CLEARWATER, Fla. — He’s 42 years old, a little out of shape and clearly no spring chicken. But clearly there’s no one more popular on the field for the Philadelphia Phillies than the Phanatic.
Which is why all eyes at the ballpark were on the furry mascot Sunday for the big reveal: He’s gotten a makeover this year amid a legal fight between the team and his creators.
The revamp unveiled before the Phillies played the Pittsburgh Pirates in their spring training home opener includes flightless feathers rather than fur-colored arms, stars outlining the eyes, a larger posterior and a powder blue tail, blue socks with red shoes, plus a set of scales under the arms.