THINKS THE EAGLES STOLE ONE
FOR SOME Phillies fans, age ain't nothing but a number.
Theresa Foresta and Irene Brunetto - both 80, both lifelong South Philly residents - made their way to Broad and Shunk streets, where a crowd of Phillies fans emerged shortly after 4 p.m. to celebrate yesterday's victory in Milwaukee.
"We root for all our teams," Foresta said. "I'm so mad - I left my rally towel at home. We love the Phillies."
Brunetto said that she and Foresta come out to Broad Street to celebrate everything from Philadelphia victories to New Year's.
"This is the fun part of the country," she said. "They may talk about us, but they all come here."
The pair watched the ballgame over dinner at the Penrose Diner, a few blocks west of Broad, then joined the nearly 100-strong crowd.
Among other fans celebrating at Broad and Shunk was Carmen Venuto, a South Philly resident who brought along his wife, daughter, son and nephew.
Venuto, decked out in a Phillie Phanatic hat and with a big, red foam fist - both of which he got at the store where he works at Citizens Bank Park - said his nephew and son had been waiting since 1993 to see another Phillies appearance in the National League Championship Series. The team advanced to the NLCS with yesterday's win.
"It was great, terrific," said Venuto, a self-proclaimed diehard Phillies fan who turned 51 the other day. "I'm celebrating my birthday today with a Phillies win."
Carmen Verrilli, 46, director of game-day security at Citizens Bank Park, was also part of the crowd of celebrants on South Broad Street yesterday.
"It's nice to win at home," he said. "But it's nice to be on the road, too, and be part of this."
Despite the raucous throng that erupted often into lively "Beat L.A." and "L.A. sucks" chants, fans and police officers on the scene said yesterday's crowd was subdued.
"It's not as big as it will be if they beat the Dodgers," said Ryan Crocetto, 32, who grew up in South Philly. "If the Eagles had won today, it would be crazier. People are half-depressed, half-happy."
Therese Pomeroy, 24, and Ben Avicolli, 29, both of South Philly, agreed that the Eagles' loss had made for a smaller crowd than might have been expected.
"It's the worst possible scenario, because the Eagles were here and lost and the Phillies were away and won," Avicolli said.
Meanwhile, a few blocks north at Broad and Jackson streets - another common site for Philly sports-fan rallies - an uncharacteristic calm set in, except for three fans who attracted quite a few honks from passing cars.
"There are generally 100 to 200 people on these four corners anytime one of the teams wins anything," said Jim Riggio, 40, who wore a Chase Utley jersey. "It's like the Twilight Zone out here right now."
Riggio, his 18-year-old son, Jimmy, and Jill Stella, 23, are South Philly natives who come to the corner every time a Philly team wins.
They shared disappointment yesterday at a low turnout of fans.
"They're depressed about the Eagles losing," Riggio said. "They kind of want to celebrate, but they don't want to celebrate."
Stella said she was surprised that nobody had joined them on the corner.
"We've been doing this since I was a little kid," she said.
Around 4:30 p.m., the trio was ready to call it quits.
"This is really depressing," said Riggio's son. They would normally spend about an hour or two at the corner, they said.
"I promise you, when they win the next one, you come to the same corner and there will be a crowd," Riggio said of the Phillies. "Especially if they sweep."
