What Opening Day means to Phillies fans
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Throw up your hands in celebration. Bryce Harper and Co. are back in action. Photo: Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images
MLB Opening Day means different things to different Philadelphians.
Why it matters: It's when baseball fans genuflect at the altar of America's pastime, united by the hope of a fresh start, infectious fandom and memories of celebrating with loved ones.
Catch up quick: The Phillies didn't temper expectations last year, billing the 2024 campaign as World Series or bust. They started the first half red hot before tapering off late in the season, and losing to the Mets in the divisional playoff round.
- They return with the big-money core roster intact, hoping to conjure the same Red October magic that had Philly two wins away from a Fall Classic victory in 2022.
Ahead of the Phillies season opener against division rivals the Nationals Thursday afternoon, we asked fans what Opening Day means to them.
For Scot Teller, an actor and former Reading Phillies bullpen catcher, his perspective has changed over the years.
- Teller experienced it as a young boy attending games with his dad, a diehard Phillies fan.
- Decades later, he strapped up as a player, taking the field for the Phils' double-A affiliate.
- And then, he's reveled in the fun as a father, taking his own son to the game.
Teller remembers the twinkle in his son's eye when they took in their first Opening Day from the stands — rather than Teller's usual spot on the field.
- "That's when I knew my son loved the game of baseball," he says.
What they're saying: Teller still gets chills whenever the announcer shouts, "Play ball."
- "Whether you're playing, whether you're a fan, whether you're a father," he tells Axios, "hearing that ball hit the glove. That pop. The cheers. I still get nervous."
Zoom out: Local influencer Kory Aversa is trying to capture some of that magic.
- He's behind the popular Philly Publicist TikTok and Instagram pages, cranking out all the content a ravenous Phillie Phanatic could want — like when the team's mascot gave Arizona a smashing welcome in 2023.
- At last year's Opening Day, he featured bundled-up fans who braved the weather to root on the Phils.
"I am a man on a mission," Aversa tells Axios. "I want to find out where the people are, where all the good action is."
Chris Heffernan, owner of the dlivrd, one of Philly's fastest-growing delivery businesses, knows that fan-entrepreneur struggle all too well.
- His company sees a huge spike in food delivery demands on Opening Day and throughout the long baseball season.
Yes, but: He's also a huge Phillies fan, finding time most years to cut away from the grind to attend Opening Day at the Bank. Being anywhere else is sacrilegious.
- "I love everything about Opening Day," he tells Axios. "Everyone says Memorial Day is the start of summer. But Opening Day is my mental start of summer."