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Dave Raymond

Dave Raymond (born 1955) is an performer, mascot designer, trainer, and best known for originating and portraying the , the beloved mascot of Baseball's Phillies, from 1978 to 1994. As a summer intern with the Phillies in 1978, Raymond was selected for the role after being fitted for the custom green, furry costume in , where he was instructed simply to "go have fun" while keeping interactions . During his 16-year tenure, he helped transform the Phanatic into one of sports' most iconic and entertaining mascots, contributing to three appearances and fostering fan unity at through improvised antics, dances, and non-verbal comedy that drew on his early life experiences, including his mother's deafness from age three. The son of , the legendary football coach who amassed 300 career wins, Dave Raymond grew up in a sports-oriented family in , which influenced his path into performance and entertainment. After retiring from the Phillies following the , he founded Raymond Entertainment in 1993, a company specializing in the design, construction, training, and maintenance of sports mascots and character costumes. Over three decades, the firm has created or rehabilitated hundreds of mascots for professional teams, including the Miami Heat's , the ' , and the ' Gapper, while offering services like the MASCOT DOCTOR™ repair program and Mascot Boot Camp training sessions that emphasize movement, spontaneity, and audience engagement. In his later career, Raymond has transitioned into motivational speaking, developing "The Power of Fun," a research-backed framework for engineering happiness through non-verbal communication and playful experiences, informed by his mascot background and personal challenges such as and . Dubbed the "Hero of Happiness" by national , he delivers keynotes and workshops to corporations and events worldwide, influencing thousands on topics like building positive workplace cultures. His contributions to were recognized with induction into the Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 2024.

Early life and education

Upbringing in Delaware

Dave Raymond was born c. 1955. The son of Harold "Tubby" Raymond, the legendary University of Delaware football coach, and Suzanne Heinemann Raymond, he grew up in a sports-oriented family in Newark, Delaware. His mother lost her hearing to Ménière's disease when Raymond was three years old, which influenced his development of non-verbal communication skills later in life. The family maintained close ties to the University of Delaware, where his father coached, fostering Raymond's early interest in sports and performance. During high school at High School, Raymond played as a punter, continuing his athletic involvement from a young age in Delaware's community sports environment.

University of Delaware years

Raymond attended the , where he earned a degree in 1979. He continued playing for the university team as a under his father's coaching staff. Raymond also joined the fraternity, engaging in campus life that blended athletics, social activities, and emerging interests in entertainment. As a college student, Raymond secured a summer with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1978, which led to his selection as the inaugural performer for the team's new mascot, the . This experience marked the beginning of his career in , drawing on the communicative skills honed in his family environment.

Career

Phillie Phanatic

Raymond began his career with the Phillies as a summer intern in 1978, during which he was selected to originate and portray the team's new mascot, the . Fitted for the custom green, furry costume in , he debuted in April 1978 with instructions to "go have fun" while maintaining family-friendly interactions. Over his 16-year tenure through 1994, Raymond transformed the into one of sports' most iconic mascots through improvised antics, dances, and non-verbal comedy influenced by his mother's deafness. His performances fostered fan unity at and contributed to the team's appearances in 1980, 1983, and 1993. During this period, he earned $25 per game initially and helped popularize mascot culture in .

Raymond Entertainment

Following his retirement from the Phillies after the , Raymond founded Raymond Entertainment Group in 1993, a company specializing in the design, construction, training, and maintenance of sports and costumes. Over three decades as of 2025, the firm has created or rehabilitated more than 175 for professional teams, colleges, and brands, including the Miami Heat's Burnie, the ' (2018), and the ' Gapper. Services include the MASCOT DOCTOR™ repair program for costume maintenance and Mascot Boot Camp training sessions that emphasize movement, spontaneity, and audience engagement. In 2005, Raymond co-founded the , a museum and children's center in , which opened in 2018 to honor mascot performers and educate on branding; it has inducted figures like the .

Motivational speaking

In his later career, Raymond has focused on motivational speaking, developing "The Power of Fun," a framework based on research into non-verbal communication and playful experiences to engineer happiness, drawing from his mascot background and personal challenges including and . Dubbed the "Hero of Happiness" by national media, he delivers keynotes and workshops to corporations, events, and organizations worldwide, influencing thousands on topics such as building positive workplace cultures and resilience through fun. His contributions to and were recognized with induction into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 2024.

References

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    Dave Raymond (born August 12, 1972) is an American sportscaster. He is the primary television play-by-play announcer for the Texas Rangers of Major League ...Missing: broadcaster Nebraska upbringing family background
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    Mar 21, 2000 · MicroStrategy fell $140, to $86.75, a decline of 62 percent ... An article by David Raymond, a reporter for Forbes ASAP, appeared in ...Missing: Dave | Show results with:Dave
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    for a case of crab cakes ... promotions, is top of the line. The deal originally sent 'Dogs announcer Dave Raymond to the ... going to enjoy those crab cakes and ...<|control11|><|separator|>
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    Aug 3, 2013 · Dave Raymond has broadcast for the San Francisco Giants (2003), Baltimore Orioles (2005) and Houston Astros (2006-'12).<|control11|><|separator|>
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    Jan 6, 2017 · Dave Raymond, who joined the Rangers' announcing group in 2016, will serve as the primary play-by-play announcer for the club's broadcasts ...
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    Jan 29, 2025 · Dave Raymond to continue as lead play-by-play voice, Laura Stickells added as lead field reporter, Elvis Andrus will contribute to pregame ...
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    Women's Basketball preview: vs. Kansas State - University of Texas ...
    TELEVISION: The game will be televised by Longhorn Network. Dave Raymond (pxp) and Fran Harris (analyst) will call the action. · RADIO: KVET-AM 1300 "The Zone" ...
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    College Basketball: Michigan State-Kentucky ESPN's 2nd Most ...
    Nov 13, 2013 · 8 p.m., Texas State at SMU Dave Raymond & Stephen Howard, ESPN3. 9:30 p.m., Iowa State at BYU Roxy Bernstein & Miles ...
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    Oct 25, 2012 · 1 p.m., Southern Miss at Rice, CSS (Dave Raymond, ND Kalu, Leila Rahimi). Sat., Oct. 27, 3 p.m., Memphis at SMU, Time Warner Sports (John Nelson ...
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    Apr 4, 2018 · Dave Raymond, the Rangers' play-by-play announcer for broadcasts on Fox Sports Southwest, answered your questions about the team during a live chat Tuesday.