Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Dan Gross: Phillies enjoy Pearl Jam's final Spectrum show

PEARL JAM frontman Eddie Vedder was rumored Saturday to be singing the National Anthem at Game 4 last night, but it was not to be. The band was expected to attend the game. Raul Ibanez and Scott Eyre hung backstage at Friday's Pearl Jam show with the group who dedicated a couple of tunes to the team. On Saturday, Vedder asked Bernie Parent for a hug when Parent and fellow

PEARL JAM frontman

Eddie Vedder

was rumored Saturday to be singing the National Anthem at Game 4 last night, but it was not to be. The band was expected to attend the game.

Raul Ibanez

and

Scott Eyre

hung backstage at Friday's Pearl Jam show with the group who dedicated a couple of tunes to the team. On Saturday, Vedder asked

Bernie Parent

for a hug when Parent and fellow

Flyers great Dave "The Hammer" Schultz visited the band backstage before the last concert at the Spectrum. Vedder also rubbed Schultz' Stanley Cup ring for good luck. Comcast-Spectacor's Peter Luukko and Live Nation's Geoff Gordon presented the band with Spectrum seats, bearing plaques commemorating their 4-night stand that closed the historic venue, as well as Mitchell & Ness jerseys of Julius Erving, George McGinnis and Bobby Clarke.

Out and about

Alex Rodriguez and his siblings dined Friday at Davio's (111 S. 17th), where A-Roid, er A-Rod was in human form, not that of a centaur, which US Weekly, quoting an ex-lover, reports he has framed portraits of above his bed. Anyway, A-Rod was happy to sign a few autographs. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and a group of family members went for steaks later that night. Pitcher Andy Pettitte and wife Laura had a quiet dinner at Davio's, where Reggie Jackson later had chardonnay with his scallops.

Phillies ace Cliff Lee and wife Kristen, sporting a nice Rolex, took their kids to celebrate Halloween Saturday afternoon at the AKA Rittenhouse, where Lee chatted with a few fans.

Pat Burrell and some buddies hung around Rittenhouse Square Saturday afternoon before he attended Game 3.

Mike Schmidt graciously chatted with the endless parade of fans who approached him Friday night at an MLB party at the Comcast Center. Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. appropriately dressed in a red Phillies tie, also made the rounds with girlfriend Kate Wilhelm of the Fairmount Park Conservancy. Broadcaster Tom McCarthy was also in attendance at the gala event catered by Table 31. The restaurant, in the Comcast Center, was closed to diners.

Fans yelled their "Hey ya's" to Outkast rapper Andre 3000, who managed to stay dry Saturday night at the game.

Actress Jennifer Love Hewitt and boyfriend, Upper Darby native actor Jamie Kennedy, took in Game 4 after dinner at Buddakan (325 Chestnut), where they stopped after attending the Eagles/Giants game. Love Hewitt got a hug from the Phillie Phanatic in May while attending her first Phils game.

JLH and Kennedy were in Section 132 last night but fairly incognito, while Kate Hudson and stepfather Kurt Russell were down in front of the same section. Fellow Yankees fans near Hudson and Russell got ejected.

Coy Couric favors the Yankees

Katie Couric, who was part of the Stand Up to Cancer live commercial in the second inning Saturday, told us that she didn't want to reveal who she was supporting in the Series, because she was there for the charity. The CBS News anchor eventually caved, telling us "I love Philadelphia, but I've lived in New York for 20 years so you can draw your conclusion from that."

"Glee" cast not taking sides

We caught up with some of the cast of "Glee," who sang the National Anthem Saturday night. Dianna Agron, who plays pregnant cheerleader Quinn Fabray on the Fox musical comedy hit, said she's a baseball fan, but neither she nor castmates Mark Salling or Chris Colfer were interested in predicting a Series winner or disclosing for whom they were cheering.

Most of the cast was out Friday at the Continental Midtown. "Glee" co-star Amber Riley, who hung out in the Bill Giles Party Suite on the 200 level, told us she was thrilled with the success of the show and is getting used to being recognized. Actor Terrence Howard was also spotted in the Giles suite after appearing in the Stand Up to Cancer spot.

Have a tip? Call 215-854-5963, or e-mail grossd@phillynews.com. For recent columns, visit go.philly.com/dangross.