LAKELAND, Fla. – It was one week ago when marquee free agent Bryce Harper signed his record-breaking deal with the Philadelphia Phillies for $330 million US over 13 years.
For Phillies superfans Ann Milns and Bobby Windish, the signing propelled them, and their already baseball-crazed city, into pure bliss.
“Oh, everybody is just beside themselves with joy,” Milns said, grinning ear to ear. “They have billboards up [in Philadelphia], the T-shirts are selling like hotcakes, and the jerseys. It’s a major event, that’s for sure.”
“One radio station is now ‘Bryce FM,’” Windish added.
Harper did not play in the Phillies’ 3-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers Thursday afternoon at Joker Marchant Stadium, but the two friends are already counting down the days until their latest signing makes his first appearance.
“Bryce is going to play on Saturday as a [designated hitter],” said Milns, decked out in Phillies gear from head to toe. “That’ll be our last game for the group.”
This spring training marks the 26th consecutive trip to Florida for Milns and the 12th for Windish, who has attended every year since her retirement in 2007.
“I just love baseball so much, and my Phillies,” Windish said, sporting a bright green Philadelphia Phanatic hat while proudly showing off her new Harper jersey. “I just love them, I’d go anywhere with them if I could.”
While baseball comes first for these two fans, they know that the spring training experience goes far beyond the diamond.
The people, the palm trees, the weather, and the quirky moments that you can only experience with other baseball fans in Florida are what make spring training so special for the pair of friends.
“I got asked for an autograph one time,” Windish said with a laugh.
Philadelphia Phillies superfans Ann Milns, left, and Bobby Windish, right, pose together at the Joker Marchant Stadium. (Pete Borkowski/Toronto Observer)
A man and his son stopped Windish in Clearwater, Fla., requesting a picture and an autograph from the Phillies fan who, as always, was wearing her distinguishable Philly Phanatic hat.
“I’m there like, ‘You do know I’m not the Phanatic?’” said Windish. “‘Yeah,’ he said, ‘I just want your autograph.’ So I gave him an autograph. That was odd, really crazy.”
Milns reminisced about her own spring training memories over the last quarter-century.
“One, for instance, was seeing Charlie Manuel at Lenny’s when I was in there for breakfast at the very popular restaurant in Clearwater,” she said. “And years ago I got Harry Kalas’ autograph over at the old Jack Russell Stadium before the Phillies were in the new ballpark.”
LISTEN: The magic of Spring Training
Manuel managed the Phillies to a World Series win in 2008 – their second overall and first since 1980 – while Kalas was the radio play-by-play announcer for the Phillies for 39 seasons from 1971 to 2009. Understandably, this was a big deal for a fan of the Phillies, and yet another example of the unique experiences that are so distinctive of Spring Training.
The Pennsylvania natives are confident that their Phillies will compete for a World Series title, adding that they look forward to watching their favourite players Aaron Nola and Rhys Hoskins take the field this Spring Training.
“And now that we have Bryce Harper, he has to get added to the list,” said Milns with a smile.
