July 2026
An Open Letter to Philadelphia, PA
Dear Philadelphia—
This letter is addressed to all of you — broadly and without exception. If you carry any affiliation with this city, consider yourself included.
That means Mayor Cherelle Parker and her administration, the City Council, the economic development team, and everyone who worked alongside MLB and the Phillies to secure and execute the 2026 All-Star Game. The volunteers. The hospitality workers. The staff inside and outside Citizens Bank Park. And the fans — especially the fans. More on them shortly.
I realize we're already a few paragraphs in and haven't truly opened this letter. Unconventional, I know. But Philadelphia has inspired me — and who gives a F? The important thing is that Philadelphia gets credited for delivering an amazing week. As long as I convey that message, I don't care if this is the entry of the year, if a paragraph is misplaced, or if I sell a single card, plaque, or piece of memorabilia.
The overarching purpose of this communication is simple: thank you, Philadelphia. Their excellence has been so consistent that this letter is hardly groundbreaking news. Still, people like to be thanked and acknowledged — at least occasionally. At least I do. So I figured I'd better offer some thanks myself.
Plainly, here it is: Thank you, Philadelphia, for once again building baseball and taking it to the next level with an impeccable performance over the past week of All-Star festivities.
They gave you the approval. That means they gave you the trust. That means they gave you the confidence. And you grabbed all of that and ran with it — flawlessly, demonstrating to everyone watching the greatness of your city, the sport, and your local team, which led all of Major League Baseball with six All-Stars this year — one more than the Dodgers and Braves, who each sent five.
The week was revitalizing for me personally. As a Mets fan, I did not get here all that much in my earlier years — but enough to remember what it's like to spend Fireworks Night on the field at The Vet. There was also a long stretch when I would come at least once a year and meet my young cousins from South Jersey for some games at the new park. I miss it. It was great to reminisce about some of that this week. Thank you for that as well.
Now — the fans. In many ways, they were the factor that defined the festivities of the past week. Just like that great stadium, the fans are a bit rigid, very abrupt — and it's so compelling, especially on TV. Not that Phillies fans necessarily care what you think of them. Many probably don't even think about it. They are not performing for the cameras. And that's what makes it so great. They made great television just by living in the moment — believing in the game, enjoying the time with their families and their friends, whether they had just gotten off work in Center City or traveled from a distance further away. Their joy for life, for baseball, for each other — that's the real story of the 2026 All-Star Game.
And here's the question worth asking: did the fans create the players, or did the players create the fans? The honest answer is both — and that's exactly what makes Philadelphia different. It's an ecosystem on passionate autopilot. Once you have it, it feeds itself. The passion in the stands raises the level on the field. The greatness on the field deepens the passion in the stands. Generation after generation, it compounds. That's not an accident. That's Philadelphia.
Undoubtedly, many will say, "Adam, it's just a baseball game, and this particular game doesn't even count for much." But that's where they're wrong. It's not just a baseball game. Baseball is Life. For some of us, it's all we ever had.
Now, certainly, the Founding Fathers and the founding of a nation was probably a bit more important. So too were the two presidential nominating conventions held here over the past quarter century. Guess what? Philly delivered flawlessly during those times as well — whether it was a bid secured by city executives, a championship parade on short notice, or a presidential nominee deciding to hold a rally in the middle of the street on 48 hours' notice. Philly simply buckles down, focuses, prepares, gets to work, and makes it happen. Without fail. Every single time.
Not only has Philly been instrumental in choosing our nation's leaders, but the city has also been asked to crown a king. WrestleMania, two years back — a two-night extravaganza, 120,000 fans at the football stadium, thousands more arriving from all over for a week-long fan fest. Guess who won. The fans did. Because Philly did their job.
So don't let anyone tell you this past week was about just baseball. It may not carry the weight of a political convention or the spectacle of WrestleMania — but if we all took a little more time to relax, spend time with the people we care about, doing things that bring us joy and inspiration, we'd all be a lot better off. That sounds pretty effin important to me.
Look — sometimes it's the most important political moment in a generation. Sometimes it's wrestling. And sometimes, yes, it's baseball — which is slightly more dignified than wrestling, but don't tell the wrestlers I said that. The point is: Philly has learned to dial it up and dial it back. To bring the intensity when it's needed and let the moment breathe when it calls for it. That's maturity with an attitude.
I speak from experience. Back in 1990, Philadelphia threw me out of an arena for defending Dusty Rhodes from Randy Savage at the first SummerSlam, held at the Spectrum. Overtaken with emotion after Savage had clobbered Dusty over the head — after the Million Dollar Man stole his manager, the Sweet Sapphire — I somehow, on instinct, thought it would be a good idea to push the Macho Man and instruct him to "get off him." Security had a different opinion. They took us to the door and told us never to come back. Well, I did anyway. That's how much I love this place. That's what this city does to you.
Of course, I had to refine my antics a little bit — and gladly. What happened at SummerSlam is not something I could anticipate occurring today, not simply because the Macho Man has passed on, but because I'd like to think I've grown up a fair bit since then. And perhaps, from time to time, some Philly fans might consider dialing back the beer bottles and the vulgarity — but that's a private conversation for another time. Overall, we accept you for who you are: courageous, spirited, knowledgeable, passionate, fired-up fans who are among the best in the entire league.
And it didn't start this week. It didn't start with this generation of Phillies. Philadelphia's baseball history is as rich as any city in this sport — Hall of Famers, perennial All-Stars, and local heroes who may never have made a headline outside of South Philly but who meant everything to the people that watched them play. Not every legend gets a plaque in Cooperstown. Some of them are simply blessed by a city that never forgets them. Philadelphia is that city, and it always has been.
Thank you to all who read from start to finish. I know this one ran long — but it was important. Enjoy the remainder of the season, and best of luck during the final stretch of the race for the postseason. Enjoy and be safe.
Best wishes,
ADAM
—ADAM I ECOM, Founder & Commissioner, THE BASEMALL and BASEBLOG
0 comments