The high energy of the Phillie Phanatic bounded into Berkleigh County Club in Kutztown for a lunch with the Northeast Berks Chamber of Commerce Oct. 17.
Tom Burgoyne, The Phillie Phanatic mascot, talked to a packed room of Chamber members, guests and about a dozen high schoolers from Kutztown, Fleetwood, Hamburg and Oley.
The “Finding Your Phanatic” Lunch, sponsored by PenTeleData, opened with lunch of pulled pork sandwiches and other favorite lunch items.
Mark Lerario, along with Al Walters, of PenTeleData, introduced Tom Burgoyne who has performed more than 6,000 times as The Phanatic mascot, a dream come true. Since 1994, Tom has entertained more than 500 million fans, described by Tom as a “magical journey that has taken me not only to neighborhoods all over the City of Brotherly Love, but to towns and cities across America and around the globe.”
Lerario said Burgoyne gets just as much satisfaction from his public speaking engagements as he does performing as the mascot.
“He encourages his audience to find your Phanatic and make every encounter special, just like the Phanatic,” said Lerario.
Bounding to the front of the room, Burgoyne was greeted with loud applause. He got everybody standing, asking them to become Phanatics, act out the Whammy and other moves with him.
Coming from the Galapagos Islands, The Phillie Phanatic came to Philly and saw his first baseball game in 1978 and has been the mascot ever since, said Burgoyne about The Phanatic’s history.
Delving further into the mascot’s history, Burgoyne said in the 1970s the Phillies were playing in San Diego and saw a guy in a chicken costume running around. Bill Giles thought the Phillies could create their own mascot. Bonnie Erickson, who also designed the Miss Piggie Muppet, designed the Phillie Phanatic costume. Dave Raymond was original Phanatic.
“Dave was a master in the costume,” said Burgoyne.
A big Phillies fan himself, Burgoyne described himself as the class clown as a kid. He graduated from Drexel University with a marketing degree and saw a mascot wanted ad. The Phillies were looking for someone to be a backup as The Phanatic to make outside appearances. His interview included dancing in front of a panel and answering questions like his favorite cartoon and music. Burgoyne impressed upon them how much a Phillies fan he was with photos of himself showing his support for the team.
“Turned out they were looking for the biggest idiot, so I got the job.”
Burgoyne made 250 appearances and worked with Raymond. In 1994, Burgoyne took over as The Phanatic.
“It’s been a great ride. He gets mobbed wherever he goes,” he said about The Phanatic. “The biggest change is the number of cameras. 5,000 fans means 4,500 cameras.”
And everyone wants a photo taken with The Phanatic.
“That’s a big part of the night, that encounter that people have with The Phanatic, a moment they will remember.”
Even EMTs wanted their photo taken with him. After being struck by a foul ball, Burgoyne needed medical attention, and at first, the EMTs did not realize he was injured. They got their photos, and Burgoyne went to the hospital.
Much of Burgoyne’s program was filled with laughter.
Sharing another humorous story, Burgoyne talked about The Phanatic’s version of Lady Gaga going to the Grammies in an egg in 2011. Six men dressed in Egyptian clothes carried The Phanatic inside an egg. Lady PhaPha pops out, dressed in a yellow dress with a big floppy yellow hat and a blonde pony tail wig.
“The crowd is loving it. I’m swirling my pony tail wig. Everybody’s laughing and enjoying it,” including the six guys who were supposed to remove the egg from the field… After the act, the opening pitcher was waiting for this egg to be removed.
“You haven’t lived until you’ve been stared down by Roy Halladay and you’re wearing a dress.”
Burgoyne said The Phanatic would do anything for a good laugh; he loves to wear a dress.
Talking about other aspects of the job, he said being the mascot has lead to some great things, such a writing books and workshops.
Loyal Love Fans for Life workshops for businesses teaches the seven loyalty fundamentals to inspire the same loyalty and love in your business as The Phillies experience with their fans, he said.
Offering advice to the crowd, he said find something in life you love to do. “Make every moment count.” Find your Phanatic,
“I feel like I found my Phanatic,” said Burgoyne.
Then, of course, there were many requests for photos with Burgoyne.