As if being a Philadelphia Phillies fan wasn’t sweet enough these days, with the team having already secured a postseason spot and owning the best record in baseball, one lucky “Phanatic” got an experience any fan would dream of from House Crashers. The episode airs tonight at 8 on DIY Network.
Host and licensed contractor Josh Temple, along with former Phillies closer and MLB Network analyst Mitch Williams, combed a Philadelphia hardware store looking for a random fan to whom they’d give the home-makeover of a lifetime. They found Johnny McDonald, who was just looking for some plants to put in his backyard, but instead walked away with a home renovation that turned his house into a sports fan’s paradise.
Temple and Williams, with a little help from the Phillie Phanatic, deck out McDonald’s boring basement into a top-notch Phillies-themed pad with game-time necessities such as bar stools, pint glasses, a “kegavator” — an elevator for beer kegs — and an autographed baseball-infused bar. Then they move outside to transform McDonald’s backyard into a viewing area complete with Veterans Stadium seating, a custom outdoor barbecue and planters filled with seed from Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies. The backyard renovation also includes a big-screen projection television, and Comcast hooks McDonald up with a primo HD package, as well as one year of free extended service.
But McDonald’s odyssey didn’t end at home. Temple and Williams also guided him on a VIP trip and tour of Citizens Bank Park, and gave him tickets to a game against the visiting Boston Red Sox, where he wore an autographed Mike Schmidt jersey while throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.
A special version of the episode will air on MLB Network at 10:30pm Tuesday, Nov. 1. Just in time to treat those post-World Series withdrawals.