Having a ball at the park

As Mike and Kathy Spychalski watched their three boys run around the Phanatic Phun Zone, crawling through tubes, peeking out from high perches and shooting down plastic slides, it was easy to see what brought them out to Citizens Bank Park: the fun.

It certainly wasn't the weather, after all.

For a very chilly Businesspersons' Special earlier this month, the family of five from Wilmington enjoyed a day at the ballpark. Kathy sat with a bag of goodies at her side, the boys snaked their way through the tubes and slides at the Phun Zone, and all was well off the field, if not on it (the Phillies would lose to the Braves, 8-4).

"It's really fun to come to the games," said 9-year-old Matthew as his brothers, Will, 5, and Andrew, 4, looked on. "It's nice to see the Phillies hit home runs!"

The Phillies know that families are their bread and butter, and Citizens Bank Park offers plenty to appeal to them: the Phanatic Phun Zone, "arcade" games near Bull's BBQ where kids can around the bases or take their best shot at a giant pinball game. Kids can build their own Phanatic on the main concourse or shoot through a giant Phanatic Sneaker Slide on the upper-level concourse.

For the Spychalski family, the fun and games are a prelude to the baseball.

"It's a way to get some of their energy out before the game. We're usually in our seats by the national anthem," Mike said, "But first, we need to wear 'em down a little."

They go to about 10 games a year, divided between the Phillies and the Wilmington Blue Rocks, a minor-league team in Delaware.

"[The Blue Rocks] are more economical," Kathy said. "It's cheaper, so you don't feel as bad about leaving early if the kids get restless. But this is more of a real family outing for us."

The Phillies will celebrate Ryan Howard Kids' Opening Day on Saturday, with children ages 14 and younger receiving a free baseball featuring the MVP slugger. Young fans also will be selected for specific ballpark "jobs."

This year, the park added the Pin Trading Center at the Majestic Clubhouse Store, featuring collectible player pins.

Another hit with families: the Phanatic Phood Cart and Phanatic Kids Corner, concession stands that offer smaller portions for tinier appetites - not to mention smaller prices.

But kids aren't the only ones who can have a blast at Phillies games. College nights are scheduled throughout the season (there's one tonight and another on April 26). These specials offer $7 discounts online and $4 in person or over the phone, often coinciding with Hatfield Dollar Dog Nights.

Tanya Battastini is a 27-year-old student at St. Joseph's University and an importer/exporter. Battastini works hard, but she finds the time - and the money - to play hard, too.

Waiting outside at McFadden's for her friends to arrive, she said that she "bleeds more green than red" - sorry, Phillies, it's a football town - but enjoys a baseball game.

"It's a great park, the fans are great, it's just all about a good time out here," Battastini said. She often meets her friends at McFadden's, but likes to bring her 7-year-old nephew to ballgames, too.

Chip Malloy, Jude Andrews and Brian Glynn, who all work at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, had their green Phillies gear on - it's always St. Patrick's Day with names like Malloy, Andrews and Glynn - as they waited for munchies in McFadden's.

"We go to at least a dozen games a year," Malloy said. He and his friends have been on a sporadic baseball-cities tour, with stops in Chicago, Pittsburgh and Cleveland and more planned in Boston, Atlanta and Baltimore.

"When it was just the Vet here, there wasn't much to do. It was like a concrete wasteland," Glynn said. "Now, you don't even have to watch the game. There's so much more to do, and all the bars are new . . . Chickie's and Pete's, McFadden's, Benny the Bum's."

Still, the ballclub is the real draw, especially in this year of high optimism. "We're expecting a lot from our Phillies this year!" Andrews said.

Before Sunday's 1:35 p.m. game against the Houston Astros, the Phillies will honor the 60th anniversary of the day Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, April 15, 1947. For The Inquirer's series on Robinson go to go.philly.com/jackierobinson

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