See you later, alligator! Phillies fan's emotional support animal denied entry to stadium

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, a fan named Joie Henney arrived at the stadium walking Wally on a leash, claiming the nearly five-foot alligator was his service animal.

Per the Phillies official website, Citizens Bank Park's policy on support animals says "Certified service dogs or service dogs in training for guests with special needs are welcome. All other animals are prohibited."

Apparently, Wally has a heavy following on social media and is known around the city. According to an ESPN and Reuters report, the gator had nearly 26,000 followers as of Thursday morning on its Instagram account (@wallygatornjoie) and over 100,000 more on TikTok (wallythealligator).

The ESPN and Reuters report also noted that a bizarre animal being denied entry into a baseball stadium isn't completely unprecedented, but it could be a bad omen for the Phillies.

"Wally's denied entry drew comparisons to the famous 'Curse of the Billy Goat' involving the Chicago Cubs. In 1945, William Sianis put a curse on the Cubs when he and his goat were denied entry into a World Series game at Wrigley Field," the report said. "Outraged at not being able to watch his beloved Cubs, Sianis placed the curse on the team, saying they would never again win a World Series."

The Cubs' World Series drought continued for 71 years after the curse started before finally winning their first title in 108 years in 2016 against the Cleveland Indians.

The Phillies won their most recent World Series in 2008. They made it back to the Fall Classic in 2009 (losing to the New York Yankees in six games) and in 2022 but lost in six games to the Houston Astros.