Phillies fans flock downtown to await title parade
October 31, 2008 10:41 AM EDT
PHILADELPHIA - The horn-honking heard downtown Friday morning was no ordinary rush-hour traffic jam - it was jubilation ahead of the parade to honor the World Series-winning Philadelphia Phillies.
The city's first championship parade in 25 years, scheduled to begin at noon, was already drawing fans to Broad Street in the early morning. They waved signs that said "We won" and whooped as cars drove by.
Toward the end of the parade route, 29-year-old Brian Campbell gathered with a group that had staked out their spots with lawn chairs at 6 a.m.
"We knew it was going to be packed by noon," Campbell said. "We've got no problem waiting seven hours for five minutes of the parade to go by."
His brother Kyle, 26, took a day off from work to join the fun.
"I told my boss he could fire me, but I can't miss this," Kyle Campbell said.
Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to shower the Phillies with brotherly love during the 90-minute procession as it makes its way about four miles to the sports complex in South Philadelphia. There, the team will be greeted by another hundred thousand fans watching the festivities on big screens at the city's baseball and football stadiums.
Team officials said Phillies players will attend a rally at Citizens Bank Park and make a brief appearance at Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles play.
Mayor Michael Nutter cautioned fans against the scattered vandalism that marred the revelry after the Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays for the title late Wednesday. Police reported 76 arrests and several vandalized businesses; they are also examining photos and video of the crowds to identify and arrest additional offenders.
"You can be joyous; you cannot be a jackass," Nutter said. "That kind of idiotic, destructive behavior will not be accepted in the city of Philadelphia."
Officials had earlier stressed the importance of using public transit Friday, but the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority reported its suburban trains were full by midmorning.
"We are being overwhelmed," said SEPTA spokesman Felipe Suarez. "We are having to bypass stations."
PATCO train stations in southern New Jersey were also jammed early Friday morning.
The last time a Philadelphia team won a major championship was in 1983, when the 76ers won the NBA title. The Phillies won their only other World Series in 1980.
For that reason, Pat Hall, 43, had no problem letting his son miss sixth-grade classes Friday. They had a prime position along the sidewalk about a block from the start of the parade route.
"This is more than just seeing a parade," Hall said. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime event."
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