By DONALD WITTKOWSKI
No disrespect toward Gritty, but what in the world could possibly make this 7-foot-tall, furry orange creature with googly eyes so appealing to children?
“I think he’s funny,” 7-year-old Owen Hughes said of Gritty’s immense popularity.
Owen’s 5-year-old sister, Lennan, had another explanation for Gritty mania.
“I like Gritty because of the way he shakes his butt,” Lennan said with a squeaky laugh.
Owen and Lennan were among hundreds of children and their parents who filled Excursion Park on Thursday to play games, collect autographs from famous former Flyers and have pictures and video taken with the photogenic Gritty.
The annual Flyers Community Caravan rolled into Sea Isle City for plenty of family-friendly entertainment – turning Excursion Park into a sea of orange and black Flyers jerseys, caps and other regalia.
The Flyers conducted a “Shore Tour” this week for community caravans in North Wildwood on Tuesday, in Ocean City on Wednesday and then wrapped things up with their stop in Sea Isle on Thursday. The caravans are a shore tradition now in their eighth straight year.
Gritty, the Flyers goofy mascot, was clearly the headliner for the event, although fans also queued up for autographs with retired Flyers favorites Bernie Parent, Joe Watson, Bob “The Hound” Kelly, Dave “The Hammer” Schultz, Brian Propp, Doug Crossman and Riley Cote.
Ryan Hughes, of Berlin, N.J., laughed while posing with his kids, Owen and Lennan, for photos with Gritty.
“I grew up as a huge Flyers fan,” Hughes said.
Gritty greeted Owen, Lennan and many other kids with high-fives, fist bumps and hugs. He was incredibly agile for someone who has a lumpy body, massive clown-like feet and comical eyes whirling around uncontrollably.
“He’s got wiggly eyes. He’s very funny,” 7-year-old Derrick Stagliano, of Egg Harbor Township, said while giving his opinion of Gritty.
Derrick Stagliano also made the rounds with his cousins, Harper and Avery Paquette, and their mother, Laura Paquette, to get autographs from some of the former Flyers greats.
Harper, 6, and Avery, 4, are big Flyers fans. Laura Paquette, who lives in Sweetwater, N.J, asked Harper to name his favorite Flyer.
“Um, I don’t know,” Harper said.
“He likes all of them,” Paquette said, smiling.
Harper and Derrick were lucky enough to have Brian Propp sign the back of their Flyers jerseys.
The 65-year-old Propp, who played for the Flyers and three other teams during his NHL career from 1979 to 1995, said he enjoys connecting with young hockey fans by giving them his autograph.
“It’s special,” he said.
Propp formerly lived in Ocean City and now resides in Sea Isle. He noted that participating in the Flyers Community Caravan in the town where he lives makes the event even more exciting for him.
