Mr BioFile Interviews by Scoop Malinowski
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: David Raymond served as the Phillie Phanatic, the most popular pro sports mascot of all time. The accomplished entrepreneur, author and dynamic speaker also created the Mascot Hall of Fame and also hosted for two years the popular 1980s USA Network TV show “Dance Party USA.”
First Memory As Phanatic: Well I was grateful that my dad (Tubby) knew the Phillies owner Ruly Carpenter and Bill Giles. I loved that era. Back during the 1976 All Star Game at Veterans Stadium I was an intern for the Phillies. That first week there I realized I didn’t want to be a football coach like my dad. I was a huge baseball fan. The first week I got there I got in an elevator and Tug McGraw was in it. I was a lefthanded pitcher like Tug. He asked me how the weather was and I couldn’t answer, I was too starstruck. My first thought as an intern with the Phillies was, Oh my God, I’m going to work here and get to meet all the players and get paid for it. I’m in heaven. Once the Phillie Phanatic became a success, when nobody thought it would work, Bill Giles had the guts to ask me to be the Phillie Phanatic. The Phillie Phanatic turned 48 on April 25. It started in 1978.
Greatest Phanatic Moment: The Phanatic would visit hospitals and people would thank me for being better than medication. My personal best experience… I got to sit at the back end of the World Series parade in 1980. I got to see the wake of how we followed the parade to JFK Stadium that followed up seeing the players celebrating becoming World Champions. Those are the most powerful memories.
Funny Phanatic Memory: A million (from 1978-1993). The fight with Tommy Lasorda (Los Angeles Dodgers manager) is the one that got the most attention. Tommy knew my father. He’s from Norristown. I’d bump into him in town once or twice a year. His first question was always, How’s your dad doing? The one night he beat me up, the one night he got angry, he was going through a tough time, the Dodgers were struggling, he was having trouble with his weight. He just went nuts for a moment. But there were a bazillion funny things that happened with players, celebrities, etc.
Strangest Encounters: I had so many celebrity encounters. I got to know Ethel Kennedy. The scariest – I popped a wheelie on the three-wheeler, the gas cap was between my legs and some gas had spilled out. I was by the bullpen. A guy tossed a cigarette butt at the Phanatic. Fortunately it didn’t hit me. Thought it would have been boom, I’m gonna blow up. My favorite was meeting Heather Locklear who was in town doing the Jerry Lewis Telethon. She was popular on TJ Hooker at the time. I ran out and picked her up and threw her over my shoulder. I was told later that Heather wanted to meet me. To see who is under the costume.
Funniest Players: Jay Johnstone. Tug McGraw. Roger McDowell. Anybody on the Mets, they loved to play around with me. Dave Parker. Barry Bonds. They would bring some props or joke, Hey you come out and do this and I’ll do this. I let them write my scripts.
