This was my mom’s Phillies Troll. And he has a story to share this Mother’s Day.
My mom was the one who got me into Phillies baseball. Her favorite players were Steve Carlton and Tim McCarver. I probably heard the voice of Harry Kalas from the time I was in the womb, and my mom also claimed I was there when the Phils won the ‘80 World Series, but I don’t remember because I was 2. We didn’t see eye-to-eye on a lot, but we could always connect on Phillies baseball.
In the summer of ‘93, my mom was in the hospital for a surgery, and I bought her this Phillies troll at the hospital gift shop. He hung out with us the rest of that summer up until that final disastrous pitch to Joe Carter…
My mom kept this thing next to her recliner in the living room for as long as I could remember and would do the “stroke his hair for good luck” thing during games. She’s been gone for thirteen years (I couldn’t even watch the Phillies for about 5 years after she died because it just made me too sad. Not to mention those were just sad years for the team…) But I eventually got through the grieving process and Phillies troll now sits by my tv during the season.
Thanks, Mom, for turning me into a lifelong Phan. And here’s a shoutout to all of the moms out there today who are introducing their kids to the game.
If my mom were alive today I think she’d be a fan of Sanchez and Schwarber… anyone else out there who had a mom who was a Phillies fan?