49 arrests amid pennant-winning revelry

AMID THOUSANDS of screaming, yelling, chanting, flag-waving, whistling, clapping, jumping, skateboarding, chest-bumping, body-surfing, drinking, shouting, photo-taking, texting, tailgating, music-playing fans celebrating the pennant-winning Phillies' heading again to the World Series, only 49 people were arrested for mostly minor offenses.

"That's not many, considering the size of the crowds," Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said yesterday.

Today, Phillies Phever continues, with World Series T-shirts, hoodies and other gear flying off the shelves in sports stores from the Northeast to South Philadelphia.

In Center City, Cliff Lee, the Phillies' most dominating pitcher in the National League Championship Series, unveiled his T-shirt bearing the slogan "Unbe-LEE-vable," at the Modell's store on Chestnut Street near 15th. Part of the proceeds will benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's eastern Pennsylvania chapter.

Lee's 8-year-old son, Jaxon, had leukemia when he was 4 months old, Lee said. "We were able to beat that, so now I try to help out the foundation that raises money for research that saved his life."

Once the Phillies clinched a playoff berth, Ramsey said, he and his top commanders developed a citywide plan to curb violence, fires and property damage - "the issues we had in last year's World Series, especially in Center City."

For next week's World Series, Ramsey said, he already knows he needs "more police, more horses [in] more locations" whether the Phillies win or not.

"With the Yankees, and the close proximity [to New York], we're going to have a handful," he added, assuming that the Yankees, who are leading the L.A. Angeles, 3-2, would win their series.

Of yesterday's early-morning arrests, 29 were for disorderly conduct, six for assaults on police, three for thefts or attempted thefts, three for vandalism and two for ticket-scalping. One person was arrested for each of the following: aggravated assault, defiant trespassing, firearms violation, propulsion of a missile, fireworks and public intoxication.

The most-violent incident occurred in Northern Liberties, where two fans watched the game on the widescreen TV in the open-air Piazza at Schmidts, a retail and apartment complex. The duo argued, and one shot the other. The gunman was charged with aggravated assault.

Five of the six assaults on police officers happened in South Philly, the epicenter of arrests being within blocks of Citizens Bank Park. The sixth assault on a cop occurred on Ridge Avenue near Leverington in Roxborough, police said.

At least three fireworks were set off in the crowd at Broad Street and Oregon Avenue, South Philly, sending colorful sparks raining on fans. One display tipped over, shooting sparks at street level and prompting several people to run for cover.

A 25-year-old Phillies fan lit three Roman candles, sending red flares into the sky, lighting up Broad and Spruce streets in Center City. Police quickly arrested him and opened his tan jacket, where, they said, he had a smorgasbord of fireworks.

Outside Citizens Bank Park, Gary Goldberg, 59, of Lakewood, N.J., spent $250 for tickets for himself and his nephew. But according to Goldberg, when the ticket-taker pushed one of the tickets under the bar-code reader, he said: " 'This ticket is fake.' "

Goldberg complained to the Phillies that the ballclub and the police should arrest scalpers selling phony tickets. A Phillies representative responded by scolding Goldberg for buying tickets from a scalper, making him angrier.

He said the Phillies rep advised him to buy tickets on StubHub.com, where fans buy and sell tickets to sports, concerts and other events.

Police spokesman Lt. Frank Vanore said that police operate a scalper detail at Phillies games, but with thousands of fans on the streets after the game, "it was hard to arrest everyone."

By 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, Phillies fans lined up in the seventh inning outside the Forman Mills store on Grant Avenue near Roosevelt Boulevard in the Northeast. As soon as centerfielder Shane Victorino caught the last out, staffers inside ripped open cartons of goods with the National League Championship logo.

"It's been like a feeding frenzy" selling thousands of T-shirts, hoodies and hats, said store manager Joe Rivins.

Staff writers Mari Saito and Christine Olley contributed to this report.