Tim Cairy has been a Phillies fan forever. Chase Utley's homer in the sixth inning of Saturday's game at Cincinnati extends that to forever and a day.
Utley's blast made Cairy the latest $1,000 winner in the Daily News Home Run Payoff contest.
"Get outta here, that's great!" he said when contacted. "He's on my fantasy team!"
Cairy was watching yesterday's game and getting ready to check the status of his fantasy league when the Daily News broke the good news to him.
Utley was Cairy's favorite Phillies player even before he helped him bank the cash.
Cairy is no stranger to the Philadelphia sports scene. In addition to his full-time job as director of freshman programs and "Project Prepare" at Widener University, the 31-year-old has been working for the past 2 years as an attendant for Central Park, the company that manages the parking lots at the sports complex.
There were eight other Phillies gift-pack winners over the weekend.
Saturday's gift-pack winners were:
John Angelucci, Haddon Heights, N.J.
Deborah Valentine, Philadelphia
Helen Lawville, of Darby
Each winning a gift pack in the seventh inning yesterday were:
Julia Luck, Philadelphia
Lisa Ehly, Philadelphia
Dennis Lafferty, Philadelphia
Sue Burke, West Chester
Bill Clark Springfield
The Daily News pays $1,000 for a home run hit in the Payoff inning and $10,000 for a grand slam. Contestants whose batter fails to hit a home run receive a gift pack, which includes a variety of Phillies-related items.
This season, the Daily News has paid out $3,000.
You can hear the Home Run Payoff inning during each Phillies broadcast on WPHT (1210-AM). Today's coupon is on Page 96.*
