The Philadelphia Phillies have landed in Houston ahead of Game 1 of the 2022 World Series. When the 2022 MLB season got underway back in the spring, did anybody think the Phillies would be National League champions?
The Phillies are playing in the World Series for the first time since 2009 when they lost to the New York Yankees. That’s 13 years for anybody who doesn’t feel like doing the math.
Do you know where NLCS MVP Bryce Harper was playing baseball at that time?
Citizens Bank Park – home of the Philadelphia Phillies – was only five years old. The current president of the United States was in the White House serving the country in a different role. The year also included some great movies and songs.
With that in mind, PlayPennsylvania compiled a top 10 moments list for 2009 that makes for interesting conversation today. This list is subjective and in no particular order.
1. Bryce Harper was preparing for 2010 MLB Draft
The last time the Philadelphia Phillies played in the World Series, Bryce Harper wasn’t even playing minor league baseball yet. The 2021 National League MVP just celebrated his 30th birthday on Oct. 16.
Back in ’09, he was a student-athlete at Las Vegas High School, earning his GED early (’09) to help him become eligible for the following year’s MLB Draft. He also appeared on a Sports Illustrated cover as the magazine published a story comparing him to NBA star LeBron James. The Washington Nationals took Harper No. 1 overall in 2010 and the outfielder/DH made his MLB debut two years later.
Harper signed with the Phillies as a free agent three seasons ago. Now he is the talk of the Philadelphia pro sports scene. Here is the big reason why…
BEDLAM AT THE BANK. ❄️ pic.twitter.com/Fq40o2XNAc
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) October 24, 2022
2. Is there a Phillies ‘Hangover’ sequel coming?
So if the Philadelphia Phillies are crowned World Series champions next week, there will likely be a Hangover celebration the next day around Philadelphia. You know the ones where everybody calls out sick the next day.
“The Hangover” also happened to be one of 2009’s top-grossing movies. The buddy movie centered around three friends who lost the groom during a Vegas bachelor party. Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms led the cast.
Honorable mention for the top movies of ’09 go to “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,” “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” and “Avatar.” Ironically, the long-awaited “Avatar” sequel is being released later this year.
3. Who remembers the iPhone 3GS?
Today, PA gamblers use iPhones to place wagers using the DraftKings Sportsbook and BetMGM apps. Imagine what these products would’ve looked like on an iPhone 3GS (had states passed legislation 13 years ago).
Apple has rolled out several new and advanced models since then, so we decided to dig up the iPhone 3GS product description.
Here is a small blurb:
Apple today introduced the new iPhone™ 3GS, the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet, packed with incredible new features including improved speed and performance—up to twice as fast as iPhone 3G—with longer battery life, a high-quality 3 megapixel autofocus camera.
4. What is this Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia?
Who remembers the old Stadium District Holiday Inn? Well back when the Phillies played the New York Yankees in the World Series, there were no slot machines and table games across the street from Citizens Bank Park. Actually, the Holiday Inn, which opened in 1974, didn’t get demolished until early 2019.
It cleared the way for Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia. The grand opening celebration complete with fireworks took place in February 2021. Besides the restaurants, bars and live entertainment, Live! has its own FanDuel Sportsbook where #RedOctober bets are the hot topic.
WOW! Nice Phills bet! @FDSportsbook #fanduel #sportsbook #redoctober
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler pic.twitter.com/A4bcb4lXUz— Live! Casino & Hotel Philadelphia (@LiveCasinoPHL) October 25, 2022
5. The shocking Michael Jackson news
Like every other year, celebrity deaths made big headlines. In ’09, there was none bigger than “The King of Pop” Michael Jackson, who passed away on June 25, 2009 at age 50.
It turned out to be one of the year’s more controversial stories as Jackson’s death ended up being ruled a homicide. Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal physician, would later be found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
6. Vice President Joe Biden
It seems kind of ironic that the current President of the United States is Joe Biden. Political views aside, there is a direct White House connection between ’22 and ’09. Former President Barack Obama took the oath of office on Jan. 29, 2009. His VP was a US Senator from Delaware by the name of Biden.
Sure, there was a four-year gap between Biden’s two terms as vice president and his current position, but the political connection is hard to ignore.
7. The price of gasoline was under $3
Sometimes when driving by the local gas station sign, drivers glance at the price and say something like “Geez, I remember when gas was under $3 a gallon.” Fittingly, ’09 happened to be one of those years.
According to the US Energy Information Administration website, the average price of gas in October ’09 was a tad over $2.60 per gallon. It’s a big difference from the September ’22 price of $3.82 per gallon.
8. The 2022 Phillies and 2009 Yankees will forever be connected
The Philadelphia Phillies opened the 2022 season with Joe Girardi as their manager. Rob Thomson, the current manager, was his bench coach. Before coming to Philadelphia, he spent a decade on the New York Yankees coaching staff.
This includes serving under Girardi as the Bronx Bombers’ third base coach during the ’09 World Series run. Since taking over as Phillies manager, Thomson compiled a 65-46 regular-season record and guided the club to a National League Wild Card spot. Now the Phillies are just four wins away from becoming World Series champions.
One could say ’09 helped set Thomson’s path to where he is today.
The Phillies have signed manager Rob Thomson to a two-year contract for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, President of Baseball Operations David Dombrowski announced today. pic.twitter.com/fUyPgFIdgY
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) October 10, 2022
9. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, the kid from Houston
The Phillies might be the talk of the City of Brotherly Love right now, but Philadelphia sports fans also are extremely high on quarterback Jalen Hurts and the 6-0 Philadelphia Eagles. Hurts, being only 24, is just getting started. This season alone he has 1,514 passing yards with 12 touchdowns (six passing and six rushing).
However, back in ’09, Hurts was only 11 years old and the idea of becoming an NFL passer was just a dream. It predates his time at Channelview High School in Texas, and his college stints at Alabama and Oklahoma. It’s looking like Hurts made the right career decision.
On a side note, Hurts is in a tough spot with this year’s World Series being that he is from Houston, but Philly is his new home. Also ironically, Hurts will be leading the Eagles in Houston for a Thursday Night Football matchup vs. the Texans the day before the Phillies-Astros series heads back to Houston for a potential Game 6.
10. Dancing to Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga and Jay-Z
With the Philadelphia Phillies generating all this buzz surrounding their 2022 theme song (“Dancing On My Own”), it seems only fitting that the top hits from ’09 make the list.
The No. 1 single from 2009 was “Boom Boom Pow” by The Black Eyed Peas. “Poker Face” by Lady Gaga was the No. 2 hit. Gaga has since won an Oscar for Best Original Song.
Then there was Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind,” which was released on October 20, 2009 – just in time for the Yankees to play and defeat the Phillies in the World Series.
However, don’t expect the Phillies to be playing any of these songs if there is a World Series Parade next month. Do expect more of this:
DANCING. ON. MY. OWN. pic.twitter.com/4qt7qK3Ekz
— Pat Gallen (@PatGallenCBS3) October 23, 2022
