Local Latinos show support for the Phillies
Monday, October 26th, 2009
By: Elizabeth Fiedler
efiedler@whyy.org
A fever is sweeping Philadelphia, Phillies fever. With the team preparing to defend its World Series title on Wednesday, the line-up has special significance for some fans near and far. Far as in… Panama, and the Dominican Republic.
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Phillies fan Daniel Diaz works at The Lighthouse… a community center for families around Kensington… an area with a sizeable Latino population.
He says after years of less than perfect seasons…..
Diaz: A lot of the people in the neighborhood think they're doing a lot better because of the Latinos on the team. I don't wanna make that a case. I mean it's never been a race issue – it's whether you're gonna come out and play baseball. You have to start games and finishing 'em that's what they've been doing lately. It's been a plus that they have Latinos on the team that we can go out and purchase those shirts that have Latin names on them. That's a good feeling itself.
Many Latino fans from across the Delaware Valley and elsewhere, are eager to shell out money for Phillies tickets and gear.
Carlos Hernandez is a native of the Dominican Republic who now lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Hernandez: I been receiving so many calls from the Dominican Republican – we supporting the Phillies, we love the Phillies, send me hats and t-shirts – I need anything that's got the Phillies name on it. Dominicans love baseball. They live for it. I mean that's what they do – they play baseball."
Hernandez says he plans to buy at least 100 Dominican flags to hand out during the Phillies' first home game of the World Series.