2023 Lovably Flaky Sports Star
Brandon Marsh
The most quixotic Phillie ever wears his unkempt hair and unruly beard as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to his clean-cut dad Jake, who got a haircut every week of his life before he died of cancer in 2021. Marsh told the Inquirer before last year’s World Series that he sometimes sees Jake’s spirit in the butterflies riding the outfield breezes during games: “It’s a comforting feeling, having him there with me.” Flutter on, Jake! But there’s more! After Marsh saw on Twitter that 92-year-old Lancaster grandma Lois Hostetter got a birthday present of a pillow with his mug on it, Marsh arranged to sign it for her, sending it back with a gloveful of goodies. And he can hit, too!