Stadium. “Only the orthopedic surgeons will complain,” we muse. The turf is blamed for many a career-altering injury — and may have been linked to terminal brain cancer in six Phillies players.
The Decade of Daulton
1991. 1992. And yes, 1993 … and ’94 … We find a way to include Phils catcher Darren Daulton in five consecutive Best of Philly issues, culminating with his star turn on the cover in 1995. He has a “rilly, rilly cute face beneath the catcher’s mask” in 1991. In ’92, he’s our Best Heartthrob in Uniform. In ’94? He “still has his matinee-idol looks.” Did we mention he’s also a baseball player?
2004
“Seeing the Phillies on natural grass is a wondrous thing, and being closer to the action than the Vet ever allowed adds some much-needed excitement to the game,” we posit following the opening of Citizens Bank Park, our Best New Stadium. (Sorry, Linc.) “[A]t less than a year old it already feels like home.”
2008
Chase and Jen Utley, the “new It Couple,” land on the cover. Two months later … World Series title number two. (Maybe we should’ve found a Phillie for this year’s cover?)
2011
Shane Victorino / Photograph via Getty Images
We ask Shane Victorino for his favorites around town, which results in a perfectly yawn-worthy list of Rocky, Geno’s cheesesteaks and the Liberty Bell. His best place for a date? “Don’t know,” he says. “[M]arried.” Come on, Shane! A little romance goes a long way!
2022
We laud both Phillies fans and third baseman Alec Bohm for their maturity in the wake of the latter’s “I fucking hate this place” utterance. (He botched a bunch of plays, then fans cheered sarcastically when he made a routine one.) Bohm gives a no-B.S. post-game apology, and fans give him an appreciative standing-O the next day.
Alec Bohm / Photograph via Getty Images
2024
Best Sports Revolution: Phils Pitching Staff
There’s a lot of baseball left to play this season, but we’re ready to award Best Sports Revolution to the Phillies pitching staff, led by coaches Caleb Cotham and Brian Kaplan. The brain trust’s secret sauce has kept stars Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola at peak performance while elevating promising slingers Ranger Suárez, Cristopher Sánchez, Jeff Hoffman, José Alvarado, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering into the stratosphere. At press time, Phils’ pitchers stand heads and shoulders (and elbows) above the rest of the league.
Published as “Best of Philly: The Evolution of … The Phils” in the August 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
