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By Ira Kaufman
For the Mirror
Anyone who thinks the NBA Finals, the World Series, or the Stanley Cup Finals should be played at a neutral site was not in Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia for Game 3 of the World Series last Tuesday night.
Philadelphia fans were in a state of euphoria.
The Phillies made an improbable run to the World Series and had split the first two games in Houston -- and the Philadelphia Eagles were undefeated and had just destroyed the Steelers.
Philadelphia has a reputation for having very mean fans (they once booed and threw snowballs at Santa Claus), but last week, in the City of Brotherly Love, love was in the air.
Before the Eagles' game, my friends were concerned for my safety as I exited my car wearing a No. 7 Ben Roethlisberger jersey.
But during the entire game the fans were warm and welcoming -- even offering to buy me a beer in the concession line.
The Monday night rain postponement gave the Philly fans an extra day to get ready for the first World Series game in Philadelphia in 13 long years.
During the games in Miami, New York and Los Angeles, celebrities in the music and entertainment industries are shown on the Jumbotron during the game. However, in Philadelphia, the video board showed only Philadelphia sports legends (and Bruce Springsteen).
The fans were waving their red towels and screaming at a fever pitch during the player introduction. Bryce Harper's monster two-run home run for the Phillies in the bottom of the first added gasoline to the fire of emotion.
As Philadelphia kept adding to its lead with home runs (a World Series record of five), the crowd kept screaming and waving their towels on every single pitch.
The seats were unnecessary in the stadium because no one sat down the entire game. I kept wondering whether I had ever been to a louder and more passionate stadium in my life. Other choices would be Duke-Carolina basketball in Cameron, Steelers playoff games, Penn State-Ohio State Whiteout.
The best comparison I could make was the American Pharoah's triple crown win at the Belmont in 2015 in front of 100,000 fans who screamed on their feet for two minutes and 30 seconds.
For Game 3, though, the pandemonium lasted an entire three hours. Even in the ninth inning, with the Phils holding a 7-0 lead the fans seemed to have super human energy (the stadium does not sell energy drinks) as they did not stop cheering and waving their towels until the final out. I still have marks on my arms and face from accidental towel whips.
As the fans returned the next night for more of a coronation than a game, the Astros' tremendous performance amidst the hysteria was simply remarkable.
Astros' pitcher Christian Javier's six brilliant no-hit innings were followed by three no-hit innings by Abreu, Montero, and Pressly. Houston's five runs in the fifth inning took the life out of the Phils and their crowd, and they exited the stadium before the game was even over.
This was only the second no-hitter in World Series history.
Game 5 was the first close game in the series. I was so lucky to buy online a perfect seat for the game.
Each stadium and arena has a unique design, and my seat was perched between the dugout and home plate, 20 rows up, with no seats in front or back of me -- protected from the towel wavers.
Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander finally got his first World Series win in his ninth World Series start.
When the Astros won Game 6 and clinched the series, I was in Athens, Georgia after the Georgia-Tennessee game.
Bulldog fans were far more interested in partying after the huge win than watching the Astros' Ryan Pressly record the final out of the season.
It was great to see Houston manager, Dusty Baker, after 26 years of managing, win his first World Series title. The Astros fans are ecstatic about winning their first title since their controversial 2017 championship.
But the Phillies were also winners, as the excitement of this playoff run will never be forgotten and will carry through till next year.
Ira Kaufman, an Altoona native, hosts IRA on Sports on trueoldiesfla.com on Monday night from 7-8 p.m. It is also available on Soundcloud & iTUNES, search Ira On Sports. His column appears occasionally.