Broad Street Billy: Trades lucky suit for jacket, to avoid own phrigid phuneral

If Jerry Horgan, of Wilmington, is not the Phillies' number one fan, I'd like to know who is!

So, as the Phightin's play the do-or-die heart of the National League Championship Series here, Broad Street Billy salutes Mr. Red October and his magical funeral suit - with a twist:

ONE LEG AT A TIME: Although, like the rest of us, Horgan puts his pants on one leg at a time, they become more than dark slacks when the lifelong Phillies diehard dons the suit jacket, arrives as soon as The Bank gates open, and takes his usual spot behind the Phillies dugout - Section 117, Row 9, Seat 13.

There, he is greeted by the Phillie Phaithphul, who rub The Suit for good luck.

There, Horgan said, Phillies rightfielder Jayson Werth often nods to him in greeting as he trots in from warmups.

There, Phillies lefty reliever Scott Eyre once asked Horgan about The Suit, and - after Horgan explained the magic - said, "Keep wearing it!"

The magic started when Horgan, rushing from a funeral in Delaware on September 26, 2008, to a crucial Phillies-Nationals game at the Bank, wore his somber suit because he didn't have time to change.

The Phillies won. Next night, next crucial game, same deal.

Horgan, who has had the full-season plan since 1976 and has attended every home game, knew he was on to something.

So Horgan wore The Suit to all 2008 home playoff games including the World Series. Then he wore it while marching up Broad Street!

This year, Horgan wore it to Cliff Lee's NLDS Game One masterpiece.

He also wore it to Cole Hamel's NLDS Game Two meltdown, but Horgan had just had The Suit drycleaned - a violation on the order of Charlie Manuel giving Pedro the hook after seven world class innings in L.A. Last night, Horgan declared that the suit had lost its magic - and he showed up in a blue Phillies 2008 World Champions jacket!

He invoked Game 5 of the 2008 Series - the last time it was so cold at the South Philly ballpark. "I almost died in the rain and the cold, so when I heard about how cold it was going to be tonight, I couldn't wear the suit," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I'd die for my Phillies - but not if I don't have to."

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