Philadelphia, city of windswept champs, cuts loose

October 30, 2008|By DAN GERINGER, DAVID PRESTON & WILL BUNCH * Staff writers Dafney Tales, Kitty Caparella, Stu Bykofsky and David Gambacorta contributed to this report., bunchw@phillynews.com 215-854-2957
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During the thrilling one-hour and 20-minute finale - with bitter, sub-freezing weather that you might expect for an Eagles' playoff game, not the Phillies - it was like a sunny day for fans who'd waited so long for a championship.

"Snow flurries couldn't chase us away tonight; six inches of snow couldn't chase us away," said Lt. Patrick Armstrong, one of four Margate firefighters back at the windy top of the centerfield bleachers.

A stone's throw away from the ballpark, an impromptu party broke out inside the Wachovia Center - where the Sixers had just lost their season opener to the Toronto Raptors - among fans watching the Series finale on 20 TV screens inside the arena's AT&T Pavilion. Fans stood 20 and 30 rows deep, drinking half-priced draft beers and whooping, high-fiving and even hugging with every Phillies' hit.

Story continues below.

After the last out, fans from the basketball arena merged with the throng from the ballgame, as numerous people were shaking-up champagne bottles and spraying. One guy was bare-chested wearing shorts and boots, drinking a bottle of sparkling wine.

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