 "Photo: THE REVIEW/ Christine Fallable")
Over the last few days campus has become a sea of red, white and blue. It’s not Memorial Day, or the Fourth of July — it’s the World Series, and the Philadelphia Phillies are battling the New York Yankees.
Various media outlets have nicknamed this World Series the “Amtrak Series” because the two teams’ stadiums are located just 90 miles apart, and it’s a straight shot down the tracks from one city to the other.
The university has become divided over this year’s World Series because the two teams are so local to many students’ hometowns. According to information provided by the university’s Office of Institutional Research, there are 2,029 undergraduate students from New York — likely Yankees fans — and 1,895 from Pennsylvania — who are very possibly rooting for the Phillies.
There are 3,132 undergraduate students from New Jersey and 6,007 students from Delaware, and it’s anyone’s guess where their allegiance lies.
With a campus full of students and two baseball teams from the East Coast battling in the World Series, it is no wonder there is much controversy between students.
University alumnus Nate Hall says he is hoping the Phillies are able to win the World Series two years in a row. Hall says he grew up in Philadelphia but admits he hasn’t watched much baseball since the 1980s — the era of Lenny Dykstra, Darren Daulton and John Kruk.
“I don’t follow baseball that much,” Hall says. “But I was born and raised in Philadelphia so in my heart I sort of have to be a Phillies fan.”
Senior Cortney Penta, who is from Boston, says she is a Phillies fan by default.
“I’m really a Red Sox fan,” Penta says. “But because they aren’t in the series this year, I just have to root for whoever is against the Yankees.”
It is a common sight these days to be walking down Main Street and see dozens of people outside of Grotto Pizza or in Deer Park Tavern, all screaming at baseball games playing on wall-mounted TVs.
Senior Catherine McGill spent Thursday night watching the second game of the World Series at Klondike Kate’s with her friends. With beers in hand and plate of nachos on the table, McGill and her friends were celebrating the series with a relaxed and fun-filled night.
“I want the Yankees to win the series because their fans are classy, unlike Phillies fans,” McGill says.
Senior Julie Eisman was at Kate’s celebrating the game with McGill and was also hoping the Yankees were able to beat the Phillies this year. Eisman is from Boston but unlike Penta, she does not feel any innate hatred toward the Yankees — a major rival of the Boston Red Sox.
Senior Mike Ruehr says he doesn’t usually follow baseball, but because it’s the World Series he plans on watching every game.
Ruehr is from Seaford, Del. but his relative proximity to Philadelphia has not influenced him enough to become a Phillies fan. He says he is also hoping that the Yankee’s win this series.
“I am so tired of being surrounded by Phillies fans,” Ruehr says. “The Phillies won last year and I just want the Yankees to beat them now.”
Ruehr also celebrated the second game of the series with a group of good friends watching the game from Klondike Kate’s.
“I like the atmosphere here,” he says. “I can just have a drink, hang out with friends and watch the game. I really hope the Yankees are able to pull this series off.”
Follow us on Twitter
Subscribe to our feed
Contact us through email
