You're not getting anything for Chrismas!

May 2, 2015 9:44 AM

Frank Olivo, the Santa Claus who was pelted with snowballs at the Philadelphia Eagles game in 1968, has passed away. The Philly native was 19 years old when the Eagles pulled him out of the stands and asked him to fill in for the regular Santa who was snowbound in New Jersey.
posted by The Hamms Bear (33 comments total)

I'm disappointed there's no film of this.
posted by cropshy at 10:06 AM on May 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

At least it wasn't Battery Day at the stadium. I lived in Philadelphia for the better part of two decades, and that city has a good percentage of the world's worst sports fans. Horrible people.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 10:15 AM on May 2, 2015

I'm disappointed there's no film of this.

It's odd to remember that no one bothered with filming everything that (relatively) recently. There isn't even a complete visual record of the first Super Bowl (which was not quite two years before).

I hope that Olivo himself would understand how much I laughed at his obituary. "Lousy cuff links..."

.
posted by Etrigan at 10:18 AM on May 2, 2015 [2 favorites]

I knew nothing about this, but I love that ESPN clip and I was thoroughly charmed by Frank Olivo. It's the best thing ever that he told a guy throwing a snowball that he wasn't getting anything for Christmas that year.

Also, you really absolutely must watch the clip first and then immediately follow the link to the obituary.^†

Mr. Olivo, you will be remembered, and fondly.

^† It's what I did, and then as I read the first sentence of the obit, I went back to the end of the video and checked. Yep. I like this Martha Woodall staff writer person.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 10:18 AM on May 2, 2015

I lived in Philadelphia for the better part of two decades, and that city has a good percentage of the world's worst sports fans.

And it's every fucking sport, too. It's not just the Eagles -- Sixers fans suck, Phillies fans suck, Flyers fans really suck... even pro wrestlers hate going to Philly, because the crowds are intentionally and actively dickheaded.
posted by Etrigan at 10:32 AM on May 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

There are a lot of swell people in Philly too tho
posted by angrycat at 10:35 AM on May 2, 2015

The Gang Goes Back In Time To 1968
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 10:41 AM on May 2, 2015 [6 favorites]

At least it wasn't Battery Day at the stadium. I lived in Philadelphia for the better part of two decades, and that city has a good percentage of the world's worst sports fans. Horrible people.

And it's every fucking sport, too. It's not just the Eagles -- Sixers fans suck, Phillies fans suck, Flyers fans really suck... even pro wrestlers hate going to Philly, because the crowds are intentionally and actively dickheaded.

Oh, it's this idiotic thread again.
posted by Drinky Die at 11:19 AM on May 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Police seek suspect after Bears’ fans stabbed outside Soldier Field

A man was stabbed in a Qualcomm Stadium parking lot at Thursday night’s Raiders-Chargers game, in the second serious incident of fan violence at a Raiders road game this year.

Dodgers Fan Stabbed To Death Outside Of The San Francisco Giants' Stadium

Fan stabbed outside Candlestick Park at Giants-49ers game

Fan stabbed in throat during fight outside stadium after Falcons loss to 49ers

Several stabbed in parking lot after Denver Broncos loss to San Diego Chargers

Fan Critically Injured After Being Beaten in Angel Stadium Parking Lot Following Playoff Game
posted by Drinky Die at 11:26 AM on May 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

You're not helping, though.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 11:27 AM on May 2, 2015 [4 favorites]

Maybe I'm too close to the issue, since I've been a Philadelphia fan (and in particular, a Phillies fan) my entire life, but I feel the perception that Philadelphia sports fans are bad is completely overblown. It's an example of confirmation bias in action, and that's all it is.

Every city has had a few nasty incidents over the decades. Cleveland fans had Ten Cent Beer Night, and that time recently where they pelted the referees with plastic beer bottles as they tried to get off the field of a Browns game. Chicago had Disco Demolition Night, which ended in the White Sox having to forfeit a game. Detroit had the The Malice In the Palace. Boston booed Ted Williams relentlessly. The outfield bleachers of Yankee Stadium spent most of the 70s being one roving fistfight. These are all dismissed as local color -- as fans being passionate or getting into hijinks. But in Philadelphia, it's always seen as being endemic of a larger problem.

Well, it isn't. The sports fan population of every city is one-tenth troglodyte. If that's all you want to focus on, that's all you're going to see. The fans that sit around me at almost every game are both committed and knowledgeable. But trying to get people to believe that is pushing a rope uphill. Just like young kids and Santa Claus, they just want to believe.
posted by workingdankoch at 11:30 AM on May 2, 2015 [4 favorites]

Much as I like to beat up on the other (and obviously lesser) Pennsylvania city, it does get pretty tiresome to keep bringing up a couple of events from decades ago as a way to characterize Philly.
posted by octothorpe at 12:17 PM on May 2, 2015 [3 favorites]

Let's be honest. A fat drunk guy vomiting on a cop's kid could happen ANYWHERE.
posted by delfin at 12:21 PM on May 2, 2015 [3 favorites]

I feel the perception that Philadelphia sports fans are bad is completely overblown. It's an example of confirmation bias in action, and that's all it is.

You had a municipal court inside your stadium. That means that Philadelphia had the perception that Philadelphia sports fans are bad.
posted by Etrigan at 12:23 PM on May 2, 2015 [8 favorites]

Well, it isn't. The sports fan population of every city is one-tenth troglodyte.

If you're ever watching a Mariners game on TV and the stands look even more empty than usual, it's because there's 10,000 fans standing outside at the gate insisting the other guy go in first.

I grew up in the shadow of the Giants/Dodgers and the air of danger at Candlestick, an already ominous place, was palpable. My recollection is seeing police break up fights and people getting hauled off by paramedics at every game.

Anyway, this is a really funny story and if my loser home team brought in a half assed Santa on a freezing day and didn't scrape the foot of snow off my over priced seat, I would have pelted the poor bastard too.

.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 12:27 PM on May 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Police seek suspect after Bears’ fans stabbed outside Soldier Field

A man was stabbed in a Qualcomm Stadium parking lot at Thursday night’s Raiders-Chargers game, in the second serious incident of fan violence at a Raiders road game this year.

Dodgers Fan Stabbed To Death Outside Of The San Francisco Giants' Stadium

Fan stabbed outside Candlestick Park at Giants-49ers game

Fan stabbed in throat during fight outside stadium after Falcons loss to 49ers

Several stabbed in parking lot after Denver Broncos loss to San Diego Chargers

Fan Critically Injured After Being Beaten in Angel Stadium Parking Lot Following Playoff Game

It's perhaps notable that all of these violent crimes took place outside the stadium.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 12:30 PM on May 2, 2015

it does get pretty tiresome to keep bringing up a couple of events from decades ago as a way to characterize Philly.

Cheering on a neck fracture only happened about 14 years ago. It's a bit of a stretch to call that "decades", but whatevs.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 12:35 PM on May 2, 2015

For what it's worth, Philly anecdata:

I have been to many, many Phillies games over the years. Never had a problem with anyone.

I have been to a handful of Flyers games and quite a bit more Phantoms (when they were in Philly) games. Fans from other cities who came and were loud and proud were subject to harassment, occasional drunks, but no security-worthy incidents in my memory.

I went to one Eagles game at the Vet, a Sunday night game against the Falcons (so by no means a rivalry game). We sat about three rows from the front of the upper deck, and I spent about half the game watching the game and half the game watching behind me to make sure I didn't get caught in an inadvertent crossfire. Not that anyone would've aimed at me specifically - I was wearing green, even -- but the scene from Trainspotting where Begbie chucks his glass mug randomly to start a fight came to mind.

The main difference is that, outside of recent years when the Phillies were successful and trendy, tailgating for hours outside of Phillies or Flyers games wasn't much of a thing. Eagles? Getting marinated in the parking lot is half the reason to go.

I have not been to a Sixers game because, well, look at them.
posted by delfin at 12:38 PM on May 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

You had a municipal court inside your stadium. That means that Philadelphia had the perception that Philadelphia sports fans are bad.

Pretty briefly during the last few years at the Vet. There was an incident where a fan shot off a flare gun in the stands during Monday Night Football that got a lot of attention. The court mostly handled things like drunkenness and public urination and fist fights, your average too many people drinking crimes that happened in every stadium at the time. We aren't really talking about stabbing the opposing fan level stuff here which is apparently something that nobody should ever be judged on if it happens five minutes after a game instead of during for some reason.

Cheering on a neck fracture only happened about 14 years ago. It's a bit of a stretch to call that "decades", but whatevs.

KC fans must be the scum of the Earth, they even more recently cheered their own QB being concussed.

Eric Winston blasts Chiefs fans over Matt Cassel injury

Cam Newton calls Panthers fans ‘classless’ for cheering Johnny Manziel injury

And don't forget to trash Carolina fans!
posted by Drinky Die at 12:40 PM on May 2, 2015

You had a municipal court inside your stadium. That means that Philadelphia had the perception that Philadelphia sports fans are bad.

Even the judge they assigned to the stadium court turned out to be crooked.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 12:44 PM on May 2, 2015

well, i really can't offer an opinion on the fans of philidelphia - but i must say i watched part of wednesday's orioles game and i've never seen a more well-behaved group of fans in my life

maybe eagles fans should learn something from that
posted by pyramid termite at 12:45 PM on May 2, 2015 [1 favorite]

Besides, the Santa thing was small potatoes next to my favorite Eagles in the Snow story.

The Eagles and Cowboys have been a celebrated rivalry over the decades, and 1989 was no exception. Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson claimed that Eagles coach Buddy Ryan had put cash bounties on the heads of his QB and kicker, which was denied by Ryan but widely believed. The rematch, two weeks later, was on a very snowy day in Philadelphia and Eagles fans took full advantage, pelting the field, players and CBS Sports announcers with snowballs.

A local politician was seen in the upper deck betting someone that they couldn't hit the field from there with a snowball. He threw it, it nearly hit the back judge, the pol paid up. When contacted by an Inquirer feature columnist, the pol denied it, then called back to fess up and add "if you ask my prominent lawyer friend I was with, he'll lie to you, too." Which he did, and he did.

That politician, roughly two years later, was elected Mayor of Philadelphia.

T'was ever thus.
posted by delfin at 1:13 PM on May 2, 2015 [4 favorites]

It's the lack of a Super Bowl trophy. If they ever win one I think the fans will chill out a bit.
posted by notreally at 4:03 PM on May 2, 2015

The Eagles fan base is already chilled, the move to the new stadium totally changed the atmosphere.
posted by Drinky Die at 4:07 PM on May 2, 2015

That politician, roughly two years later, was elected Mayor of Philadelphia.

And then a pretty decent governor of the state for eight years.
posted by octothorpe at 5:02 PM on May 2, 2015

I'm disappointed there's no film of this.

History will eventually be divided into two segements. Before smartphone and after smartphone.
posted by telstar at 2:26 AM on May 4, 2015

"Keep crying." - Charlie Manuel
posted by snottydick at 9:47 AM on May 4, 2015

I love how football is a sport where fans will go to a stadium in conditions so miserable that there is no possibility of enjoying the game.
posted by 3.2.3 at 4:49 PM on May 4, 2015

That's why they drink and eat for five hours in the parking lot before the game. You don't notice that you're sitting outside in a spitting snowstorm when you're completely blotto on cheap beer and stuffed with kabassi.
posted by octothorpe at 5:11 PM on May 4, 2015

Snow games are incredibly fun. It's the cold wet rainy days that even the beer can't save.
posted by Drinky Die at 10:32 AM on May 5, 2015

Maybe I was too quick in defending Philly fans.
posted by octothorpe at 8:23 AM on May 18, 2015

Maybe I was too quick in defending Philly fans.

At least they're not Texas fans.
posted by snottydick at 10:56 AM on May 20, 2015

I never try and catch balls at baseball games, irrational terror of ending up one of those people vilified for one breach of etiquette or another.
posted by Drinky Die at 11:22 AM on May 20, 2015