It takes a special kind of idiot to be a fan of the losingest team in American professional sports history. 

But here we are. And here I am.

Despite their knack for coming up short, the Phillies have won the World Series twice in my lifetime. The first when I was six years old, living in Washington DC, and not quite a diehard yet. The second was in 2008, and I remember exactly where I was sitting, what I was wearing and what beer I was drinking when Brad Lidge sealed the deal in Game 6.

The next decade and a half was pretty miserable for Phillies fans, so when the team made an improbable playoff run in 2022, it was officially Red October in my world. That meant sleeping in my Chase Utley jersey, wearing my Phillies hat everywhere including nice restaurants, and toting my 2008 rally towel around like a woobie. 

To up the postseason vibes, I shopped around for a Phillies pennant to hang in my house. But nothing I found was going to pass the “Would my wife allow this inside our home?” test, let alone my own standards for design. 

I even scoured Etsy, where I was sure I’d find something unique and interesting. No luck.

But I did find inspiration there. A handful of shops were selling handmade canvas pennant flags and banners adorned with cities and states, funny quotes, baby names and surf spots. Nothing Phillies, though. 

So I decided to make one myself. I bought some fabric, thread and a sewing machine, and for the next few months—long after the baseball season ended—I sketched, sewed, painted and patinated my way to creating a Phillies pennant I’d proudly put on display: an authentic tribute to the Fightins, as we insufferable fans love to call them.

It felt vintage, like it was made sixty years ago. It felt handcrafted, like some kind of fan art. And most important, it felt like it played nice with the rest of our home decor.