John Brazer’s job is really fun and games with the Phillies

John Brazer expected to get a good job when he left the University of Virginia, but he never expected he’d one day be the world’s happiest 50-year-old guy in a tie. Brazer goes to a park every day. He hobnobs with celebrities. He vacations with a mascot. His business card actually says “Director of Fun and Games.”

His job for the last 23 years has been to promote the Phillies brand . . . essentially however he sees fit.

In 1993, Brazer was working for a consulting company but recently had returned from a stint in Manchester, England, where he coached and played lacrosse for a club team. He expected to become a coach and teacher at a local school, but then he met a Phillies executive at a wedding who told him the team wanted to improve its image.

Brazer, a Haverford School product and lifelong Philly sports fan, couldn't believe his ears. Two months later, he had his "fun and games" job. (The official title is director of publicity.)

This week, he explained to Marcus Hayes how he hustles to get the Phillies brand out there, cozies up to movie stars and rock gods, and how, one steamy spring, he drove the Phillies brand right down Interstate 95.

What was the job, and what has it become?

When I was hired, I was told, "Your job is to get free publicity for the team ... however you can do it." There was no manual. So I built relationships with on-air personalities on the radio, writers, television personalities, weathermen, SEPTA, the Philadelphia Zoo, the Franklin Institute. It's essentially the same, but now social media has entered the equation.

I've hosted a radio show with Ricky Bottalico on Sundays for the last few years.

Whether the team's winning or losing, the fans always love the Phillie Phanatic. What is your relationship like with the Phanatic?

Being the publicist for the Phanatic, I am very tight with him and with the best friend of the Phanatic, Tom Burgoyne. The Phanatic birthday, which happened just a couple of weeks ago? We hit every radio station in town. The Phanatic helps promote Retro Night (June 3), Phans Feeding Families (tonight), whatever we need.

It sounds cozy. Are you guys tight? How do you communicate?

I got to know the Phanatic very well because, three years ago, the Phanatic and I drove down from Philadelphia to spring training in Florida in the Phanatic Van, promoting the team along with way.

When you make a road trip to Florida with the Phanatic, you get to know him pretty well. When we got there, the van smelled like a petting zoo on Low Tide Island. As you know, the Phanatic is from the Galapagos Islands, so, through the years, I've learned to speak Galopogese.

The Phanatic is your most consistent playmate, but you've been spotted hosting people such as Eddie Vedder, Bradley Cooper, Kenny Chesney, and Stone Cold Steve Austin, as well as other luminaries. Some of them even take batting practice with the team. Who's the best hitter?

Bradley Cooper wasn't bad, but the Flyers came over a few years ago and the little defenseman, Kimmo Timonen - it was amazing. He'd never even swung a bat before, but after a couple of swings he got the hang of it. That was probably the most impressive. Want to know the worst?

Of course.

Stone Cold Steve Austin. His muscles were so big he couldn't get around on the ball. I had to throw to him because [then- manager] Terry Francona was running late. I'm throwing to him, and the WWF cameras were filming, too.

We were playing the Orioles, and Will Clark was in the Orioles dugout, watching us, and he yells to me, "Hey buddy! Why don't you throw a little harder!" So I caved to peer pressure, and I threw as hard as I could, which is maybe 65 mph. And I lost the grip and threw it right at Steve Austin's head!

He charged the mound, with his bat in his hand, and I went running into right field. I’m sure it was all captured on the WWF cameras.