Phillies Fan Favorite Spotted at Super Bowl
It's been a slow offseason for Philadelphia Phillies fans since the team re-signed Aaron Nola in November. Despite making a serious push for Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto in December, the Phillies haven't given their fans much to be excited about these past few months.
There was finally a small flurry of team-related news on Super Bowl Sunday. The first story was that Philadelphia added some pitching depth by signing former Detroit Tigers pitcher Spencer Turnbull.
The other noteworthy news item came later in the day when a former Phillies player was spotted at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas with his dad.
Philadelphia legend Shane Victorino posted a picture to social media of him and his dad at Super Bowl LVIII. Victorino's father is apparently a huge San Francisco 49ers fan based on the caption, so he got to see them play against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Unfortunately for the Victorinos, the 49ers lost a heartbreaker in overtime to Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, falling 25-22 after blowing a 10-point lead earlier in the game.
Victorino was more fortunate in his career, winning two World Series rings in three trips to the Fall Classic. He won his first title with the Phillies in 2008 -- helping them beat the Tampa Bay Rays in six games -- before adding another ring with the Boston Red Sox in 2013.
Nicknamed the Flyin' Hawaiian, Victorino spent parts of eight seasons with Philadelphia from 2005 to 2012. He was sent to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the 2012 Trade Deadline before signing with the Red Sox the following offseason.
A two-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner, Victorino became beloved by Phillies fans for his impressive all-around skills and his big smile. While it's been more than a decade since he last played for Philadelphia, Phillies fans will always be grateful for his contributions to the 2008 title team.
