PHILLY'S PHANTASTIC PARADE !!!

... World Phucking Champions !!!






The last time a Philadelphia team won a major title was in 1983, when the 76ers captured the NBA crown. The Phillies won their only other World Series in 1980. Current pitcher Jamie Moyer, who grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, skipped school to attend it.

Surging crowds pushed onto Philadelphia streets Monday, leaving just enough room for trucks and police escorts.
"This is unbelievable. I'm starting to understand what it's really all about here," Moyer told The Associated Press as he rode down Broad Street. "I was at the parade in 1980 and that was pretty exciting, but today tops it by far."

Ben Anderson, a 25-year-old fan from Bear, Del., pleaded "Come back! Come back next year!" to the team as the players rolled by. Others chanted, "Bring back Pat," a reference to Burrell, who will be a free agent next season.

The Phillies then greeted tens of thousands of fans who had watched the parade on big screens at the city's baseball and football stadiums. The team first stopped at Lincoln Financial Field, where the Eagles play.

"This is the biggest parade I've ever been in," Manuel told the fans. "It's like Christmas came two months early."

The Phillies then headed to their home field of Citizens Bank Park, where a red "2008" banner was raised to celebrate their World Series championship. Manuel leaned into the microphone and giving his best Rocky impersonation: "Yo, man. We love you."

Hamels told the crowd he'd love to come back.

"One thing I can't wait to do is go down Broad Street for that parade again and again and again," Hamels said.

Second baseman Chase Utley approached the microphone and proclaimed, "World champions!" Then he repeated the phrase, with a profanity between "world" and "champions," drawing cheers for minutes.

MUMMERS PARADE - PHILLY'S NEWYEARS DAY TRADITION

A STREETWISE VIEW



The Mummers Parade traces back to mid-17th century roots, blending elements from Swedish, Finnish, Irish, English, German and other European heritages, as well as African-American heritage.[2][3] The parade is related to the Mummers Play tradition from Ireland.[4]

Swedes, Philadelphia's first settlers, brought the custom of visiting neighbors on "Second Day Christmas" (December 26) with them to Tinicum. This was soon extended through New Year’s Day with costumed celebrants loudly parading through the city.[5] [4] Traditional New Years' celebrations of firing guns (Swedes and Finns) and recitations of traditional rhymes (English and Welsh) joined common practices of visiting neighbors. The Belsnickle, an early German version of Santa Claus, inspired comic masqueraders riding through Tinicum and Kingsessing dressed as clowns. Philadelphia's 19th century Carnival of Horns drew thousands of merrymakers in festive costumes to the vicinity of Eighth and South Streets in South Philadelphia. Southern plantation life’s contributions include the Parade’s theme song, Oh! Dem Golden Slippers, as well as the 19th-century cakewalk, dubbed the "Mummers' Strut".[2] Other ethnic groups have been integrated into the parade as the years have gone on. Italians began to participate in large numbers after World War II.[6]

Celebrants using firearms to "shoot in" the new year much later inspired the "New Year's Shooters and Mummers Association". Revelers travelling from door-to-door sang and danced for rewards of food and drink.[7]

The early Swedish Mummers often selected a "speech director", who had a special dance and recited a traditional rhyme, such as:
“ Here we stand before your door,
As we stood the year before;

Give us whiskey; give us gin,
Open the door and let us in.[5]
Or give us something nice and hot
Like a steaming hot bowl of pepper pot! [8]
”

The earliest documented club, the Chain Gang, formed in 1840. The first official parade was held January 1, 1901. The first String Band, Trilby, first paraded in 1902. In the early years of the official parade, the make-shift costumes of most celebrants were gradually replaced by more elaborate outfits funded by associations’ fund-raising efforts.[2]