The Reading Fightin Phils will pay homage to their parent club’s mascot with specialty uniforms for a game later this season. The Phillie Phanatic, a native of the Galapagos Islands and the best mascot in sports (note: it’s not close), will be featured prominently throughout the evening, including on the players themselves.
The uniforms will be Phanatic green and feature a cartoon image of the Phanatic’s face on the chest. The jersey’s white sleeves include baseball-card style images of the Phanatic in action. A red star with the Reading R on the cap and left chest references the star the Phanatic wears on his back in lieu of a uniform number.
The Phanatic, who does most of his work about 50 miles from Reading in Philadelphia, debuted in 1978 and has been portrayed on field by only two individuals: David Raymond until 1993 and Tom Burgoyne. Reading’s Phanatic Tribute Night will take place July 2 in a game against the Hartford Yard Goats.
