Truth be told, Flyers Hockey was my first Philadelphia Sports love.  The Flyers won a Cup on my b-day, (even though I was too little to realize exactly what that meant…to me it was my extended family all together going crazy around a TV…  YES PLEASE!), my dad had season tickets and many of my 70′s male mentors had cheesy 70′s hockey mustaches!  It was a glorious time to be a little kid, a hockey fan and a facial hair enthusiast.

I also loved the Phillies, still do.  My career path has given me amazing access to the Phillies, still does.  On Monday, those two great loves came together in a really cool way.  The Phillies locker room, (actually clubhouse they call it- and if you see it, you will know why!) was decked out in Flyers Winter Classic gear to unveil the “sweaters,” as they are called in hockey, that the Flyers will wear in the 2012 game.  The field at Citizens Bank Park was also being prepped for the game and work crews were laying giant Lego like flooring over the luxurious CBP grass .  I got to cover that event.  Just a quick presser, a few stills, and a little b-roll.  But to me, a really, really exciting merge, albeit temporary, of two class Philadelphia institutions that really know how to do things the right way.  Seeing Ed Snider, Flyers President, the first time I have seen him in person, is something special.  He really does have a presence for those that have grown up with the Flyers like I have.  In that Phillies setting it was extra special.

Seeing Mr Snider and the Flyers gear in the Phillies house?  I am now TOTALLY caught up in the vintage/retro/throwback spirit of the event and have started my OWN 70′s ‘stache!!!  I will sport said mustache proudly when I cover the Winter Classic and Winter Classic Alumni Game in Jan.!!  I suggest all my guy friends, possibly a few girls—no names ha ha, join me in this mustache effort between now and the Winter Classic! Hmm… maybe I will use my dad’s old AE-1 too?!

Here are the photos I took for WPHL and once again the Phillies used some of them on MLB.COM.

Last week I shot the Phillies Ballgirl Tryouts for 2012 at Citizens Bank Park.  I always enjoy these shoots a great deal.  Especially since they take place in November and it’s usually my first trip back to CBP after the last playoff game.  Which in 2009, 2010 and 2011…was too soon!

The 30 or so finalists were competing to be on the squad for 2012.  Ten will make the cut, the last one to be determined by fans online voting.  The shoot takes place in the media room and batting cages.  The Ballgirls are way more than just foul ball catchers.  They do tons of charity work that includes a competitive softball team.

I like this day because the Phillies Ballgirls staff and management are top notch and I really appreciated how sweet the Ballgirls were to my nephew his first day at the park ever.  He only knew who Charlie Manuel was within the last month, but the Ballgirls have been on his radar from jump.

The gallery I shot for WPHL is below.  My shots were also used by the MLB on Phillies.com this time around and those are below also.  (They look a little better on MLB as MLB and Phillies.com use much kinder image compression.)  Enjoy..