PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Freda Schopfer, 89, of Bucks County, has seen a lot of Phillies baseball. A lot of it has been, respectively, bad. Some of it has been good, and other parts have been great, like 1980 and 2008.
But after 70-something years of watching her beloved ballclub, she has taken a particular liking to the 2024 team that's in the running to maybe do something special over the next month and a half.
"I think probably I feel closest to this team than I have for any other team in my past," Schopfer said.
A middle school teacher for 30 years in Upper Moreland, and now the owner of a women's fitness center, Schopfer believes her fondness for this year's club stems from them being wonderful people and making her feel like family. She also has a fondness for Alec Bohm's curls and Brandon Marsh's long hair. She gives credit to the media — announcers and reporters — for connecting her to the team.
"She just loves I think that camaraderie and that just feeling of like a family and that everybody just supports each other," said her second of four daughters Marianne Lanzetta. "I think that comes from her whole teaching background and everybody working together. … They root for each other so much. They want each other to do well and I think that comes across."
Schopfer's fandom started in the 1950s after the passing of her father. Her principal at the time stepped in, introducing her to the Phillies. She remained committed and hopeful through the lean years because of her pride in being from the Philadelphia area.
Lanzetta says her mother and late father Bud, also a school teacher, passed their huge Philadelphia sports fandom — highlighted by the Phillies and Eagles — to her and her sisters.
They had one TV in their home, which always had the Phillies on. And Schopfer, considering her appreciation for the local announcers, would tune into the radio if she was outside during games. To this day, she will still tune into the radio sometimes, according to Lanzetta.
Her youngest daughter, Heidi, won a contest in 1993 for a pair of World Series tickets, which she and her mother attended at Veterans Stadium. Schopfer remembers going all the way up to almost the very top of the 700 Level – an experience she will never forget, especially because of all the steps.
Earrings made from a baseball Roy Halladay threw.Joe Lanzetta
Speaking of not forgetting — Schopfer also has quite the memorabilia: earrings made from a baseball Roy Halladay threw and a signed picture of Robin Roberts.
Fast forward to 2024, Schopfer continues to make an effort to catch all the games. The late ones on the West Coast are tough to watch, but no worries, she'll catch them the following day. And while she absolutely adores this ballclub, her fandom includes high standards — to where she will sometimes yell at the TV if a mistake is made or full effort isn't given.
"Maybe I'm not always right in my criticism of the players … but that's part of the game," said Schopfer, who later agreed that it's because she cares.
With an expected trip to Red October in sight, it's safe to say this fan has high expectations for her favorite team. She thinks they can go all the way.
"Just remember that there's good times and there's bad times and I've been through a lot of it over the many, many years," she said. "But it takes a lot to be a fan. It's part of your heart and that's where it all is. As you said earlier, that we care, and it's just part of being part of Philadelphia."
To hear more of Schopfer's story, check out this week's edition of the KYW Newsradio Philadelphia Sports Fan of the Week:
