Free Republic

The Philadelphia Phillies are doing more than just competing for a place in this year's baseball playoffs. On Friday, the club filed suit in New York federal court over an attempt to grab ownership to the "Phanatic," the team's mascot. According to the complaint, Bill Giles, Phillies' executive vp, created the vision for the mascot in the 1970s — a green, fat, furry, big-nosed character accessible to children. The team says it worked with a company called Harrison/Erickson to develop the costume for the Phanatic. The firm was paid $215,000, according to the complaint. Dave Raymond, an intern in the...

Head to Phillie Phanatic Costume Missing Mon Feb 9, 3:55 PM ET PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Phillies' green furry mascot has completely lost his head. On Friday, the Phillie Phanatic's noggin vanished from the Wachovia Center during the Phillies' Final Pieces charity sale and auction of mementos from now-shuttered Veterans Stadium. Tom Burgoyne shed the getup during a break and made the grim discovery when he returned to the unlocked makeshift changing room off the arena's concourse. "The head was gone," he said. A security videotape showed no sign of the headnapper. "I didn't do it," general manager Ed Wade...