Sunday, September 27, 2026

Question: The Phillie Phanatic was designed by the same artist who created which famous Muppet?

Answer: Miss Piggy. Bonnie Erickson, who designed Miss Piggy for Jim Henson, created the Phanatic for its 1978 debut. Phillies executive Bill Giles turned down paying an extra $1,300 for the character’s copyright, which he called “the worst decision of my career.” The Phanatic sold $2 million in merchandise its first year, and five years later the team paid $250,000 for the rights.