The premier exhibition in the Philadelphia History Museum’s Played in Philadelphia second floor east gallery, Phillies Fandemonium looks at America’s favorite pastime through the eyes of the Philadelphia Phillies’ fans.
 
The Played in Philadelphia gallery will feature changing exhibitions devoted to the city’s history across several cultural genres including theater, music, performing arts, film, broadcast, electronic media, and professional and amateur sports.
 
Phillies Fandemonium features fans through photos and video. Vintage baseball memorabilia and souvenirs are shown, as well as a selection of pieces owned by Phillies players such as Jimmy Rollins’ jersey. The stellar base stealer holds the record for the longest hitting streak in Phillies history (38 games, August 2005 to April 2006). Mike Schmidt’s jersey is also on view. Number 20 was retired in 1990, in homage to the man who spent his entire 18-year career with the Phillies and went out with 548 career home runs.
 
Also on view are a diverse array of photographic portraits of winners of Philadelphia Magazine’s “ultimate Phillies fan” 2010 contest. Fans pose with objects that reveal the nature and extent of their identification with the Phillies. Shown are the Raucous Fan, the Super Fan, the Hipster Fan, and others. We learn about these fans through accompanying first-person quotes. Grand-prize winner Noam Yalon is pictured with his son and holding his birth certificate which reads, “Chase Luke Ryan Howard Yalon.”
 
When the Phillies won the World Series championship title in 2008, teammates joyfully sprayed each other with bubbly.  A 2008 locker room champagne bottle is featured in the exhibition. In addition, seats from Veterans Stadium are included that sat three generations of Phillies fans. The concrete, bowl-like ballpark was home to the Phillies and the Eagles. In 2003, the 31-year old stadium was demolished to make way for a new one.
 

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