25 years in the making. After a 162 game season, the NL east crown, the NL pennant, a 46 hour rain suspended championship clinching game 5, oh and 25 years. Philadelphians were able to rejoice on Wednesday night as the Philadelphia Phillies won their first World Series championship in 28 years, the first championship for the city of Philadelphia in all four major sports in 25 years (the longest drought nationally).
Philadelphia long known for its grizzled fans. A notoriety earned by pelting Santa Clause with snowballs, JD Drew with batteries and Michael Irvin (whilst being carted off the field on a stretcher) with ice balls. This fan base, who many people argued would turn on their teams on the drop of a dime, were always just desperate for something good. Something to cheer for, to celebrate, to revere, to love. All they really wanted was a team to win one for them and finally that team has arrived.
Philadelphia has one of the highest murder rates for a large city in the country. It has a horrible public education system. The city has a revolving door that operate at the entrance of its police precincts. Philly has a HIV rate that is 50% higher then the national average. For all intensive purposes we shouldn't be cheering, and that's why us Philadelphians needed this win. Already excited by the prospect of an Obama victory, this large democratic city had a team to cheer for and when the Fightin Phils won the world series the people took to the streets and for a day there were no murders, only jovial revelers.
People danced in the streets. People hugged and kissed strangers. People drank beer, people drank lots of beer. People cried. People yelled. People screamed. People sang together. And on Friday, two days after the greatest win in Philadelphia Phillies history 2 million people entered the city and paraded around as the bright sun sat in the bluest of skies. Finally we knew what it meant to win and be champions.
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