Philadelphia professional sports fans get a really wrap. The National media always brings up the time that Philadelphia Eagles fans threw snowballs at Santa Claus back in 1968. Yes, still talking about 1968. They should read about the backstory before just saying Eagles fans threw snowballs at Santa Claus. The Eagles were 2-11 that year and this was the worst team in Eagles history at the time. I am not sticking up for the fans but I can totally understand the fanbase’s frustration.
I have been a Philly fan since birth. I was born in 1985 so I missed the Flyers winning 2 Stanley Cups in the 1970s, the Phillies winning the World Series in 1980 and the Sixers winning the championship in 1983. I was 8 years old when the Phillies went on their historic run in 1993. I didn’t know much about baseball but I knew I liked that group of misfits. Darren Daulton, John Kruk, Mitch Williams, Kevin Stocker, Mickey Morandini, Curt Schilling, Lenny Dykstra. That team was awesome but they also lost to the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series.
How about the Flyers in the 90’s? The New Jersey Devils and the Detroit Red Wings were enemies #1 and #2. I was a HUGE fan of Eric Lindros. I thought he was the greatest player I have ever seen in a Flyers sweater. Then, he got leveled by Scott Stevens and was never the same. The Flyers had continued success in the 2000s. Especially in 2004 when they went to the Eastern Conference Finals and faced the Tampa Bay Lightning. I thought this was the team that was going to win it all. Nope, they lost in Game 7 of that series.
The Eagles at the beginning of the 21st century were awesome. You had players like Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, Jon Runyan, Tra Thomas, Brian Dawkins, Lito Sheppard, Jeremiah Trotter, Troy Vincent, and David Akers. But… Here is another franchise that kept breaking my heart year in and year out. 4 straight NFC Championships winning only 1 then losing in the Super Bowl.
I loved Allen Iverson! He is probably my favorite Philly athlete of all time. He did all he could to help the Sixers win but they never put a good time around him. The 2001 Sixers were super fun to watch but once again, lost in the finals.
2008 and 2017 were the greatest years ever. The Phillies won the World Series in 2008 and the Birds won the Super Bowl in 2017.
This city has seen way more lows than it has seen highs. The fans are tough and some can get way out of line. We like to say we are very passionate fans and athletes who play in this city will say the same thing. Now, there are a few bad apples that spoil the bunch in every fanbase. It seems like the National media make sure when a Philly fan or fans do something bad, it’s mainstream news. When we see another fanbase do something silly, we usually don’t hear much about it. Why is that?
Take a look below at other fanbases acting dumb! Believe me, there are 100’s of these but I wanted to point out a few I remembered off the top of my head.
Atlanta Braves throwing trash on field
This just happened on Saturday. Braves catcher was called for catcher interference when he accidentally touched Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto’s bat. This gave J.T a free base and also scored a runner from 3rd. The score was now 3-0. It was a really close call but Sean Murhpy’s guilty reaction said it all. The Braves fans took it upon themselves to start throwing trash onto the field.
ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 07: Atlanta fans throw beer cans on the field after a catcher’s interference is called scoring Philadelphia’s third run of game 1 of the NLDS between the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves on October 7, 2023, at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by John Adams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Chicago Cubs fans pours beer on Shane Victorino
Shane Victorino was playing centerfield when a fly ball was hit. He ran back to the warning track to make the catch and a fan poured a beer on him while he was making the catch. Real cool bro! Shane still made the catch.
CHICAGO – AUGUST 12: (ALTERNATIVE CROP) Shane Victorino #8 of the Philadelphia Phillies is hit by a beer thrown by a fan in the bleachers as he makes a catch of a fly ball hit by Jake Fox of the Chicago Cubs in the 5th inning on August 12, 2009 at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
