Philadelphia Freedom

Baseball and Fourth of July are classic slices of an Americana summer, at least in places without 90 percent humidity. When the Florida Marlins take on the Philadelphia Phillies on Independence Day, the postgame fireworks might be overshadowed by the blasts coming off the road team’s bats, because the last...

By Jordan Sargent

June 30, 2011

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Baseball and Fourth of July are classic slices of an Americana summer, at least in places without 90 percent humidity. When the Florida Marlins take on the Philadelphia Phillies on Independence Day, the postgame fireworks might be overshadowed by the blasts coming off the road team’s bats, because the last time these two teams faced off, the Phillies eased through a four-game set to the combined score of 25-4. But if the Marlins offer any hope at all, it’s that sluggers such as Mike Stanton might park a few balls in the cheap seats. Otherwise, they’re still a team largely in disarray, managed by a guy old enough to have been one of the original signers of the Declaration. A team that is seemingly perennially young and promising has unfortunately lost some of its innocence and much of its excitement, which is something that not even the greatest of fireworks shows can cover up. As always, though, hope is just around the corner, and there might be nothing more American than that. The show begins Monday night at 6:10 at Sun Life Stadium. The postgame fireworks spectacular will be presented by Marvel Studios Captain America.
Mon., July 4, 2011

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