Victory suits them to a T

Phillies merchandise moved off store shelves yesterday faster than Matt Stairs' moonshot left Dodger Stadium in Game 4.

"The fans' response has been awesome," said Charles Murphy, manager of Modell's Sporting Goods, in Snyder Plaza in South Philadelphia.

Murphy's store closed at 2 a.m. yesterday after the Phils' pennant-winning victory in Los Angeles, then reopened four hours later to greet what he said was an onrush of customers.

Murphy had tables set up inside, stocked with Phillies championship gear and collectibles; the front-window display carried red, blue and gray "National League Championship" hooded sweatshirts and jerseys.

"I love the Phillies," said Stephanie Anderson, 43, of South Philly, as she departed the store carrying her newly purchased Chase Utley T-shirt and hat. "I was excited in 1993, but this team has something special."

Lines stretched to the back of the showroom at the Modell's store in the Gallery, at 9th and Market streets, ensuring a busy day of moving Phillies merchandise for manager Joyce McAllister.

"The response from customers has been terrific, phenomenal, but about what we expected," said McAllister, who, like Murphy, opened her store at 6 a.m. "Fans are eager to have a team go all the way."

A shirt bearing the words "National League Championship" was the hottest seller, both McAllister and Murphy said.

"I'm waiting for a delivery of more now," McAllister said.

It was also the hottest seller yesterday for two merchants across the river in Camden County.

"We've sold hundreds of them," said Frank DiTillio, owner of Sports Outlet, a sporting-goods store on the Black Horse Pike, in Glendora. "There were people waiting for them when we opened up."

Joanne Kirschner said that the shirt was the top-selling Phillies gear she was offering with colorful mums and pumpkins from a roadside stand at Penn Florist, her shop in Pennsauken.

One type of pumpkin was also selling briskly, she said.

"Yeah, I've been painting the Phillie Phanatic on them. Commerce Bank just ordered thirty of them," she said. "I can't paint 'em fast enough."

DiTillio was handing out soft pretzels with every purchase. And he's been handing out plenty of pretzels.

"Tomorrow we're going to have 'P' pretzels," he said.

Kirschner said she hopes to be selling World Series Champion shirts in the coming weeks.

"I'm thinking the curse might be over," she said.