David Raymond

{{Infobox person

| name = David Raymond

| image =

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| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|02|07}}

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| education = University of Delaware

| occupation = Mascot

| years_active = 1978–1993

| known_for = Phillie Phanatic
Mascot Hall of Fame

| notable_works =

| website = {{url|daveraymondspeaks.com}}

}}

David Raymond (born {{birth based on age as of date|69|2025|2|7}}){{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/intelligencer-journal/143291485/|newspaper=Intelligencer Journal|via=Newspapers.com|date=October 24, 1978|page=36|title=Phillie Phantic Clowns With Delighted Park City Crowd|author=Drybred, John}} {{Open access}} is an American sports personality best known as the original portrayer of the Phillie Phanatic. He is considered to have revolutionized the mascot industry and was the Phanatic from 1978 to 1993. Afterwards, he started a mascot business and founded the Mascot Hall of Fame.

Early life

Raymond is the son of legendary University of Delaware football coach Tubby Raymond.{{Cite news|date=August 6, 2021|title=The Mascot Whisperer|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/06/magazine/mascots-gritty-phillie-phanatic.html|newspaper=The New York Times|author=Rubin, Max}} He attended Newark High School where he played football as an end and his team's kicking specialist; in 1973, he was named first-team All-Blue Hen Conference as a specialist while making 2 of 3 field goals and 10 of 13 extra points, and averaging 34 yards per punt.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news/143311198/|newspaper=The Morning News|via=Newspapers.com|date=November 21, 1973|page=8|title=Newark dominates Blue Hen 'all' team}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news/143311429/|newspaper=The Morning News|via=Newspapers.com|date=September 17, 1973|page=24|title=Raymond leads Newark win|author=Feurhake, Herb}} {{Open access}} He participated in the Delaware Blue-Gold All-Star Game.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news/143311269/|newspaper=The Morning News|via=Newspapers.com|date=August 19, 1974|page=23|title=Star marks Taylor-ed}} {{Open access}} Raymond then attended the University of Delaware and played for the Fightin' Blue Hens football team under his father, being the starting punter from 1976 to 1977.{{Cite news|url=https://www.delawareonline.com/story/sports/2024/03/13/delaware-sports-hall-of-fame-adds-9-member-class-of-2024/72941987007/|newspaper=The News Journal|title=Power lifter, Phillie Phanatic, sportswriter among Delaware Sports Hall of Fame 2024 class|author=Holveck, Brandon|date=March 13, 2024}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news/99197932/|newspaper=The Morning News|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 14, 1978|page=19, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news/143371986/ 21]|title=Playing the bird gives ex-punter some new kicks|author=Bodley, Hal}} {{Open access}}

Career

File:Phillies Phanatic5.jpg

Raymond's father was friends with Ruly Carpenter, the owner of the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB), and was able to get Raymond an internship with the team in 1976, working in the promotions department.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-philadelphia-inquirer/48941651/|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 25, 1980|page=209|title=The Man in the Green Feathered Suit|author=Polak, Maralyn Lois}} {{Open access}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31243308/welcome-mascot-hall-fame|publisher=ESPN|title=Googly eyes, Sasquatch suits and a runaway booger: Welcome to the Mascot Hall of Fame|date=April 13, 2021|author=Malooley, Jake}} He was described as "'sort of a gofer' in the Phillies front office, helping with promotions and selling tickets, getting noticed as an affably goofy guy." He returned to the team in 1977.

In 1978, he received a call "out of the blue" from the Phillies and "thought he was going to be fired." Rather, he was offered the opportunity to portray the team's new mascot, the Phillie Phanatic, a large, green, flightless bird. He said "They tapped me because they knew I couldn't say no. 'Hey, stay for the games – we'll pay ya.' 'OK.' And that was it ... They charged me to dress up like a 300-pound green, furry muppet and entertain the same Philadelphia fans who booed Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny! What was I thinking?"

Raymond first portrayed the Phanatic in April 1978.{{Cite web|url=https://desports.org/new-inductees/|publisher=Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame|title=2024 HOF Inductees|date=March 11, 2024}} ESPN noted: "His job description: hex pitchers, taunt managers, pop wheelies on an ATV, devour foul balls in his prominent proboscis and dance like the fictional, lunatic Galapagos Island bird he was portraying." He ultimately served as the Phanatic for 16 years and helped it become one of the most popular and well-known mascots in sports; Raymond is considered to have revolutionized the mascot industry, with The New York Times stating that he "practically invented the modern sports mascot".{{Cite web|url=https://6abc.com/phillie-phanatic-phillies-mascot-history-dave-raymond-designer/13959871/|publisher=WPVI-TV|title=Phillie Phanatic history: Meet the man behind one of the most beloved mascots in sports|author=Ileto, Christie|date=October 24, 2023}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-rock-island-argus/75681239/|newspaper=The Rock Island Argus|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 24, 1991|author=Marx, John|title=Phanatic leaves phans pheeling phantastic}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/sports/gritty-phanatic-philadelphia-mascots-dave-raymond-phillies-flyers-entertainment-20181102.html|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|title=Meet the mascot guru who went from being the original Phillie Phanatic to helping create Gritty|date=November 2, 2018|author=Fitzgerald, Frank|url-access=subscription}} As the Phanatic, Raymond was recognized by several publications as the "Best Mascot in Sports" and the "Best Mascot Ever". He stayed with the team as they made three appearances in the World Series, retiring after the 1993 season.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-journal/143377722/|newspaper=The News Journal|via=Newspapers.com|date=January 30, 1994|page=69, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-journal/143377827/ 75]|title=And now, out of his Phanatic suit, Dave Raymond: 'Naked, I Feel Naked'|author=Helmbreck, Valerie}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-and-review/143377918/|newspaper=Herald and Review|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 19, 1993|page=25|title=Phanatic recalls top moments|agency=Knight Ridder News Service}} {{Open access}}

After his tenure as the Phillie Phanatic, Raymond started his own business designing mascots, the Raymond Entertainment Group. He helped design over 130 different mascots, including Gritty of the Philadelphia Flyers.{{Cite news|url=https://www.inquirer.com/columnists/jefferson-university-mascot-phil-ram-dave-raymond-20240306.html|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|title=The mascot whisperer behind Gritty helped Jefferson University reimagine its mascot|date=March 6, 2024|author=Farr, Stephanie|url-access=subscription}} He founded the Mascot Hall of Fame, a museum in Whiting, Indiana, dedicated to the best sports mascots, and created the "Mascot Boot Camp", an event for developing mascots.{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/never-buy-off-brand-silly-string-and-other-lessons-from-mascot-boot-camp/2016/05/18/7c2110a8-0643-11e6-bdcb-0133da18418d_story.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=Never buy off-brand Silly String and other lessons from mascot boot camp|author=Larimer, Sarah|date=May 19, 2016}}

Raymond now works as a consultant and is a "sought-after speaker on how to bring fun into the workplace". He was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 2024.

David Raymond

Early life

Career

References

Further reading