The Phillies should have an Immigrant Heritage Night

Nine years ago, I moved to Philadelphia from France. I had always loved the U.S., its culture and history, so when I got a job in sales, I jumped at the opportunity.

I loved so much about Philadelphia right away — including, of course, the food. (I believe it is the best food city in the nation, thanks, in part, to the diversity of the culinary scene.) But other aspects of the place took a bit longer for me to embrace. One was baseball.

I was raised playing soccer and watching soccer and always thought baseball was boring. I know many people — including Americans — who agree.

But as I’ve watched the Phillies over the years, I’ve gotten hooked. And I see so many other immigrants who love baseball as much as I do, including many who play for the team. Nine of the team’s 26 players, or nearly one-third of the roster, were born outside the U.S.

For this reason, and many others, Citizens Bank Park should add an Immigrant Heritage Night every year.

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This month is the perfect opportunity, as June is Immigrant Heritage Month. Every year, the city of Philadelphia’s Office of Immigrant Affairs asks for submissions from events that promote immigrants, their cultures, and what they contribute to our great city. It’s an important time for me, as an immigrant myself, because I spent most of my career in Philadelphia working with immigrants.

Immigrants have become an increasingly important part of Philadelphia. Today, people born outside the U.S. make up nearly 16% of the city’s population, the largest proportion since the 1940s, and we are driving Philly’s growth in jobs and population. If anything, Philadelphia needs more immigrants to fill open jobs and pay taxes to boost our city’s revenue and economy.

Ensuring that immigrants are recognized, valued, and respected has been part of my journey in the U.S., and this is why this is personal to me.

Over the years, baseball — specifically, the Phillies — has become personal to me, too.

For years, baseball was one aspect of American culture I just didn’t get. To me, it looked like a bunch of overpaid dudes standing around, waiting for a ball to fall from the sky into their gloves. Then, during the 2022 season, when the Phillies made the playoffs (and the World Series!) after a long stretch of bad years, my wife’s American family forced me to watch all the games. They went all in, waving towels at home in front of the TV, and talking constantly about the team. I figured, if I was going to get into it, I might as well get into it.

I bought the Baseball Field Guide to start understanding the rules. And my mind was blown.

I had no idea how much control the pitcher must exert, trying to put the ball exactly where he wants in the tiny rectangle of the strike zone so that the ball is hit in a certain way. There are so many different types of pitches to choose from, and all of the details of the sport — including the data and statistics gathered every game — made it feel different from any other. Plus, this team feels special, like they genuinely like each other; they’re easy to root for.

Last season, I watched probably 150 out of the 162 games they played, and I don’t expect this year to be any different. (Especially given their current streak.) I consider myself a die-hard fan, and I spend more money than I should on Phillies gear.

More than the sport, what I love is its diversity. There’s no other major sport in the U.S. that has a higher proportion of immigrants playing the game at the highest levels. According to the MLB, 264 players — nearly 28% of the league — are foreign-born. Nearly 20 countries are represented. (Still no French players, but I can be patient.)

More than the sport, what I love is its diversity.

Both of last year’s MVPs — Ronald Acuña Jr. and Shohei Ohtani — are immigrants. Ranger Suárez, who is from Venezuela, just made history as the first Phillies pitcher to go 9-0 in his first nine starts of the season. Reliever José Alvarado made national news last year because of the struggle he had to go through to be reunited with his family after the visa process was thrown into turmoil when the U.S. suspended diplomatic relations with Venezuela. This is something only immigrants can understand and relate to.

The Phillies should do something to recognize these important players and their experiences as immigrants.

Hosting an Immigrant Heritage Night could also help restore the Phillies’ historic — and historically bad — reputation over race. In 1947, the Phillies manager led the team in shouting racist taunts at Jackie Robinson, and the Phillies didn’t admit their first Black player until 1957, the last in the National League to do so. The team’s first Black player to reach star status, Dick Allen, was never given the treatment he deserved, receiving boos, jeers, and death threats; he wore a helmet to protect himself against fans’ glass bottles.

But in 2020, the Phillies finally recognized Allen for his incredible talent by retiring his number. This is proof that change and recognition can happen.

All year long, the Phillies celebrate different communities and important issues. Next month, there are games devoted to Pride and Jewish heritage, and later this season, the park will honor German and Italian heritages. This is commendable, and something the organization should keep doing.

I simply suggest adding one more theme event, an Immigrant Heritage Night, to recognize immigrants the same way we recognize many other communities. Let’s celebrate the great players and fans who made Philly their home and have a huge impact on the team.

And when it happens, I’ll be there at Citizens Bank Park, cheering for the best team in baseball.

Ben Rush-Goebel is director of programs at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. He is a longtime advocate for immigrants, a die-hard Phillies fan, and he lives in Point Breeze.