Randy Wolf got off to a pretty fine start in 1999, his rookie season for the Philadelphia Phillies. He won his first two starts for the team while letting up just three runs total, striking out 13 batters between the two starts. By start #3 on June 22nd, Philly fans were ready to start showing their appreciation for the rook in the best way that they knew how--by starting a small but feverishly devoted cult based on a pun off their new favorite player's last name. Hence, The Wolf Pack, a group of Veteran's Stadium upper-deckers who began attending Wolf's starts, dressed in hairy Halloween masks, and generally reacting uproariously to the young lefty's starts.
Spearheaded by the Wood Brothers, an eight-strong family outfit largely consisting of cops in their late 20s, the Pack quickly caught the hearts of the Philly Phaithful, bringing others into their wild Section 739 fold. "Our first game out here, a bunch of little kids joined us and it was really great to see them up here following our cheers and our dancing to the music," said Kevin Wood. "We encourage people to join us if they'd like." Despite the crazed nature of the mini-cult, they were not completely uncivilized, following three general rules of conduct--no drunkenness, no negativity, and no taking off the masks at any point in the game. They even got formal approval from Wolf himself. "I hear them, sure. It's awesome," Wolf would later say. "I think any time you have a group of people trying to bring a little extra to the games, it can do nothing but good. I love to see that."
Possibly inspired by his new following of devotees, Wolf turned in his third straight excellent start that night, letting up just two runs on three hits in his seven innings and fanning eight in the process, on the way to a 3-2 Philly victory. Wolf's season started much better than it ended, unfortunately, as he hit something of a rookie wall and finished a disappointing 6-9 with a 5.55 ERA. But the Wolf Pack remained devoted, sticking with him as he improved into one of the staff front-enders, peaking with his 16-10 record and an All-Star appearance in 2003, and ending with his signing with the Dodgers as a free agent in 2006. When Wolf returned to Citizens Bank Park as a Padre in 2008, the Pack stuck with the home team, but continued to wish their one-time idol well. "We'd never root against Randy," said Patrick Wood. "But we'd never root against the Phillies, either. So I guess I hope he pitches eight shutout innings and the Phillies win it in the ninth after he's out of the game."
Original Story:
http://www.the700level.com/2009/06/to...
1
1
