A Phillies fan tried — and failed — to bring an emotional support alligator to a game
An emotional support alligator got bounced from a sporting event — and the spectacle actually didn't take place in Florida.
It was a Philadelphia Phillies fan who reportedly attempted to enter Citizens Bank Park with a leashed reptile to watch the playoff-bound team's 7-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. Apparently, "service animal" privileges didn't apply.
Are you kidding me. A #Phillies fan tried to come into game tonight with what they said was a “service animal.” An Alligator! Yes an Alligator. Thing’s I’ve never seen. This is it. @SportsRadioWIP pic.twitter.com/H7A0FM0IYC
— Howard Eskin (@howardeskin) September 27, 2023
The fan was identified by the Philadelphia Inquirer as Jonestown's very own Joie Henney. His pet wears a harness vest that reads "Wally" on one side.
In the video below, posted by Phillies fan Jon McCann, Henney is seen holding Wally's leash and picking him up to put him in a trunk outside the ballpark:
"Well, I'm definitely going to remember this game for the rest of my life. Thank you," McCann said before ending the recording. He also captured another video of what appeared to be a security guard shaking hands with Henney and saying goodbye to Wally outside the ballpark's gates.
Citizens Bank Park policy states: "Certified service dogs or service dogs in training for guests with special needs are welcome. All other animals are prohibited." While cats are also common guests at MLB games, it makes sense that an exception couldn't be made for Wally.
A year ago, Henney told the Inquirer that the gator has never bitten anyone and helps him battle depression. Wally is quite popular on social media as well. The Instagram account @wallygatornjoie had around 26,000 followers as of Thursday morning, and the TikTok account wallythealligator has more than 100,000 followers. The pet apparently shares a bed with Henney and often gives people — including small children — hugs, according to multiple social media posts.
It seems that Wally wasn't a major safety risk to Phillies fans, but he and Henney could present a different threat. Back in 1945, William Sianis put a curse on the Chicago Cubs. It was immortalized as the "Curse of the Billy Goat" after Sianis and his pet were barred from a World Series game at Wrigley Field. Since Sianis couldn't watch his beloved team, he said the Cubs would never win the title again.
The curse was broken in 2016 after a 71-year drought from playing in the World Series. It was the team's first championship in 108 years.
