Phillies Alec Bohm celebrates with his teammates after getting the game winning extra innings RBI hit to beat the New York Mets 5-4 on Friday, Sept. 22, 2023 in Philadelphia.
Former Phillies Mets greats reflect on rivalry in London.
LONDON — Donning red Phillies hats, light blue jerseys and red jerseys, fans at Passyunk Avenue on Thursday were thrilled to spot a couple of well-known former Major League players in this Phillies-themed pub in London.
MLB Ambassadors Chase Utley and Shane Victorino, two of the more popular former Phillies, walked toward the batting cages experience in the back of the pub, ready to do a live spot with hosts from MLB Network’s afternoon show, MLB Central. Fans waited patiently by the steps; when the players got close, the rowdiness began.
“It’s so cool to see,” said Utley, who played for the Phillies from 2003-15. “There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes and now to see it come to fruition is great. Lot of Phillies hats, obviously a lot of Phillies fans, and it’s a special time along with my teammates.”
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Utley and Victorino were not the only alumni of the two teams featured in the “MLB World Tour: London Series” to make appearances on the show. Mets Hall of Famers Mookie Wilson and Mike Piazza were also there, perhaps to a bit less fanfare, given this was a Phillies-themed bar. Clearly, rivalries between teams aren’t limited to their hometowns, or even their country of origin. Across the pond, fans also understand the long-standing rivalry between these two NL East clubs.
The former players reflected on their time as part of the rivalry, what it means to them now and how the fans in London are in for a special experience.
Piazza with ties to Mets and Phillies
Growing up in Philly, Piazza was always surrounded by the intense fandom and he loved it. He was a big fan of the Philadelphia teams throughout the 1970s, watching Bob Boone, Willie Montañez, Pete Rose and Larry Bowa.
“Those were great teams to watch as a kid, they were great teams,” said Piazza, who played for the Mets from 1998-2005 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., in 2016. “I mean, they won a World Series in ‘80 after a few tries and went to the World Series in ‘83. It was a very strong winning tradition, and as a kid, it was fun to watch.”
