Broad Street Billy: A Phillies fan: 'It's like being on top of the world'

SARAH CARMEL MCCOLLUM of Delaware County, 13 months old, was "born a Phillies fan right before the World Series last year," her mom Karen said, adding that she's expecting the newest McCollum in November.

Gearing up for Game 1 of the Series, Brian McCollum and daughter Sarah Carmel, 1, of Delaware County, take in an Irish Night game at Citizens Bank Park.Read more

by By BROAD STREET BILLY (as told to DAN GERINGER), <a href="mailto:geringd@phillynews.com">geringd@phillynews.com</a> 215-854-5961 | Columnist

Published Oct. 28, 2009, 3:01 a.m. ET

Karen's husband, Brian McCollum, senses a pattern here. "I wonder: Will the Phillies keep winning if we keep having children?" Brian asked Broad Street Billy.

Billy replied: "Yes, Brian, they will. So keep having kids. It's called being a team player."

Brian, who has season tickets, went to the first two home World Series games with his brother Michael last year.

"I remember being on top of the world," Brian said. "My first child had just been born, and each night was so exciting - watching the Phillies win and knowing I was going home to my little girl."

He gave his lifelong-phanatic mom, Franny, his Game 5 ticket - and watched the amazing finish at home with Karen and Sarah.

FLYING IN FROM

CHINA:

Stephen McDonald of Harleysville, Montgomery County, reports that he's flying in from an Ireland business trip to meet fellow-phanatic Jonathan Kornafel, who is winging in from Singapore to cheer on the Phillies in World Series Game 2, tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium.

Kornafel, who grew up in Washington Township, N.J., but now lives in China, will fly 24 hours each way to be in New York for less than a day.

When McDonald asked him if he had gone crazy, Kornafel said, "C'mon, guy, it's Phils-Yanks in the World Series!" He didn't need to say another word.

McDonald's wife Mary went into labor right after the Phils won last year's World Series - are you readers sensing a theme in this column?

"I watched the parade on TV in Abington Hospital, holding my day-old daughter, Abigail, who was clad in her infant-sized Phillies hat (her first gift from my parents)," McDonald said.

Abigail, who will celebrate her first birthday on Friday, has already learned how to raise her hands and laugh when her mom says, "Go Phillies!"

Any day now, she'll be howling "Rauuul!" and "Choooch!"

GOT PHILLIES?

Send your phanaticism tales and photos to me at Phillies@phillynews.com.