CLEARWATER, Fla. _ Bryce Harper may still be the main attraction at Phillies camp, but the outfielder is sharing some attention this spring with the Phillie Phanatic, whose new look has caused mixed reviews as the team continues to wage a legal battle to keep its iconic mascot.
Harper made his Grapefruit League debut on Tuesday afternoon, a few hours after the creators of the Phanatic slammed the furry green mascot's new look as an affront to their intellectual property rights. The Phillies altered the mascot's look this spring as a response to an ongoing federal court battle with Bonnie Erickson and Wayde Harrison, who created the mascot in 1978 and are trying to claim ownership of the copyright.
"Hey, man. Everybody needs a glam up sometimes," said Harper after he played the first five innings of a 13-6 loss to Toronto at Spectrum Field. "You know? Why not? I have long hair right now. I'm always changing."
The Phanatic's new look includes updated sneakers, a new Phillies cap, a slimmer physique, a feathery blue tail, a small set of wings, and an exaggerated backside. The mascot looked a bit different on Tuesday than he did last March when Harper first landed last March in Clearwater. But so does Harper.
"The long hair? I'm going to keep it going," Harper said. "Keep it flowing. Why not? We'll see what happens."
