PHILLIES ALS NIGHT 2008 RECAP

So every year the Phillies run this super-awesome event to raise money to fight ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease. The Phillies have been running various ALS benefits since 1989 or so, and they crossed the $10 million mark with the money they raised from the 2008 ALS Night that they held this past Monday, July 28. Every year I'm proud to take part in such an amazing event--and I always have so much fun!

First, I'm delighted to announced that Cole Hamels heard my prayers and descruffified himself. He looked nothing short of flawless when I met him on Monday. Not only that, but he's amazingly nice. We talked fantasy baseball--I thanked him for doing so well for the Phillies and for my team, and told him how early I chose him in my draft. He said he was surprised because he didn't think he was that good to be picked so high in the draft. He seemed genuinely tickled that someone thought he was that good, though! After we took our photo together, he told me he'd try his best this season to keep doing good work so my stats would still be good! I almost died. It was an awesome conversation. (After I got far enough away that he couldn't hear me, I giggled maniacally to my mother and couldn't stop squealing. Usually I keep my cool a lot more, but screw it. It's Cole Hamels. He is certainly squeal-inducing.)

OMG, Cole Hamels has his arm around me!

I then went to meet Shane "The Flyin' Hawaiian" Victorino and pitcher Jamie Moyer. Both were very nice and both seemed amused by the fact that they were on my fantasy baseball team and that, like a true nerd, I'd brought a copy of my roster for them to sign. Good thing they didn't notice my team name and ask me what a BILF is...haha!

Greg Dobbs, pinch-hitter extraordinaire, and Geoff Jenkins were at a table together, and I happily got in line to meet them both. Dobbs is one of those guys who's pretty damn good but totally underrated, both in terms of athletic ability and looks. I told him I hoped to see more of him this season (he can play third base and outfield--but he rarely does since he normally just pinch-hits). I didn't mention that when I said I "wanted to see more of him this season," that I meant "so take off your damn clothes so I can see more of you." (I'll just let him think I meant that I wanted to see him playing baseball more this season. Heh.) Jenkins was cool, too, but I barely noticed his hotness because I was so horrified by his awful fashion sense. Sigh.

Dobbs is on the left; Jenkins is on the right.

Poor Chase Utley got mobbed by fans when he tried to leave his autograph station. There he is, on his way out...surrounded by adoring ladies with cameras, of course.

I wanted to meet Jayson Werth because he's really stepped it up this year and started to play well. Plus, he has incredibly hot hair. He looked damn good in person, but he also kind of looked like a tool because he wore these dark shades the entire time he was sitting at his table--even at, like, 7:30. Tool or not, though, he was attractive and nice, and he was wearing a really interesting shiny-ish purple shirt.


I didn't get to meet Pat "the Bat" Burrell this year, but of course I stopped by his booth to snap a quick picture. Actually, my mother snapped this one. I don't know what he's so surprised about, but it's an amusing picture, don't you think?

"What? I'm a BILF? Hey, that's hot!"

On the way out of the stadium, my parents and I stopped by the booth where the Phillies' wives were selling grab bags. My mother bought hers from Mrs. [Larry] Andersen...she opened it up and found a Chase Utley autographed ball inside! Since Mrs. Andersen was obviously a lucky bag-grabber, I approached her to buy one from her, too, and I asked her to pretty please make it a lucky one. And she did...I opened it up to find a ball autographed by Pat Burrell! Boy, did I ever shriek then--I even professed my love for Mrs. Andersen a couple of times, haha.

I'm already looking forward to the Phillies' 2009 ALS Night!