Thu Jun 23 11:42am EDT
Video: Phillie Phanatic nailed by foul ball, heads to hospital
Here's what separates the pros from the amateurs in the world of sports mascots: After being hit with a foul ball at a minor league game on Wednesday, the Phillie Phanatic didn't drop to the ground, writh around in pain or break character in any way.
Instead, the Phanatic hammed up the beaning in usual Phanatic fashion — and only then left the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs game against Indianapolis and headed to the hospital.
Check out the video:
Though you can't see the ball actually hitting the Phanatic, it's reported to have hit the popular green mascot square in the neck — or right where the head of Tom Burgoyne, the man who has played the Phanatic since 1993, is actually located.
With the Phillies on the road in St. Louis, Burgoyne hit the road to Allentown, Pa., for a midweek visit to the team's Triple-A affiliate. But lest you think his good deed will totally be punished, the good news is that he was treated and released from a nearby hospital with only minimal damage.
Said Burgoyne on his Facebook page:
Bis BLS H/N: The 700 Level
Instead, the Phanatic hammed up the beaning in usual Phanatic fashion — and only then left the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs game against Indianapolis and headed to the hospital.
Check out the video:
Though you can't see the ball actually hitting the Phanatic, it's reported to have hit the popular green mascot square in the neck — or right where the head of Tom Burgoyne, the man who has played the Phanatic since 1993, is actually located.
With the Phillies on the road in St. Louis, Burgoyne hit the road to Allentown, Pa., for a midweek visit to the team's Triple-A affiliate. But lest you think his good deed will totally be punished, the good news is that he was treated and released from a nearby hospital with only minimal damage.
Said Burgoyne on his Facebook page:
The Phanatic is fine. He took one off the neck last night it the Iron Pigs game. Since we're soooo close, I felt his pain and have a nice golf ball-sized knot just above my eye. Bring on the A's this weekend — the Phanatic will be ready!It's good to know that the Phanatic will return to Philly and be able to welcome Connie Mack's old team back into town. But the job of a mascot will continue to be a dangerous job for Burgoyne. Not only does he have to face the ever-present threat of fan lawsuits, the Morning Call reports that his nose was broken and his eye socket was shattered when he was hit by a ball thrown by an Atlanta Braves pitcher in 2009.
Bis BLS H/N: The 700 Level
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