Over the course of their 140-plus year history, the Philadelphia Phillies have built a tradition of playing baseball on holidays that unite fans, families and communities. From the Fourth of July to Easter to Memorial Day, there have been plenty of chances to relax and check out the club in action during various holiday seasons.
This year, the Phillies go for the sweep over the Miami Marlins on Easter Sunday at Citizens Bank Park in the final game of their three-game series. This series is the first time the NL East division rivals have faced off this season, and the first time they will play on Easter since 2022.
Phillies History: Phillies hope to continue Easter Sunday winning tradition
This will be just the 53rd time the Phillies have appeared in action on Easter Sunday since their founding in 1883, thanks to earlier season start dates and local and state laws prohibiting games on Sundays, per The Good Phight. It will also be their third consecutive home matchup.
In 52 Easter Sunday games, the Phillies have compiled a record of 29-22-1. Interestingly enough, Easter is the only holiday that the Phillies have a winning record. They have lost more than they have won on other holidays such as Memorial Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Labor Day, and the Fourth of July.
According to the Good Phight, the first time the Phillies played on Easter was on April 16, 1922, losing their fifth game of the season 10-2 on the road against the Brooklyn Robins, now known as the Los Angeles Dodgers. The first home matchup took place 13 years later in 1935 at the Baker Bowl. It was during this matchup that they had their first and only tie on the day in a 4-4 game against the New York Giants.
Since 2021, the Phillies are 2-2 in four games on Easter Sunday, with both wins coming against the Atlanta Braves. This includes last year’s 5-4 win on March 31 in front of a packed crowd of 42,515 at Citizens Bank Park. The last time they took on the Marlins on Easter was on April 17, 2022, in a forgettable 11-3 defeat.
Phillies adding Phanatic's birthday celebration to Easter Sunday schedule
Adding to the Easter festivities, the Phillies will also celebrate their legendary mascot's birthday on Sunday by wearing their Phillie Phanatic batting practice hats during the game, per Tim Kelly of On Pattison. The Phanatic first debuted in 1978, so this year marks the 47th anniversary of his presence as the official team mascot, a worthy celebration for one of the game's best entertainers.
Following this three-game Easter Weekend set, the next time the Phillies and Marlins will square off will be in mid-June for a four-game series in Miami. Fans will have one more chance to check them out in Philadelphia at Citizens Bank Park when the Marlins come to town from Sept. 23-25.
As far as other holidays go, the Phillies won't be in action on Memorial Day, but fans will have the opportunity to catch them at home this year on Father’s Day against the Toronto Blue Jays and on the Fourth of July against the Cincinnati Reds.