Category: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Local News

Q&A

As part of our remembrance of the good, the bad and the ugly that was Veterans Stadium, which we imploded 20 years ago this month, we just had to learn more about the Phillies Hot Pants Patrol. Read our complete coverage of Veterans Stadium lore here.

These days, Arlene Nisson Lassin is a 68-year-old grandmother in Texas. But in the late ’70s and early ’80s, she was a member of the Phillies’ Hot Pants Patrol at Veterans Stadium. Here, she talks Playboy magazine, Mike Schmidt, and what it was like wearing patent leather boots in the July heat.

Explain exactly what you did as a member of the Hot Pants Patrol.
We’d hang out in the boxes with businessmen and sometimes act as usherettes to help people find their seats, and we’d serve food in the field boxes, all while wearing our red hot pants and white patent leather boots. When the team would do promotions where you could meet a player, we’d be there, too, smiling as wide as could be. We were eye candy.

Dare I ask what the audition process was like?
I went through a three-stage interview process, my final meeting being with Bill Giles, who eventually became team president. They all certainly looked you up and down to make sure you had the right figure. You also had to have poise and a nice smile and a certain kind of presence. Plus, you had to be a huge Phillies fan.

Did it pay well?
I don’t remember what the Phillies paid, but it was decent. The real money came from all the tips. Guys would regularly tip me $5, and it wasn’t unusual for me to get a $50 tip from the field boxes or luxury suites. That was huge in 1979. I paid my way through Temple undergrad and graduate school with those tips.

Were you ever harassed or mistreated?
We walked a very fine line. We were there to be sexy. There were some guys who would take a few too many pictures from every angle, and some guys would get drunk and act rude, but we had very, very good security. Looking back, I never felt demeaned or abused, and I’m quite the feminist.

Is it safe for me to assume that players did their best to get with members of the patrol?
Oh, you bet! [laughs] But I’m not naming names. There were some girls who were really into that. But most of us had significant others and took no interest.

What did your significant other think of all this hot-pants business?
Well, I met my boyfriend while I was in my hot pants: He was a hot-dog vendor at Veterans Stadium, and he wanted a hot-pants girl! You could say it worked out, since we’re married to this day.

Did any players stick out to you as stand-up guys, no bit of sleaze to them?
Absolutely. Tug McGraw and Mike Schmidt. They were dolls. Just perfect gentlemen. They were completely respectful and so, so friendly.

Were there ever any big scandals?
Oh yeah! Playboy ran this feature in ’79 claiming there was a secret room where visiting players “met” girls. It was just an ugly rumor, but there was a lot of backlash to it, and the Phillies made our outfits a little less sexy. We were soon allowed to wear sneakers, which was a good thing, because patent leather boots aren’t very comfortable outdoors in July.

Any regrets?
No, none. I mean, it was an incredibly sexist thing, but it worked for me. I’ve told all my kids the war stories. They’ve seen all the pictures. My daughter, who is really feminist, told me, “That sounds like the coolest possible way to work your way through school.” And it was.

Published as “Hot Pants Girl” in the March 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

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Once upon a time, a long time ago — before big venues became high-stakes, high-cost propositions brimming with luxury amenities — life was so much simpler. Those were the days when we camped out in line for Pink Floyd tickets instead of getting ensnared by online ticket fiascos that prompt federal investigations. When star players weren’t paid hundreds of millions of dollars to entertain us. When the city had to install a resident judge to try and keep fans in line. It was a time when we had … the Vet.

Veterans Stadium took forever to build. It wasn’t very pretty. Our teams didn’t always (or even very often) win inside its walls. But the Vet was ours in a way that its successors (we’re looking at you, too, 76 Place) never quite turn out to be. It was where we cheered loudly, booed even more loudly, and, yes, punched and pissed our way through the 700 level. In honor of the 20th anniversary of the 62-second implosion that brought it all tumbling down, we look back at that simpler — and far more affordable — time.

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When You Could See Madonna for $21

When Madonna played the Met on Broad Street in December of 2019, some mega-fans paid thousands for tickets. And that show was not at all good. But let us transport you back to 1987, when seats for Madonna playing at Veterans Stadium went for just $21. This wasn’t Madonna’s first tour — that would have been the Virgin Tour, which brought her to the Spectrum. This was the Who’s That Girl tour, her first really, really big show — and some fans bitched that the $21 tickets were too expensive. After all, the Virgin tickets went for $15.

Organizers defended the pricing, saying this was a much more ambitious production, with lots of costume changes and special effects. Then there was the fact that Madonna reportedly demanded a guarantee of $500,000 per show. As for the Veterans Stadium performance itself, thanks to the magic of the internet, there’s a clip from Channel 3 of her singing “Open Your Heart.” And, well, let’s just say it’s a little hard to listen to. Thank God that auto-tune now exists.

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I Had 700-Level Season Tickets And Lived to Tell the Tale

I walked into the Eagles ticketing office down at the Vet with my checkbook in my hand — this was 1996 — and told the lady behind the desk that I wanted cheap tickets, but that I didn’t want to get wet when it rained and I wanted to be able to see the Phanavision. She put me in 725, the last row. The seats were under the skyboxes, so if it did rain, we were dry. I wrote out a check for $460: $23 per ticket for two tickets to each game, 10 games. Can you imagine what they’d be worth today?

We were lured to the 700 level because of the tales we’d heard about the place. We were all kids who went to a very strict Catholic school where everything was about penmanship, being quiet, and standing in a ­single-file line. But we’d heard about this place where men could misbehave and get away with it. Keep reading …

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Who Else Camped Out For Tickets?

These days, when a big stadium show goes on sale, you sit at your computer, desperately waiting for a place in the queue — a queue that hopefully doesn’t crash. A queue that may very well lead to investigations by the state attorney general as well as the Congress of the United States (see: Taylor Swift ticket fiasco).

When the Vet was around, the ticket-buying experience involved basically zero technology and was a whole lot more fun, because we camped out for tickets down at the stadium all night. That’s right. We had tents. We had beach chairs. And we had lots and lots of drugs and alcohol, and there was always this wonderful sense of community. One Philly Mag staffer got so stoned camping out (in the rain!) for Pink Floyd tickets in 1988 that he asked his companion to take him to the hospital, which his friend refused to do because they’d lose their place in the, yes, queue. So much for that sense of community!

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By the Numbers

$63 Million

Total cost to build the Vet. Original estimates were around $23 million. The City Controller accused Mayor James Tate of being deceitful about the cost.

65,352

Capacity of Veterans Stadium. Citizens Bank Park holds 42,901, while the Linc squeezes in 67,594.

$10,000

Bribe that the city’s stadium liaison, Harry Blatstein, agreed to take from the seat supplier. (Yes, Harry was Bart’s dad.)

4:40 a.m.

Ending time of a Phillies/Padres game on July 3, 1993. Blame rain delays. It goes down in the record books as the latest ending time for any MLB game. (We won!)

$4.40

Cost of hot dogs, soda and ice cream for a family of four at the Vet in 1971. There were complaints, since the same meal bought in New York or Pittsburgh cost just $3.60.

$39,800

Average NFL QB salary in 1971, the year the Vet opened. We don’t know exactly what Eagles quarterback Pete Liske made that year. But eventual Eagles great Harold Carmichael, then in his rookie year as wide receiver, took home just $13,000.

$9,500,000

Donovan McNabb’s salary in 2004, the year we imploded the Vet. It was the fourth year in a row McNabb carried us to the NFC championship game.

$51,000,000

Jalen Hurts’s salary these days. With a first-class stadium like the Linc, you need first-class money, right?.

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Sometimes Seats Are Too Close to the Field

When you go to a sporting event, naturally, the seats closest to the field are among the most coveted. But when the Vet debuted, in 1971, some of the seats closest to the field were a little too close. The first row of seats at the Vet, behind the players’ bench, was at ground level. So you couldn’t see much of anything if players or staffers were sitting on or, worse, standing at the bench. State Senator Ben Donolow paid $8 for such a seat and immediately took to the floor of the state Senate to rail against the Eagles and threaten the team with legal action. Donolow told the press that the Eagles were willing to give him a new seat for the next game. But Donolow said “I’m doing this on behalf of the fans.”

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When There Were Lots and Lots of Stunts

Former Phillies owner Bill Giles loved him some stunts, so ridiculous ones became a regular part of Opening Day at the Vet. There was Kiteman, who year after year attempted to glide into the stadium and deliver the ball to the pitcher’s mound for the ceremonial first pitch. He rarely succeeded and once crashed so hard that Giles thought he’d died. Also gracing the place? Cannon Man. Rocket Man. The much-less-insane-sounding Parachute Man. And who can forget the World’s Largest Jumping Easter Bunny?

The most, er, esteemed of the various stunt performers was undoubtedly Karl Wallenda, the daredevil who walked across the Vet on a tightrope in 1972. The show almost didn’t go on when Wallenda complained the line wasn’t tight enough, but the Phillies added a bunch of staffers to pull on and stabilize it. In the midst of his performance, Wallenda had to sit down because the wire was swaying so much. He was eventually able to finish, even throwing in a headstand over second base. Alas, the Phillies lost the game that day.

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A Huge Eagles Cheerleaders Scandal

By 2001, Veterans Stadium was really falling apart, its dilapidated status noted by players, commentators and the general public alike. One problem that wasn’t discussed publicly: the holes and cracks in the walls of the visiting football team’s locker room. Why is that important? Because the visiting football team’s locker room was immediately adjacent to the Eagles cheerleaders’ dressing room, and — well, we think you see where we’re going with this.

A New York Times investigation revealed that this was a well-known secret among NFL players, who for years spied on the cheerleaders in various states of undress and, at times, completely naked. Teams would pass on the “tip” to other teams, and some players reportedly got into shoving matches to get a peep.

Dozens of Eagles cheerleaders eventually filed a combined lawsuit against dozens of teams and unnamed football players. (A giggly Mike Wells, then a defensive lineman for the Chicago Bears, assured the Chicago Fox affiliate that the allegations were true. Wells, who was released by the Bears right after the segment aired, is now a high-school football coach.)

Naturally, all of this caught the attention of Jon Stewart, who jested on The Daily Show, “Eagles management has since vowed that Vet Stadium will be torn down and replaced with a new stadium with luxury peepholes.”

The case was eventually settled for an undisclosed amount of money.

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Some South Philly Neighbors Said No to the Stadium

Amid the current controversy surrounding the proposed Sixers arena in Center City, it’s worth remembering: The Vet wasn’t exactly welcomed by its South Philly neighbors in the early days. A civic organization with the longest acronym ever (CCCOPSSSP, which stood for “Combined Citizens Committee Opposing the Proposed Stadium Site in South Philly” … whew!) held rallies to try to halt construction, with members carrying signs with messages like “100% Against Stadium,” “So. Phila Is No Dumping Ground,” and “Are We Expendable?” They even sued to try to keep the stadium out of their backyard. Obviously, they lost.

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The Great Metallica Parking Lot Concert of 1997

Getting things done in Philadelphia is rarely easy. Metallica learned that the hard way when they wanted to do a free outdoor show in 1997 to promote a forthcoming album. The heavy-metal band reached out to cities and towns all across the country but hit lots of dead ends. “We’ve been turned down by some of the finest municipalities in the country,” drummer Lars Ulrich said in a statement. “We want this to happen, and we’re hoping that somebody out there can cut through all the bureaucracy and find a place for us to have a little fun with a few thousand of our closest friends.”

The band announced an 800 number and asked fans to call in with nominations for cities and venues. Radio stations got involved in an attempt to have their cities play host, and that included WYSP. Philly fans dialed the number in force, and Metallica came to an agreement with the management of the South Philly sports complex to hold the free performance in the parking lot right outside the Vet.

When neighbors and City Council got wind of this, they pressured complex management to move the show indoors, to the Spectrum (RIP). Metallica said hell no, and the dispute wound up in federal court. In the end, Metallica — and tens of thousands of their crazed fans — got their free parking-lot show. No riots broke out. No major arrests. In fact, the Daily News noted that the “heavy-metal mob … was tamer than the 700 level” had been at a recent Eagles Monday Night Football game.

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The Problem With Eagles Court

Bad behavior at the Vet became so infamous, particularly during Eagles games, that the city famously installed a holding cell and courtroom there in 1997, to deal with unruly fans in a hyper-expedited manner. One person in particular wasn’t too fond of Eagles Court, as it became known: John Street.

Just after its debut, the pugilistic then-City Council president fired off a letter to then-mayor Ed Rendell complaining that the court was far too easy on offenders relative to how they’d be treated elsewhere. “If some folks in North Philly or West Philly or Germantown or Kensington, if they get into trouble, they get arrested and taken to the … Roundhouse, and they have to go through the process,” Street said in an interview at the time. “It seems a little unfair to everyone else that these people who are equally obnoxious, if not more so, get a chance to go right down and pay a fine and sometimes get back to the rest of the game.” Eagles Court didn’t outlive the Vet. Arrests inside the Linc are handled the old-fashioned way, though they’re few and far between.

A single judge, Seamus McCaffery, ruled over the court at the stadium for a long time. Fans who misbehaved usually pleaded guilty, paying fines of between $150 and $300 and occasionally having to perform community service. In the final year of the Veterans Stadium jail, more than 300 NFL fans were arrested.

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The Scourge of the AstroTurf

AstroTurf was invented by Monsanto in 1965, so it was the hot new product when the Vet opened its doors in 1971. The gloriously green fake grass required little maintenance, but players soon learned to hate it.

The turf led to more injuries — 16 percent more than on natural grass, according to a later study. Plus, AstroTurf was susceptible to tears, rips and bulging, all of which could create an uneven playing surface that led to more problems.

The Vet’s AstroTurf controversies continue to this day, with concerns that the stuff contained chemicals that caused cancer in some players. Last year, a pair of enterprising Inquirer reporters had old Vet AstroTurf samples they’d purchased on eBay lab-tested for harmful substances, and sure enough, they found some, though it hasn’t been scientifically proven that those substances were directly tied to the cancers in question. The NFL Players Association, with the help of prominent members like our own Jason Kelce, has been calling on the NFL to rule that all football fields must be natural grass. The Linc and Citizens Bank Park both feature the real deal.

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A Timeline of Stadium Love and Hate

1954

The first proposal for a new sports stadium in the city comes as the Phillies and Eagles are sharing utterly run-down Connie Mack, built in 1909. The $10 million plan came from Fairmount Park commissioner John B. Kelly Sr. — father of Grace — who wanted to erect it near Brewerytown.

1957

As other potential locations are under discussion, officials consider Broad and Pattison for the first time. Estimated cost: $22.7 million.

September 28, 1958

Fed up with Connie Mack Stadium, the Eagles relocate to Franklin Field. “If we don’t get a new stadium soon,” then-mayor Richardson Dilworth warns not long after, “we’ll lose our major-league sports, and people will think Philadelphia is a creepy city.”

April 29, 1965

With debate over a new stadium now in its second decade, the Inquirer runs the headline “Other Cities Build … Phila. Talks 12 Years About Stadium”

December 3, 1965

With officials finally agreed on Broad and Pattison, architects release design drawings for the stadium, estimated to open in the spring of 1967.

October 2, 1967

A groundbreaking ceremony is held — five months after the stadium was originally projected to open. The estimated budget swelled to $38 million and then to $48 million, with one local pol speculating the real cost could exceed $100 million.

March 12, 1970

Under pressure from veterans’ groups, City Council votes 11-5 in favor of the name “Veterans Stadium.”

April 10, 1971

The public sees Veterans Stadium for the first time on Opening Day of the Phillies’ season. We beat the Expos.

September 26, 1971

The Eagles play their first game at the Vet, losing to, yep, the Cowboys — 42-7, no less.

October 21, 1980

The Phillies win the first World Series title in franchise history, beating the Kansas City Royals 4-1 in Game 6.

January 11, 1981

The Eagles win the NFC championship for the first time at the Vet, polishing off the Cowboys 20-7 and heading to the Super Bowl, where we lose to the Raiders. It was the only NFC championship we’d win at the Vet.

August 14, 1985

Vet Stadium sees its first concert, in the form of Bruce Springsteen. Two nights. Sold-out.

June 28, 2001

Groundbreaking for Citizens Bank Park

May 7, 2001

Groundbreaking for Lincoln Financial Field

March 21, 2004

It all comes tumbling down with a 62-second implosion. The Vet makes way for … a parking lot.

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A Phillies Hot-Pants Girl Tells All

These days, Arlene Nisson Lassin is a 68-year-old grandmother in Texas. But in the late ’70s and early ’80s, she was a member of the Phillies’ Hot Pants Patrol at Veterans Stadium. Here, she tells all. Keep reading …

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Stadium Locations That Wouldn’t Be

Officials sifted through a bevy of proposed locations before deciding on Broad and Pattison. One of the most controversial was 30th and Arch, where officials suggested building a stadium on stilts over the railroad lines. That idea was killed after the head of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce opined that a stadium there would attract “unsavory characters.”

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Stadium Names That Wouldn’t Be

The idea to name the stadium in honor of war veterans was controversial, seeing as the anti-war movement was at its height. Here, some of the alternate proposals:

• Independence Stadium
• Philadium
• William Penn Stadium
• Eisenhower Stadium
• Apollo Stadium
• Philadelphia Stadium
• Peace Park
• Love Park
• Pretzel Stadium
• Ye Olde Park

Alas, veterans affairs groups pressured City Council and convinced the city to go with Veterans Stadium. In retrospect, considering how much of a dump it became, maybe the veterans had some regrets.

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I Bought It on eBay

A survey of Vet memorabilia for sale on the auction site.

$3,000

A sign from the notorious 700 level, specifically for sections 703 through 705.

 

$1,200

A double-seated bench from the stadium. No word on whether it comes with dried-up beer spills.

 

$498

Unused ticket from the final Phillies game at the Vet. Original cost: $10. That’s some ROI!

 

$199

A piece of Veterans Stadium stationery signed by World Series champ Mike Schmidt.

$100

Dirt from the third-base area. Yes, dirt.

$53

Turf ripped out of the stadium. But before you go getting too close to it, be sure to scroll back up and read about said turf.

$13.99

A paperweight replica of the stadium that reminds you just how ugly it was.

 

Published as “Field of Dreams?” in the March 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.

We get it: You’ve had your mattress for so long, it’s practically your second home. You’re used to the way it feels to fall asleep on the same mattress night after night — who cares about that lingering neck pain or that dip in the center of your mattress that won’t quite go away. 

But whether you’re ready to admit it or not, even the best mattresses only last so long before losing their ability to provide proper support. It can be tricky to know exactly when it’s time to say goodbye to your current favorite mattress and shop for something new.

To that end, we’re here to help you out. Check out the top three signs that you’re in need of a brand new mattress below. 

Do you need a new mattress? Three ways to know

Buying a new mattress can be a big process, so you may be hesitant to start shopping around once it’s actually time to make a replacement. It can be easy to disregard little signs of an aging mattress, such as soreness in the morning, but the fact is this: No mattress lasts forever.

That’s why we’ve put together the following list of surefire signs it’s time to replace your mattress. If you relate to anything below, start shopping around for a new, high-quality mattress today.

You consistently wake up feeling sore or tired

Your mattress should be working for you, not against you. If you go to sleep and wake up feeling anything less than fresh and energized, you may be overdue for a mattress upgrade. Old mattresses can lose their ability to provide contouring support over time as foam layers lose elasticity or shift to become lopsided. 

If you wake up with pain or discomfort in your neck, shoulders, back, or hips, it’s possible your sleep is being sabotaged by an old mattress. Even if you don’t wake up sore but you do notice a lasting impression of your body even when you’re not in it, that could mean soreness and sleep loss aren’t far off. 

Your mattress has obvious signs of wear and tear

Unfortunately, mattresses don’t last forever. If your old mattress shows any of these visible signs of extended use, it may be time to start looking for a new mattress:

• Sagging areas
• Rips, tears, or holes
• Stains

All-foam mattresses can fall victim to lumpiness or indentation over time; if you’re uncomfortable while trying to fall asleep each night regardless of your sleep position, you likely need a mattress upgrade. 

If you want a high-quality mattress that isn’t likely to sag or lose its shape over time, consider switching to a great hybrid mattress. One of the best hybrid mattresses you can invest in today is the Helix midnight luxe, which props up its memory foam comfort layers with a stable and durable base made of more than 1,000 individually wrapped coils.

You’ve had your current mattress for 10 years or longer

Most experts agree that you should consider replacing your mattress after somewhere between eight and 10 years. This is by no means a one-size-fits-all scenario, since some mattress types last longer than others. Traditional innerspring mattresses and those made entirely of foam tend to have the shortest lifespans, so if your old mattress falls into this category and it’s been so many years since you made your purchase, it’s likely time to find something new. 

Hybrid mattresses and those made of premium materials like natural latex tend to last longer. High quality mattresses like the Saatva latex hybrid mattress can last longer than other mattress types — just look at the Saatva hybrid’s organic comfort layers and durable base, which prevents the layers from shifting and can extend your mattress’s lifespan.

News

Check phillymag.com each morning Monday through Thursday for the latest edition of Philly Today. And if you have a news tip for our hardworking Philly Mag reporters, please direct it here. You can also use that form to send us reader mail. We love reader mail!

With MJ the Musical, the Kimmel Center Has a Michael Jackson Problem

Was Michael Jackson a pedophile? You might come away with the impression that he was after watching Leaving Neverland. That’s the controversial 2019 HBO documentary about two men who allege that Jackson abused them when they were children. It’s the same conclusion you might arrive at if you read through the other sexual abuse allegations against Jackson. A grand jury found the evidence against Jackson compelling enough to indict him for child molestation. A jury acquitted him. Jackson settled one sexual abuse lawsuit against him for more than $20 million. He allegedly paid $200 million in so-called hush money to keep victims quiet. Jackson, who admitted to routinely sharing his bed with children, and his estate have always denied any wrongdoing.

Philadelphia just kicked out Kevin Spacey, a man also accused (and acquitted) of sexual misconduct. He was going to bring his newest movie here for one night only at the Philadelphia Film Center, a venue run by the nonprofit Philadelphia Film Society, which had rented its cinema to the film distribution company carrying the Spacey movie. Then Spacey and his movie were uninvited by the Philadelphia Film Center after public outcry. But we appear to be welcoming Michael Jackson with open arms.

Last week, I got an email from the Kimmel Center teasing a media event celebrating its upcoming season of Broadway shows. And of all the shows they could have chosen to feature with a promotional image, it was MJ the Musical. The “MJ,” of course, stands for Michael Jackson. And the musical purports to be based on his life.

The Kimmel Center (which now goes by the name Ensemble Arts Philly, but I’m ignoring the name change much like I still call Twitter Twitter) could have chosen a different image. They could have chosen something from The Book of Mormon, The Wiz or Life of Pi. Or perhaps, this little show called Hamilton you may have heard of. But the Kimmel Center didn’t choose images from any of those shows. The organization chose to portray accused pedophile Michael Jackson:

When MJ the Musical opened on Broadway in 2022, media outlets lambasted the production for ignoring the troubling allegations against Jackson completely — allegations that continue to this day in at least one lawsuit against the Jackson estate. On opening night, representatives of the musical ejected a Variety reporter from a red-carpet event. He asked too many uncomfortable questions.

Regardless of these persistent allegations of sexual abuse, fans still filled the seats. They continue to do so. And fans will no doubt do the same for the Philly performances. Those shows come to our esteemed Academy of Music from January 8th through 19th.

I like Michael Jackson’s music, as do many of you. But to celebrate and glorify his life with a multimillion-dollar musical while leaving out a big part of his life story? Well, that’s a different thing entirely.

“It’s awful that the Kimmel decided to put this musical on,” says Sarah Klein, a Delco attorney who represents sexual abuse victims and was herself the first known victim of infamous U.S. women’s gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. Klein points to the tendency of people to disbelieve victims of sexual misconduct, particularly when the accused is a celebrity they like.

“A lot of these celebrities have cult-like followings,” Klein observes. “They are like cult leaders. So the cult members don’t believe it when you say anything bad about them. And whenever you say anything against them, the followers of their cult lash out against you. I’ve never gotten as many death threats as when I’ve tweeted negative things about Michael Jackson.”

Klein says that while allegations had surfaced against her abuser, many didn’t believe the victims until authorities discovered 37,000 images of child pornography on Nassar’s home computer.

“Fans of Michael Jackson will go see the show in Philadelphia,” says Klein. “They will clap along to the music. They will sing along to the songs. Just as Woody Allen fans will go see the next movie he releases. They’ll give the Michael Jackson musical a standing ovation. They won’t once let their minds go to the accusations against him unless you show them a video of Michael Jackson [abusing] a kid. And even then, some would say it’s a fake.”

I asked representatives of the Kimmel Center to talk to me about the inclusion of MJ the Musical in its next season. I specifically asked them if the team had even considered the controversies surrounding Jackson and this show and whether MJ the Musical was appropriate content for the Academy of Music.

On Tuesday morning, they sent me the following statement:

Ensemble Arts Philly presents the best of touring Broadway, and our season represents a diverse variety of the most critically acclaimed productions. We are pleased to have MJ The Musical on this year’s subscription series. Based on the book by Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Lynn Nottage, direction and choreography by Tony Award winner Christopher Wheeldon, MJ was the most Tony Award-winning musical of the 2021 season. MJ has now thrilled more than 1-million people on Broadway and across the United States and is set to officially open its London West End production next week as well as productions in Hamburg and Sydney in the coming year.

Like the musical, the statement ignores plenty.

Planning to Play the Lottery?

If you’re a regular player of the Pennsylvania Lottery, you might be out of luck on Tuesday if you go to buy a ticket. The Pennsylvania Lottery is upgrading its systems. And so those sales terminals you rely on will be down much of the day. That means you might not be able to play in tonight’s Mega Millions drawing, with the jackpot up at $875 million. But it’s okay. You weren’t going to win anyway.

Local Talent

Are you sick of hearing about Philly great Quinta Brunson yet? I’m not! The latest season of her show Abbott Elementary is just as good as the previous seasons. A hard thing to pull off! Anyway, lots of national media outlets have gushed about Quinta Brunson and Abbott Elementary. The latest is the New Yorker, with this insightful piece: “How Quinta Brunson Hacked the Sitcom.” (She really did.)

By the Numbers

3: Times one Philly McDonald’s has been robbed in six months. Then again, I felt a little robbed when I recently went to McDonald’s (under duress) and paid $17 for three small Shamrock Shakes and one order of fries.

$190 million: Price a New York firm has paid to buy Stuzo, the Center City tech firm whose software is behind the transactions at the checkouts of many of your favorite stores. But not Wawa. Yet.

$200: Average amount you’ll make being a poll worker for the upcoming primary in Pennsylvania. There’s a shortage of workers. So do your civic duty and earn enough money to buy a few meals at McDonald’s.

From the Oubre-Okay! Sports Desk …

Tobias Harris was out with a sprained ankle for last night’s home game against the Heat, but Jimmy Butler was out for Miami, so … Nick Nurse started Mo Bamba, Nico Batum, Kelly Oubre Jr., Tyrese Maxey and Kyle Lowry. Powered by Maxey’s 17 points, a foul call on Oubre that was challenged and overturned, and a 10-0 run, the Sixers led 31-23 after the first quarter.

the Kelly highlight reel: pic.twitter.com/adEoEwgvNm

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 19, 2024

But the Heat tied it up as everybody on our side went cold in the second frame, and the game became a back-and-forth affair. Oooh, fancy!

getting silly in South Philly. 😜 pic.twitter.com/GADBRTGyeh

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) March 19, 2024

At the half, we led, barely, 51-49. After a 15-0 run in the third, though, we headed into the final frame leading 79-65, before the Heat cut that lead to four points with a 12-2 run and eight-plus minutes to go. Oh, God, not again … For every two we hit, they hit a trey. Tied up at 85 … Then Buddy Hield hit a couple of unlikely threes, and the game turned into a mugfest, with, as Kate Scott put it, “a lot of contact.” Oubre had some great blocks and great shots in the final minutes to preserve our lead. Some solid free throws in the final seconds gave Maxey 30 points on the night — his third 30-pointer in as many games — and another win was in the books.

The 76ers jump back ahead of Miami in the standings with the dub. 👀

Lowry gets the win against his former squad. pic.twitter.com/sGjmxP0UIu

— theScore (@theScore) March 19, 2024

How’d the Phillies Do?

We were down 9-0 to the Pirates in the third inning yesterday afternoon after Rowdy Tellez hit a three-run homer off starter Tyler Phillips (a Lumberton, NJ, native!) and Oneil Cruz whacked one off his replacement, Daniel Harper. Oh, and Cruz then whacked another off Spencer Turnbull in the fifth. Final: 11-2. Sheesh. I guess it’s good news we were only down 1-0 to the Yankees in the third in a simultaneous game, but in the end, we lost that one, too, 4-3. Kody Clemens did hit a homer for us. We face the Tigers tonight at 6:05.

And in College Hoops?

None of the City Six are headed to the NCAA tournament, alas, but Villanova and St. Joe’s will both be in the NIT; bracket here. St. Joe’s plays at Seton Hall on Wednesday at 7 p.m., while the Wildcats will host VCU that same night at 9.

The Flyers also play.

All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.