Dave Raymond, The Original Phillie Phanatic, Teaches Us The Power Of Fun

Dave Raymond has influenced your life already and you may not even know it!

The 67 year old Delaware native is the original ‘Friend’ of the Phanatic. He was the first person to step into the costume. That was in 1978, when Dave was a summer intern with the Phillies. He continued as the Phanatic’s friend until 1993.

That’s nearly two decades of Belly Bumps and Whammies.

These days Dave continues to bring joy into peoples lives, sans the green fur. The happiness thought leader is a keynote speaker, entrepreneur and mascot whisper. Heard of Gritty? Dave was part of that.

By the end of the conversation, we were all motived to add positivity to the world. It’s all about The Power of Fun. That’s the focus of Dave’s message and the title of his new book.

For someone who spend two decades speaking though body motion, Dave sure has a lot to say now! We were captivated by each one of his stories. From the first day that Bill Giles asked him to put to the suit on, to how he perfected each classic Phillie Phantic move.

On his second day as a mascot, Dave was on Captain Noah as the Phanatic. That’s how many moments in his career occurred. Sporadically and going with the flow. The only instructions he was ever given were to have fun and keep it G-rated.

There was of course the famous interactions with Tommy Lasorda. Turns out, there was a little bit of acting on both ends. Tommy knew Dave’s father, Delaware Blue Hens Hall of Fame coach Tubby Raymond, so there was already a history.

The new book, The Power of Fun, focuses on valuing things we take for granted. Dave’s goal was to write about his passion and be proud of it.

Success on all accounts. Enjoy this inspirational conversation with Dave Raymond loaded with funny stories and proud Phillies moments that will stay with you forever.

Hollywood couldn't write a better story than the Philadelphia Phillies' no-hitter game on August 9, 2023. Game 3 in the series against the Washington Nationals could not have gone any better.

The Philadelphia Phillies are going through a very positive phase right now, kicked off by the city's rally behind a struggling Trea Turner.

On August 9, the team made magic. The game was a no-hitter, but more noteworthy things happened in the same game. For one, Nick Castellanos hit two home runs, hitting 200 overall career home runs.

Another highlight was the home run hit by Weston Wilson in the second inning. Wilson, at 28 years old, hit his first major league home run during his first-ever major league at-bat. How amazing is that? The Phillies called Wilson up from the minors just days prior. On the third pitch Wilson saw, the left fielder hit one into the seats in left-center. His teary-eyed family watched on.

Then, in his home debut for the Phillies, just a week after being traded, pitcher Michael Lorenzen threw a no-hitter. This was the Phillies' first no-hitter at home since Roy Halladay pulled it off in 2010. Lorenzen's mother, wife, and young daughter watched on. Lorenzen said it became clear to him in the fifth inning that a no-hitter was entirely possible. By the eighth inning, seeing that Rob Thomson had not pulled Lorenzen out yet, it was clear to fans that it could happen, too.

Thomson, just before the eighth, gave Lorenzen 20 more pitches, with a warning to be "efficient." And efficient he was.