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PHILADELPHIA – The home opener is a sure sign of spring and for local fans a welcome tradition.
“Optimism: it’s what opening day is all about,” one fan said when asked what makes the day so special.
And though the Phillies are off to a slow start in their first week, and a rain day pushed the game back 24 hours, fans were excited to make their way to the sports complex in South Philadelphia to see the fightins return to play after an exciting 2022 season that took them to the World Series.
“It’s the start of the season. We’re not going to count those first six games,” joked Sean Conway of Norwood, who was tailgating in the lot next to Infinity Live with a group of friends in two RV’s.
Conway’s crew was ready with flags, big screen televisions, plenty of food, meatballs, hotdogs, tacitos, and peanuts to go along with coolers of drinks.
“We’re here in the same spot every year. It’s also our spot for Eagles games,” said Al Tedesco of Newtown Square, who has been a Phillies season ticket holder for over 15 years. “We were a little more excited yesterday but then they postponed it.”
Farther along in the parking lot Dominic DiMemmo of Drexel Hill took off from his job as a Chester firefighter to come to the game.
“It’s a good day,” DiMemmo said. “It’s like a holiday.”
John Liberio of Ridley, who was also tailgating, agreed.
“It’s the best day of the year besides Christmas,” Liberio said.
“I’ve been coming out for quite a few years. It was hard to get tickets this year,” said Jim Fee of Havertown, who joined a group of former neighbors from Mayfair for the day. “We got a bloc of 30 tickets. We grew up together: grammar school, high school. We’re all senior citizens now. It’s a fun day.”
On the other end of the age spectrum was Aiden Sceno of Springfield who was headed to the game with 40 classmates from Springfield High School.
“We go to a couple of games. We were at the World Series last year,” Sceno said.
Among the first fans to head into the park as the gates opened at 12:35 was Kim Sparks of Westhill, New Jersey.
“I’ve been to every opening game since 1971,” she said.
Nearby, waiting to enter the park was Nate Durant of Wilmington, Delaware, in full gear along with his 10-year-old son, Karl.
“It used to be the only way I could go to a game was from a coupon in Phillies Franks,” Durant said. “Now that my economics are more stable, I want to take my son and create some lasting memories.”
Durant was in attendance to see the Phillies in the World Series last year, but it was a rough game with the Phillies being no-hit.
“It’s a new year and a fresh start,” he said. “There is nothing like baseball to take away all the stresses in the world. Nothing like a day at the park.”
Durant was one of many who brought families. Rob Taylor of Logan New Jersey came with his wife and two children and spent the time before the game playing cornhole.
“We come every year, even during COVID in cutouts,” Taylor said. “The next year we brought the cutouts.”
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