After nearly 15 years of living here, I’m proud to be an adopted son of Philadelphia.
But I like to joke that I’ve been a Yankees fan since I was in the womb – long before I left Central Jersey by crossing the Delaware River. Seeing Derek Jeter hit a home run off of the first pitch of the fourth game of the Subway World Series isn’t something you can ever forget.
I don’t have to be a Phillies fan, though, to be excited by the news that Citizens Bank Park will be hosting the All-Star Game in 2026.
It’s the latest in a slate of events that highlight our city on the national and world stages – from Pope Francis’ visit to our hosting of the NFL Draft.
And it appears that baseball’s announcement may just be the first of many for our city for 2026 – America’s 250th birthday. For those old enough to remember, Philadelphia hosted the MLB, NBA and NHL all-star games during the 1976 Bicentennial. Former Gov. Rendell is among a group seeking to land Super Bowl LX here.
That last one may seem a longshot, but it suggests our city could be host to a range of important sports and cultural events during the Semiquincentennial (we’ve got a few years to get used to saying that word). It all speaks to Philadelphia’s status as a world class city.
I just have one request. Before we roll out the red carpet for baseball’s best, can the commissioner please make the game matter again? The winning league should get home team preference for the World Series.
It’s not my fault that the American League is generally better.
