'Pat" of the Willow Grove Bank" gets "carried" away by the Phanatic.

Green, Fuzzy Day in Hatboro

January 4, 2003

Tom Burgyone (aka the Phanatic), Bob Gordon and Society President David Jordan

A number of motorists on York Road in Hatboro were flabbergasted on Saturday morning, January 4, to see a large, green creature with a huge snout and wearing a backwards Phillies cap directing traffic at the Moreland Avenue intersection. Right: it was the Phillie Phanatic, giving the Hatboro police a hand in maintaining orderly traffic flow at the borough’s key intersection. Of course, things started jamming up when the Phanatic began bouncing off car hoods and pointing two directions at the same time, so the authorities were happy when the big green and fuzzy mascot took himself inside the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society Gift Shop and Museum at 6 North York Road.
Things quickly turned frenetic in the gift shop as the Phanatic hugged, high-fived and otherwise greeted everyone in the shop, including a sizable number of youngsters, some of whom seemed rather overwhelmed by the attention. After creating a state of bedlam for the A’s Society, the Phanatic marched into the Willow Grove Bank next door and there caused the kind of commotion that would have had banking guru Alan Greenspan tearing out what is left of his hair.
Once the Phillie Phanatic had come and gone, matters settled down somewhat in the A’s Society shop, with the scheduled book signings getting underway. Two books were featured, Beards, Bellies, and Biceps, the story of the 1993 surprise Phillies pennant-winner, by Bob Gordon and Tom Burgoyne, and Occasional Glory: The History of the Philadelphia Phillies, by A’s Society president Dave Jordan. Burgoyne arrived shortly after the Phanatic left, prompting some bystanders to wonder why Burgoyne and the Phanatic are never seen in the same place at the same time. Tom and Bob signed their books, Dave signed his, and a fine time was had by all.
In the museum section, longtime Society friend Jay Turek, whose collection of historic baseball uniforms is nationally famous, displayed Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn’s home uniform shirt from his rookie year, 1948, complete with Ashburn’s name and size inside. Jay is always very happy to talk about his holdings, and he seemed particularly proud of the Ashburn rookie shirt.
The shop was crowded ( a little overcrowded while the Phanatic was there), and all had a chance to treat themselves to donuts, fruit, and Clara McGonigal’s brownies. It was a good morning for the A’s Society, and those who left in the early afternoon could see that traffic on York Road was getting back to normal, with the Phillie Phanatic gone.

The Phanatic directs traffic in downtown Hatboro.
The Phanatic is greeted by some of his younger phans.

The Phanatic makes his way into the A's Gift Shoppe and Museum.
Society members John Patton & Rikki Silberman enjoying the Phanatics "antics."

The place was packed!
Packed with fans young and old.

The Phanatic makes his way through the crowd.
The Phanatic and Willow Grove Bank's Hatboro Office Manager Betty Bethard.

The Phanatic surprises the tellers and patrons of Willow Grove Bank.
The Phanatic does some banking.

Richie Ashburn's rookie 1948 Phillies home uniform.
Jay Turek, collector, with one of his prized possesion, Richie Ashburn's rookie 1948 Phillies home uniform.

Jay Turek and Mike Fesnak admiring Turek's recent acquistion of Richie Ashburn's rookie 1948 Phillies home uniform. The only one known to exist of this popular Hall of Fame former Phillies.
Richie Ashburn's rookie 1948 Phillies home uniform.

Click here to enter our Book Shoppe and order your copy of Beards, Bellies, and Biceps and Occasional Glory: The History of the Philadelphia Phillies.

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The Phanatic directs traffic in downtown Hatboro.	The Phanatic is greeted by some of his younger phans.
The Phanatic makes his way into the A's Gift Shoppe and Museum.	Society members John Patton & Rikki Silberman enjoying the Phanatics "antics."
The place was packed!	Packed with fans young and old.
The Phanatic makes his way through the crowd.	The Phanatic and Willow Grove Bank's Hatboro Office Manager Betty Bethard.
The Phanatic surprises the tellers and patrons of Willow Grove Bank.	The Phanatic does some banking.
Richie Ashburn's rookie 1948 Phillies home uniform.	Jay Turek, collector, with one of his prized possesion, Richie Ashburn's rookie 1948 Phillies home uniform.
Jay Turek and Mike Fesnak admiring Turek's recent acquistion of Richie Ashburn's rookie 1948 Phillies home uniform. The only one known to exist of this popular Hall of Fame former Phillies.	Richie Ashburn's rookie 1948 Phillies home uniform.