Philadelphia newspaper calls Chase Utley ‘most beloved Phillie in history’
Now that his trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers is official, tributes are rolling in for longtime Philadelphia Phillies star Chase Utley.
On Thursday, the Philadelphia Daily News went so far as to call him the “most beloved Phillie in history” on it back-page sports front:
It’s not just hyperbole either. Utley, 36, was drafted in the first round by the Phillies in 2000 and made his debut in 2003, becoming a fan favorite almost overnight. He blossomed into a star as well, being named an All Star five consecutive years and winning four Silver Slugger awards in a row.
Perhaps most importantly, and impressively, he helped lead the Phillies to a World Series title in 2008, their first since 1980 and only the second in their 100+ year history.
Inside the Daily News, the accolades for Utley kept coming from columnist Marcus Hayes:
“In the Mount Rushmore of Philly athletes, his faced is carved with Bobby Clarke, Julius Erving and Brian Dawkins.
These talented men transcended their teams; transcended, even their own achievements, by dint of character, charisma and class. They always will be part of a uniquely Philadelphia landscape, as much as the statue of William Penn atop City Hall or the Art Museum steps.”
Utley was immortalized on the FX series ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ in a classic 2009 episode. For the uninitiated, a character in the series, Mac, writes an equally sweet and pathetic love letter to Utley, complete with stickers, in an attempt to become friends with the star second baseman.
Five years later Utley responded to the letter in a hilarious video for MLB.com. He also had a cameo in a 2010 episode along with Ryan Howard.
Utley finishes his career as not just one of the most beloved Phillies, but one of the most successful on the field, too. He is fourth all-time in bWAR for the Phillies behind Mike Schmidt, Robin Roberts, and Steve Carlton. He is eighth on their all-time list of games played, ninth in hits, and sixth in home runs.
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Ian Denomme is an editor and writer for Yahoo Sports. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter.
