Flying Hot Dog Injures Phillies Fan

Andy Berg Headshot

The Philadelphia Phillies may have to take something off their flying hot dogs, and we’re not talking condiments.

The Phillie Phanatic, the Phillie’s mascot, uses a launcher between innings to send free hot dogs flying into the stands at Citizens Bank Park. The Phanatic has been doing it for years without an injury but that all changed Monday night when Kathy McVay was hit in the face with a wrapped frankfurter.

"It just came out of nowhere. And hard," McVay told WPVI, the Philadelphia ABC affiliate.

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The hot dogs are wrapped in duct tape to keep them from falling apart upon launch and in flight. McVay has been battling a shoulder injury that will eventually need surgery and was unable to deflect the flying dog. She later underwent a CT scan to rule out a concussion. 

"I have a small hematoma in my eye," McVay said. "And mostly, it's going to get worse before it gets better. It's going to go down the side of my face."

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While a hot dog injury in Kansas City led to a 2013 lawsuit, McVay, a big fan of the Phillies, said she isn’t planning legal action. The Phillies organization reached out to her on Tuesday to apologize and has offered her tickets to a future game.

While such injuries remain rare, fans should heed McVay’s message. "Just to be aware because you never know. I understand a baseball," she said, "but not a hot dog."

 

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