Fans waited 157 days for this moment: Phillies opening day

It’s been 157 days since the Phillies last played baseball at Citizens Bank Park, and the fans were hungry.

Their joy was encapsulated by Zoe Sminkey, 5, who was vibrating with excitement Friday prior to the Phils-Braves game, a jumping, twirling, beaming fan eager for the first pitch.

Zoe’s dad, Zachery, drove the pair from their Woodstown, Salem County, home to the ballpark early, not for tailgating, but to soak in the sights and sounds of Phillies baseball returning to life.

“The Phillies are going to win! Alec Bohm’s my favorite,” said Zoe, who’s been coming to Phillies games since she was a baby.

Zack Sminkey is the kind of die-hard Phils fan who had an opening day outfit planned out for months — matching, custom-made shirt and shorts with Bryce Harper’s face, cheesesteaks, and American flags printed on it.

And while he was not executing “Go Phils” jumps the way his daughter was, Zack was still pretty pumped, the bitter end of the team’s 2023 playoff run still in his mind.

“After that brutal end, I need a new start,” Sminkey said. “I’m feeling good — they’re going to start the season off strong.”

Monty Anderson didn’t have a ticket to Friday’s Phillies home opener, but he came to the ballpark early anyway, decked out in his Phils finery, just to soak in the sights.

“Let’s gooooo,” shouted Anderson. “Ring the bell!”

Anderson drove around the third base gate entrance area in his motorized scooter. He’s due to have hip surgery on Wednesday, but the fans’ energy is his medicine, the South Philadelphia resident said.

“I get chills all over my body now that it’s here,” Anderson said. “Now that the season is here, that keeps me inspired. It’s the fans that keep me up.”

Anderson is a Philly sports guy who bills himself as the Eagles, Phillies, Flyers and Sixers “#1 hype man” on social media, and he means it. As he zoomed around the perimeter of the park, people stopped to take his picture. He waved and moved his head back and forth to jingle the Liberty Bell affixed to his red cap.

“It’s just a blessing to be a fan,” Anderson said. “The Braves are back in town, the Phillies are going to beat them down!”

McKinley Kraynak has the opening day thing down pat.

She’s 9, a fourth grader from Phoenixville, and she was pumped to take in the first game of the season — again.

“It’s my ninth opening day, but it should be my tenth,” said McKinley. (”Stupid COVID” meant no one attended opening day in 2020, she explained.)

Like most of the capacity crowd that streamed into the ballpark, McKinley felt good about the home team going into the 2024 season.

The Phillies ultimately fell to the Braves, 9-3, in the season opener, but McKinley and many other fans were playing the long game.

“We’re going to win,” she said. “A lot.”