Thursday, July 18
By Darren Rovell
ESPN.com

Hall of Phame enshrinement
The costume of the Philadelphia Phillie Phanatic will become
part of the Baseball Hall of Fame's permanent collection.

"I'm excited about this because there was a time period, when the Phanatic was young and the San Diego Chicken was very popular, that purists said that we were a distraction to the game," said Dave Raymond, who wore the costume for its first 16 years (1978-1993). He will be at the Hall of Fame to celebrate the moment on July 27. "With this, baseball is recognizing that entertainment is a very important part of baseball."

According to Raymond, there are about five Phanatic costumes at any given time, each costing more than $8,000. Raymond's replacement, Tom Burgoyne, who has worn the Phanatic costume since the 1994 season, will be in costume at the event. "It's sort of going to be like looking in the mirror," said Burgoyne, who does not talk once inside the costume. "The Phanatic could have an out-of-mascot experience."

During the Phanatic's first season, the costume designers and makers, who also made some of the Sesame Street characters' costumes, offered to sell the copyright on the costume to the team for $5,200, Burgoyne said. At the time, Phillies owner Bill Giles decided to pass. Six years later, perhaps convinced by the fact that the Phanatic generated millions of dollars in additional merchandise revenue, the team bought the copyright for $250,000, Burgoyne said.

Burgoyne's book "More than beards, bellies and biceps: The story of the 1993 Phillies (and the Phillie Phanatic too)" hits stores in September.