It’s fall in Philadelphia, and this year, it’s special. The Phillies get a chance to beat New York at their own game (baseball, invented in Cooperstown, NY in 1839). Last year’s World Series victory saw an uproarious city with a reason to celebrate violently, and that they did. As a city not used to such occasions, there were some disastrous outcomes, mainly for Robinson’s Luggage at Broad and Walnut, the only store in downtown Philly to be looted that night (people just wanted quality suitcases…for free). A day before this year’s NL championship game, the city had workers grease up all the poles along South Broad St. This cartoonish precaution was taken as an honest attempt to protect Philadelphians from themselves.
Rather than concern, users in the realtime search realm are showing excitement at the potential of a riot. And not just the glory of one riot (sorry, couldn’t resist), but several. Game 1 win last night got loud. Game 2? Riot. Game 3? Riot even if it’s a loss…nay, especially if it’s a loss. There will be gatherings. But they’re not really as violent as you would guess. At least they’re not until the police show up. It’s never a fight until there are two sides, and before Philly’s finest show up in cars, on bikes, and on foot, people are usually having a good time. Though that good time will eventually turn violent in conjuntion with alcohol, police presence simply expediates the process. After the NL championship last week, people did the traditional thing and started marching up Broad St. from the stadiums to City Hall. Within ten minutes, I saw a girl get dragged into the back of a police van, all the while screaming that the cop escorting her was breaking her arm as other cops dumped her purse onto the street and kicked through the contents. Ah. Baseball.
