All-star Penn Treaty School teacher gets big Phillies surprise

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A Penn Treaty School teacher is about to retire after 35 years, and on Friday, she received a huge surprise from the Phillies.

Longtime math teacher Amy McGinley walked into the school auditorium in Fishtown and was met by chants of "MVP."

The cheers were all for her. Shock and emotion were etched across her face as she was named a Phillies All-Star Teacher.

"I never expected anything like this. This is just amazing. It's a nice way to end my career," McGinley said.

Phillie's ball girls promptly fitted McGinley in a jersey with her name on it and the number 35 for her 35 years of teaching.

"I look back on it with such joy. It's bittersweet, but there's a time for everything under the sun, and it's my time to go," said McGinley.

The Phanatic is always up for a party, retirement or otherwise, and wasted no time planting a kiss on this huge Phillies fan's face.

The Phillies received hundreds of nominations, whittled down to ten who will be honored before Friday's game, which is their 23rd Teachers Appreciation Night.

"We get a huge group, not just our 10 teachers, but we get so many teachers at the ballpark, thousands, so we're all together, once a year, recognizing the good work that they do," said Maryann Moyer, Phillies director of community initiatives.

McGinley was also presented with these impressive stats on a plaque: 35 years on the field, 6,300 days at bat, and thousands of students over four schools, all in one grand slam career.

"I wouldn't have got here without her. I really appreciate her, and I would love her to know that," said senior Erica Brown.

"She deserves all of it. She works so hard all of her entire life- she deserves it," said friend and fellow teacher Dawn Gooden.

She shared a ceremonial first pitch with 1993 National League Champ Mickey Morandini before taking a victory lap with the Phanatic, for her 35 seasons well played.

"It's hard to be what they need all the time. But you have to be open-minded, and you have to have an open heart. You have to be able to be stern, you have to hold your ground, and you have to be loving, too, at the same time, and then everything else will fall into place," McGinley shared.