For Philadelphia Phillies fans, the offseason hasn’t been particularly exciting since the team re-signed Aaron Nola in November. In December, the Phillies made a genuine attempt to sign Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but during the last six months, they haven’t offered their supporters much to cheer about.
On Super Bowl Sunday, there was finally a little burst of team-related news. The first was that former Detroit Tigers pitcher Spencer Turnbull was signed by Philadelphia to provide some depth to their pitching staff.
Later in the day, a former Phillies player was spotted in Las Vegas at the Super Bowl with his father, which was another interesting news piece.
Social media users saw a photo of Shane Victorino, a Philadelphia legend, with his father at Super Bowl LVIII. Based on the description, it appears that Victorino’s father attended the San Francisco 49ers game against the Kansas City Chiefs since he is an avid fan of the team.
The 49ers, who had earlier in the game blown a 10-point lead, unfortunately fell to Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes in a heartbreaking overtime loss, 25-22.
In three appearances to the Fall Classic, Victorino won two World Series rings, making him the more fortunate player of the two. Before adding another ring with the Boston Red Sox in 2013, he earned his first championship with the Phillies in 2008, helping them defeat the Tampa Bay Rays in six games.
Known as the “Flyin’ Hawaiian,” Victorino played for Philadelphia for portions of eight seasons between 2005 and 2012. At the 2012 Trade Deadline, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the following offseason, he signed a contract with the Red Sox.
Victorino, a four-time Gold Glove winner and two-time All-Star, won over Phillies supporters with his contagious smile and outstanding all-around abilities. Despite the fact that he hasn’t played for the Phillies in almost ten years, his contributions to the 2008 championship team will always be appreciated by the fan base.
