Description
Gritty is the official mascot for the Philadelphia Flyers National Hockey League (NHL) team. He is a 7-foot tall (2.1 m) furry orange creature with googly eyes who wears Flyers gear. Gritty has been compared to the Phillie Phanatic, the mascot for the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team. He was created by Brian Allen of Flyland Designs with help from David Raymond, the first man to portray the Phillie Phanatic.
Gritty was introduced on September 24, 2018. According to his official biography, Gritty emerged after construction at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers' home arena, disturbed his secret hideout. Within the months following his debut, Gritty became an internet sensation and made appearances on several talk shows. Since his creation, he has been met with increasingly positive reviews. Gritty was also the last pro sports mascot unveiled to the public prior to the COVID-19 pandemic until Buoy’s debut four years later.
