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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 13h

When Bill Roth debuted as Hip Hop in 1998, he was 27.

Now, he's 55. In a few weeks, he'll return to the court for the 25th anniversary of the 2001 Sixers.

His routine might look different this time.

“I think my wife would kill me [if I do a flip dunk]" www.inquirer.com/sixers/hip-h...

The Sixers’ mascot, Hip Hop, was retired in 2011. Now, for the 25th anniversary of the 2001 team, they’re bringing him back.

And that's not all. Bill Roth, the original mascot, is coming out of retirement as well.

www.inquirer.com

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Reposted by Alex Coffey

Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 1d

BREAKING: The Sixers are bringing Hip Hop back for a few games this season, to celebrate the 2001 team.

Bill Roth, who played the mascot from 1998-2011, will come out of rabbit retirement, too.

(He'll try not to tear an ACL or achilles this time).

More here:
www.inquirer.com/sixers/hip-h...

The Sixers’ mascot, Hip Hop, was retired in 2011. Now, for the 25th anniversary of the 2001 team, they’re bringing him back.

And that's not all. Bill Roth, the original mascot, is coming out of retirement as well.

www.inquirer.com

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 1d

Philadelphians needed a win. Now they have one #ThankYouHipHop

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 1d

Sixers say Hip Hop will be in attendance for the game on Nov. 8.

More 🐰 dates will be announced throughout the season www.inquirer.com/sixers/hip-h...

The Sixers’ mascot, Hip Hop, was retired in 2011. Now, for the 25th anniversary of the 2001 team, they’re bringing him back.

And that's not all. Bill Roth, the original mascot, is coming out of retirement as well.

www.inquirer.com

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 1d

Roth has spent the last few weeks "studying" old film of himself playing Hip Hop to prepare for the role.

He says he believes the "swag of the character" is still there: www.inquirer.com/sixers/hip-h...

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 1d

Roth, a former gymnast at Temple, was 27 when he debuted as the mascot in 1998.

He's now 55.

Whether or not he'll be doing flip dunks remains to be seen - but he isn't ruling anything out yet.

“I think my wife would kill me,” he said of the flip dunks: www.inquirer.com/sixers/hip-h...

The Sixers’ mascot, Hip Hop, was retired in 2011. Now, for the 25th anniversary of the 2001 team, they’re bringing him back.

And that's not all. Bill Roth, the original mascot, is coming out of retirement as well.

www.inquirer.com

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 1d

Here's his mixtape (yes, he has a mixtape) www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6rZ...

Hip-Hop The Mascot: The Greatest Mascot In The NBA

YouTube video by christian777

www.youtube.com

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 1d

BREAKING: The Sixers are bringing Hip Hop back for a few games this season, to celebrate the 2001 team.

Bill Roth, who played the mascot from 1998-2011, will come out of rabbit retirement, too.

(He'll try not to tear an ACL or achilles this time).

More here:
www.inquirer.com/sixers/hip-h...

The Sixers’ mascot, Hip Hop, was retired in 2011. Now, for the 25th anniversary of the 2001 team, they’re bringing him back.

And that's not all. Bill Roth, the original mascot, is coming out of retirement as well.

www.inquirer.com

4 19 85

Reposted by Alex Coffey

Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 7d

“Any loss at this point is frustrating, but especially with how he did his thing out there. He put us in a great spot to win. It definitely hurts a little more.”

Jesús Luzardo was one of the few bright spots in Game 2. The Phillies didn't capitalize on it: www.inquirer.com/phillies/jes...

Jesús Luzardo was a bright spot in Phillies’ Game 2 loss: ‘We just didn’t get it done for him’

Luzardo went toe-to-toe opposite Dodgers ace Blake Snell and allowed just one hit through six innings. "He put us in a great spot to win," Brandon Marsh said.

www.inquirer.com

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 7d

“Any loss at this point is frustrating, but especially with how he did his thing out there. He put us in a great spot to win. It definitely hurts a little more.”

Jesús Luzardo was one of the few bright spots in Game 2. The Phillies didn't capitalize on it: www.inquirer.com/phillies/jes...

Jesús Luzardo was a bright spot in Phillies’ Game 2 loss: ‘We just didn’t get it done for him’

Luzardo went toe-to-toe opposite Dodgers ace Blake Snell and allowed just one hit through six innings. "He put us in a great spot to win," Brandon Marsh said.

www.inquirer.com

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 8d

Everyone's favorite Art Guy www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

The Phillies’ Harrison Bader has been painting since he was a kid. And it has helped shape his game.

Bader took an interest in art history in high school and still paints. It’s helped him get through the highs and lows of his major league career, while keeping him in “the present moment.”

www.inquirer.com

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 10d

Phillies’ Harrison Bader exited with groin tightness, but optimistic he can return during the playoffs www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

Phillies’ Harrison Bader exited with groin tightness, but optimistic he can return during the playoffs

Bader, who is expected to get imaging tests done on Sunday, said he is willing to "empty the tank" at this point in the season.

www.inquirer.com

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Reposted by Alex Coffey

Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

"I painted the entire time [I was on the IL in 2021]. It was great.”

“I’ve had times where I’ve played extremely well, and the colors are lighter, the strokes are lighter."

"It gives me time to just unplug from the world.”

Harrison Bader, Art Guy: www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

The Phillies’ Harrison Bader has been painting since he was a kid. And it’s helped shape his game.

Bader took an interest in art history in high school and still paints. It’s helped him get through the highs and lows of his major league career, while keeping him in “the present moment.”

www.inquirer.com

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Reposted by Alex Coffey

Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

Harrison Bader is an Art Guy.

He's painted since he was kid, studied art history in HS, and goes to galleries in his free time.

He paints "a lot" of portraits during the offseason (and used to during the season, too).

"It gives me time to unplug from the world.” www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

The Phillies’ Harrison Bader has been painting since he was a kid. And it’s helped shape his game.

Bader took an interest in art history in high school and still paints. It’s helped him get through the highs and lows of his major league career, while keeping him in “the present moment.”

www.inquirer.com

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

"I painted the entire time [I was on the IL in 2021]. It was great.”

“I’ve had times where I’ve played extremely well, and the colors are lighter, the strokes are lighter."

"It gives me time to just unplug from the world.”

Harrison Bader, Art Guy: www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

The Phillies’ Harrison Bader has been painting since he was a kid. And it’s helped shape his game.

Bader took an interest in art history in high school and still paints. It’s helped him get through the highs and lows of his major league career, while keeping him in “the present moment.”

www.inquirer.com

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

😂

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

Thank you!!

Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

Thank you 🤍

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

Thank you!!! He didn’t want to share his art 😭 but maybe he will at some point

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

Bader is still in touch with his high school teachers, but joked that he's scared to show them his art, because they've seen "pretty good artists."

“But that’s not what art is about,” he said. “Art isn’t about comparison. It’s the joy of putting something to canvas” www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

The Phillies’ Harrison Bader has been painting since he was a kid. And it’s helped shape his game.

Bader took an interest in art history in high school and still paints. It’s helped him get through the highs and lows of his major league career, while keeping him in “the present moment.”

www.inquirer.com

15

Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

Bader painted "the entire time" he was on the IL in 2021.

He's painted both during the season/offseason.

He sees it as a way to show where he's at in a given moment.

“I’ve had times where I’ve played extremely well; the colors are lighter, the strokes are lighter" www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

After graduating high school, he continued to paint.

This has remained true throughout his MLB career.

Bader paints portraits and self portraits, and likes to “manipulate the paint and its viscosity.”

It's given him a creative outlet off the field: www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

The Phillies’ Harrison Bader has been painting since he was a kid. And it’s helped shape his game.

Bader took an interest in art history in high school and still paints. It’s helped him get through the highs and lows of his major league career, while keeping him in “the present moment.”

www.inquirer.com

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

He also took ceramics classes throughout high school.

“He really took to it," said his former teacher, Keith Renner. "He was one of the kids that wanted to learn how to throw with more and more clay."

(Photo evidence below) www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

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Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

After graduating high school, he continued to paint.

This has remained true throughout his MLB career.

Bader paints portraits and self portraits, and likes to “manipulate the paint and its viscosity.”

It's given him a creative outlet off the field: www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

Alex Coffey @byalexcoffey.bsky.social · 12d

He took AP art history for years at Horace Mann in NYC.

In 2009, the class went on a field trip to the Met, to see a retrospective of the work of Francis Bacon.

Bader was only a freshman, but he loved it.

“Even to this day, that [exhibition] really stuck with me" www.inquirer.com/phillies/har...

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