» Phillies Fans: The “One More” Finger Sign

Phillies Fans: The “One More” Finger Sign

Four hours before the Phillies go out to try to end the series in Philadelphia, I sit in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel reminiscing about
Philly sports fans on the eve of winning a championship.

I saw six such eves in my nearly 51 years living in the Philadelphia are. Now I am experiencing my sixth, from thousands of miles away.

But I can still conjure up, with inevitability, driving by and exchanging one-finger signs with other drivers and pedestrians. That 1-sign speaks volumes about how close these 2008 Phillies are to winning it all.

So I sit, conjuring up Greer, “Wally Wonder”, Kangaroo Kid Cunningham, Chamberlain, Van Brocklin-to-McDonald, “Lefty”, Bowa, Schmitty, the Bull, Clarke, Barber, MacLeish, “The Hammer” and more.

Four more hours until we begin to see if Cole Hamels, the heir to Lefty notoriety, wins a record 5th post-season game in 2008 and if the offense can bring this thing home. Four more hours until it begins to emerge who tonight’s hero is; Utley, Howard, the “Flyin’ Hawaiian”, Lidge, Pat “The Bat”…

But don’t count out those Rays. They got up 3 games to 1 on the Red Sox and ended up having to win the seventh game to make the Series.

However, it is nostalgic to recall the blaring of horns and dancing in the streets on the night that Philly won. Go Phillies!

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