PHILADELPHIA (AP) -The city’s first championship parade in 25 years will likely draw hundreds of thousands of Philadelphia sports fans eager to shower the Phillies with brotherly love – and confetti.
The parade for the World Series winners is scheduled to begin at noon on Friday.
“This is a bright and shining moment,” Mayor Michael Nutter said. “We’re going to have a great time.”
The procession is expected to last about 90 minutes and it makes its way approximately four miles to the sports complex in South Philadelphia. There, the team will be greeted by another hundred thousand fans watching the festivities on big screens at the city’s baseball and football stadiums.
Financial Field, where the Eagles play. Free stadium tickets were gone less than 90 minutes after becoming available on the Phillies’ Web site Thursday.
Nutter cautioned fans against the scattered vandalism that marred the revelry after the Phillies defeated the Tampa Bay Rays for the title late Wednesday. Police reported 76 arrests and several vandalized businesses, and they are examining photos and video of the crowds to identify and arrest additional offenders.
“You can be joyous; you cannot be a jackass,” Nutter said. “That kind of idiotic, destructive behavior will not be accepted in the city of Philadelphia.”
Officials also stressed the importance of using public transportation Friday, though they cautioned that buses, trains and subways are likely to be operating at full capacity.
“Patience is going to be critical, and frankly so is common sense,” said Rina Cutler, deputy mayor for transportation.
The last time a Philadelphia team won a major championship was in 1983, when the 76ers won the NBA title. The Phillies won their only other World Series in 1980.
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