Reading Fightin Phils, Reading

The Fightin Phils have served as the Double-A affiliate for the Philadelphia Phillies since 1967, forging the longest-running affiliate partnership in baseball, not counting the ancient business relationship between groundskeepers and chalk purveyors. Many Phillies stars have matriculated through the Fightin Phils clubhouse and made contributions to the Phillies' World Series wins in 1980 and 2008. The Phils have also enjoyed their own share of sandlot glory, seizing Eastern League titles in 1968, 1973, 1995, and 2001.

Built in 1951, the team's stadium, FirstEnergy Stadium, serves as the oldest home field in the Eastern League. Along with a lineup of characters featuring a turtle, dog, and beaver, the Fightin Phils' mascots includes the Crazy Hot Dog Vendor—a striped-vested madman astride his faithful ostrich Rodrigo, who runs around the infield as the Vendor throws hot dogs into the stands.