Exclusive footage and interviews that chronicle the passion and glory of a team of champions

The Phillies and Arts Alliance America have announced the release of The Perfect Season: The 2008 Phillies Video Yearbook, an action-packed DVD that gives fans the chance to relive all the excitement, drama and intrigue that made Philadelphia a world-champion city once again.

The Perfect Season will be available for pre-sale on December 2 at phillies.com and through the Official Phillies Merchandise Catalog at 1-877-GO-PHILS, for a suggested retail price of $19.95. The DVD will also be sold at the Majestic Clubhouse Store at Citizens Bank Park as well as retail stores across the Delaware Valley beginning December 12.

A Phillies production, The Perfect Season chronicles the Phillies’ journey from spring training through the World Series with exclusive player footage and interviews, as told by the words and deeds of the Phillies team. Narrated by All-Star closer Brad Lidge, this 75-minute feature covers all the highlights of the ‘08 campaign … from the hard-fought rivalry with the Mets to the incredible September run that brought another National League East title. The Perfect Season also includes an additional two hours of never- before-seen bonus footage from the regular season, postseason, World Series, parade and celebration at Citizens Bank Park.

The film was edited and produced by Emmy award-winning “Video” Dan Stephenson, who also created Richie Ashburn: A Baseball Life, which was featured in the 2008 Philadelphia Film Festival.

“The 2008 Phillies season started with great promise and ended in a dream,” said Stephenson. “The Perfect Season follows this amazing journey, from the February mornings in Clearwater, Fla., to the glorious October afternoon when millions of fans in the Delaware Valley rejoiced as one. Fans will no doubt get the ultimate inside look at a team that evoked a championship spirit from the very beginning.”

“Being a lifelong resident of Philadelphia, and a die-hard Phillies fan myself, I am elated to be able to bring this document of sports history to all fans of the team,” said Joe Amodei, President of Arts Alliance America.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Peace Corps signed an historic alliance with six well known Dominican non-profit organizations to benefit poor communities in the Dominican Republic. The purpose of the Alliance is to use baseball as a catalyst for improving the lives of the less fortunate in the Dominican Republic through sound community development activities. Baseball is, traditionally, America’s game, but it is also the passion of the Dominican Republic and will be helpful in bringing a host of new ideas and contributors to help alleviate the many challenges facing poor Dominicans. USAID will contribute $1 million to the project.

On November 19, P. Robert Fannin, the U.S. Ambassador in the Dominican Republic, and Joe Garagiola, Jr., MLB Senior Vice President, announced the Alliance during a ceremony held at the Ambassador’s Residence in Santo Domingo. Many former and active Dominican baseball players and key MLB representatives participated in this event to include Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz and Robinson Cano.

The Alliance has two principal goals: improve the quality of life in Dominican communities and foster long-term relationship between MLB teams, players, and fans with these communities. The projects under this Alliance will focus on education, health, youth development, small scale economic development and job creation for the poor. The Alliance will help increase the impacts of the considerable charitable assistance with which Dominican players are already engaged.

The six non-profit institutions that are participating - World Vision, Save the Children, Plan International, Esperanza International, Batey Relief Alliance, and the Dominican Institute for Integrated Development - have for decades provided community service in the Dominican Republic.

USAID’s $1 million over 3 years will serve as a matching fund for any donations received to help fund community development activities. The eventual target of the Alliance is to get every signed MLB Dominican player (over 500 per year) to give back something to his community and also for MLB teams to help those communities where their academies are located. This Alliance seeks to mobilize the entire baseball family (fans, players, teams, sponsors). If a player decides to donate, for example, $1,000, to the Alliance, USAID will then match this with another $1,000. Peace Corps will provide a full time volunteer to assist the project.

The Alliance has an honorary Board of Advisors co-chaired by the U.S. Ambassador in the Dominican Republic and a Vice President from MLB. The members of the Board represent active and former MLB players, the Dominican private sector as well as Dominican journalists, MLB team and Dominican non-profit organizations. Members of Board serve as spokespeople for the Alliance and help market the Alliance with their contacts and help identify possible donors.

For more information about USAID, please visit: www.usaid.gov.

myphl17 and the Philadelphia Phillies jointly announced today that the 2008 World Champions will be returning to the myphl17 airwaves beginning with the 2009 season. Under a new three-year contract, myphl17 will televise 45 regular season games and three pre-season games. While a complete broadcast schedule has not yet been finalized for the 2009 season, the Phillies home opener is slated for April 5th.

This marks the third time WPHL-TV has been home to the Phillies. WPHL began carrying Phillies baseball games in 1971 and was the broadcast home for the team until 1982. The Phillies returned to the station in 1993, when they again made it to the World Series, and remained with WPHL-TV until 1998.

“We are ecstatic to welcome this Philadelphia institution back to our station,” said Vice President and General Manager Vince Giannini. “WPHL-TV was the home of the Phillies when they won their first World Championship in 1980, when they went to the World Series in 1993, and we’re very happy to welcome them back as the current World Series Champions.”

“myphl17 has proved time and again that they are the right partner to provide quality programming for Phillies fans who choose to watch the game from home,” said Phillies Senior Vice President of Marketing and Advertising Sales David Buck. “As an independent station, they have the ability to provide prime time coverage that will be complemented with the right balance of advertising and marketing support and we’re excited to have them on board again as our television rights holder.”

In addition to the spring training and regular season games, myphl17 will carry the weekly W.B. Mason Behind the Pinstripes show before each Sunday Phillies broadcast.

Source: Philadelphia Phillies