E23: The Original Phillie Phanatic on Whether He Dreams in Costume, If He Loves Gritty and If He Ever Feared Someone Would Kill Him at a Game

Summary: David Raymond helped create and performed as the first Phillie Phanatic between 1978 and 1993. This at times hilarious conversation with the fellow University of Delaware Blue Hen includes: How people react to him when they realize he was the Phanatic (2:10), how he helped create Gritty, the new Flyers mascot (4:00), the Phanatic backstory (8:30), if it was hot in that suit (11:45), why he retired as the Phillies mascot (13:40), why he can immediately tell the difference between the old and new Phanatic, performed by Tom Burgoyne (15:35), if he ever felt in immense danger during a Phanatic appearance (17:45), what it was like growing up with a father who happened to be the legendary Delaware football coach Tubby Raymond (20:00), if he misses being the Phanatic and ever dreams about being in the costume (27:07) and what great life lessons he's learned from the Phanatic character (31:15). Recorded in Raymond's "Phanatic Man Cave" at his home in the Philadelphia suburbs.