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A ‘super impressive’ first Philly All-Star Game in 30 years was a hit with fans

The game itself might have been a little boring, but that didn’t damper the excitement of local and visiting fans at Citizens Bank Park.

Fans cheer for the Phillies' Kyle Schwarber during the third inning of the All-Star Game on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park.
Fans cheer for the Phillies' Kyle Schwarber during the third inning of the All-Star Game on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park.Read moreYong Kim / Staff Photographer

The big winners of All-Star Weekend? Philly fans.

The All-Star Game itself? Pretty boring, even by its own standards. The American League strung together three runs off Cristopher Sánchez in the first inning, and the only other run of the game was Miguel Vargas’ home run in the eighth.

The National League got just three hits, none from a Phillies player. But for the fans in the building, the pageantry of the day made it well worth the trip.

» READ MORE: This 17-year-old from Lower Merion was booed during the Home Run Derby. He called it ‘an honor’

“It was super impressive,” said Stefanie Lollis, a Phillies fan who flew up from Lake Mary, Fla., with her husband for the game. “A lot of the stuff that was around it on the field: the fireworks, the different things, the kids riding out on their bikes.

“It’s very touching, some of the little moments they had out there in between innings and stuff,” said her husband Chris Lollis. “I figured Philly would do a great job with this. I’m very impressed.”

Demand was so high for the All-Star Game and the Home Run Derby that prices on secondary markets outpaced the World Cup semifinal between France and Spain on Tuesday. But fans found plenty of ways to get in the All-Star spirit outside of just the two marquee events, at the All-Star Village and the red carpet.

The All-Star red carpet at Independence Hall was open to the public without tickets. One father and son waiting on the bleachers hoping for a glimpse of Mike Trout flew in from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., for the weekend.

The trip was a Christmas gift for Oscar Borello, who attended the All-Star Game with his father in 1989 in Anaheim. While Tuesday’s game didn’t provide a moment quite as iconic as the leadoff 448-foot Bo Jackson home run in that game, he cherished the opportunity to share the experience with his own son.

“Philadelphia is the best city that we’ve traveled to as tourists,” Borello said. “It’s phenomenal to share this with my son.”

» READ MORE: All-Stars weigh in on Philly fans’ boos during Home Run Derby, receive a (mostly) warm reception on the red carpet

He was curious to hear the reception to Millville native Trout, returning to the All-Star festivities for the first time since 2023, and starting in the game for the first time since 2019. “I hope it’ll be good. I think Mike Trout being healthy is good for the game of baseball in general” Borello said.

Trout earned a huge ovation, and so did Delco native Kevin McGonigle, playing in his first career All-Star Game. Justin Verlander, retiring at the end of the year, also got big cheers.

Aside from the Phillies themselves, though, they were basically the only ones. After earning some scrutiny for heavy boos during the Home Run Derby, Philly fans came right back on Tuesday, booing every player on an NL East team, teams they’ve recently lost to in the playoffs (Houston, Arizona, the Dodgers), the Yankees, Home Run Derby champion Jordan Walker, and also the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski. Not even the mascots were safe — Mr. and Mrs. Met might’ve been booed louder than any player.

But, despite Kyle Schwarber’s loss, that electric Home Run Derby crowd was the highlight of the weekend, even for those who came in neutral.

“The Home Run Derby was just awesome,” Adam Dashner, who drove in from Pittsburgh with his dad for the weekend. “I think Philadelphia is a good city for that. They played up the heckling for everybody who’s not a Phillie. It was a real hometown crowd. I loved it.”

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