Photo Courtesy: Carl's Cards and Collectibles
Monday, October 13, 2008. The Phillies, having won the National League Eastern Division title, had beaten the Milwaukee Brewers in the Divisional Round to get to play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Championship Series. On this night, Game 4 of the bout, the Phillies were down 5-3 heading into the eighth inning. The tide began to turn when Shane Victorino recorded a two-run homerun that tied the ballgame. Carlos Ruiz was then surrendered a walk, setting the scene for a hero to be born, that in the form of one Matt Stairs. His huge left handed swing on a Jonathan Broxton pitch sent the ball several rows deep into the right field seats and gave the Phillies the lead, and, the eventual win. The rest of the postseason is well-known by all fans, and so, too, is the legend of Stairs.
Fast forward just over five years, and fans will get another opportunity to "honor" the Philly legend, this time, in the form of Wing Bowl 22. For those not familiar with the event, it is essentially an annual wing-eating contest for competitive eaters and starving college students across the nation and, mainly, the Philly area. It's become a tradition for celebrities to make appearances and attract more attention to the event. Last year, fresh of his new signing with the Eagles, Chip Kelly was the star. Today, Matt Stairs made the announcement on Twitter, clearly excited about the event.
Looking forward to attend Wing Bowl 22. Always great to visit Philly. Should be a hell of a time. #wingbowl
— mstairs12 (@mstairs12) January 23, 2014
Stairs has been no stranger to embracing the "big guy" attitude, and is certainly an intelligent choice to represent the Bowl. For those interested, the Wing Bowl, hosted by SportsRadio 94 WIP, takes place on the morning of January 31.
