By Ryan Hughes, Alan Wheeler
October 13, 2023 / 11:16 PM EDT / CBS Philadelphia Marquee Sign
SEWELL, N.J. (CBS) -- Phillies fans love to bring signs and banners to the ballpark to send a message to the opposition.
The Phillies did it again and dismantled the Atlanta Braves in South Philadelphia.
"Anytime you get to go to a clinching game it's a blessing and that stadium was rocking," Brian Matthews.
Matthews was inside Citizens Bank Park Thursday night.
He's a long-time fan and also the president of East Coast Sign Art in Sewell, New Jersey where orders of these metal Phillies lawn signs are rolling in.
The @Phillies are headed back to the NLCS and fans across our area are showing off their Philly pride. We’ll take you inside the warehouse in South Jersey where these metal yard signs are being made as orders roll in. Watch @CBSPhiladelphia at 5.#RedOctober pic.twitter.com/lpOf4OJlta
"People love that Phillies P right now and it's getting out there," Matthews said. "Customers and people want to support and show the rest of their neighborhood hey we're supporting the Phillies right now."
East Coast Sign Art invited CBS News Philadelphia into its warehouse. The small company started making the metal signs about a year ago.
"I'm from Philadelphia so designing anything Philadelphia is for me...I'm all for it," Shaun Ramsuer said.
Ramsuer draws all the designs and sends them to a laser cutting table. A clean sheet of metal is pushed through the table as a laser then carefully cuts and creates the sign.
"There's a computer at the laser machine that can pick up my drawing and the machine will burn everything," Ramsuer said. "So basically if I can draw it, we can do it."
The laser beam inside the machine is more than 1000 degrees. It can cut any custom design in a matter of minutes, including the CBS News Philadelphia logo.
But during Red October, the Phillies P has become the most popular and die-hard fan CJ Smith ordered a sign for his yard.
"It's been pretty amazing the run taking down the Braves, it's like beating the Cowboys for the Eagles, so it's great," Smith said.
"Everyone really rallied around this team," Matthews said. "It doesn't matter where you're from or what your differences are, everybody puts that aside right now for the playoffs."
With each precise cut, this company is helping fans cheer on their team.
Ryan Hughes joined CBS News Philadelphia in June 2022. He previously worked at WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he's covered stories ranging from weeks on the Surfside condo collapse, to the impact of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas, and the Super Bowl in Miami.
First published on October 13, 2023 / 11:16 PM EDT
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