Mayor Nutter called the the Phillies' run to a championship an "incredibly uplifting experience" that came at an emotionally charged time - the 2008 general election for president and the start of what would become a worldwide economic crisis.
Nutter noted the Phillies didn't look like a shoo-in to reach the World Series at times.
"I think it had an amazing impact on not only the spirits of people but the focus of what was going on in the city and in the country," he said. "I think it is a testament to the power of baseball and also to a group of guys that folks had kind of given up on.