Photos: Bryce Harper rocks neon green Phillie Phanatic cleats in debut

ByMatt Marrone ESPN logo
Friday, March 29, 2019

PHILADELPHIA -- There was no missing Bryce Harper on Opening Day.



The Philadelphia Phillies' $330 million man had at least one concession stand at Citizens Bank Park dedicated solely to selling his No. 3 jersey. As he took right field in the bottom of the first inning, he bowed to the crowd amid a sustained "Har-per! Har-per!" chant. And when he came to bat for the first time with his new team, he was greeted with a standing ovation.



But if that wasn't enough to catch the home fans' attention, his Phillie Phanatic cleats sure were.



Adorned with the eyeballs and bushy brows of the club's famed mascot, plus Harper's own initials, the neon-green Under Armour kicks were so bright they turned heads from the lower levels to the upper deck.



"I just thought it'd be cool," Harper said after the Phillies' 10-4 victory over theAtlanta Braves, now wearing sandals and eschewing his best-selling jersey in favor of a "PHILLY LOADED" T-shirt. "Just bring some fun to the game. The Phillie Phanatic's always happy and smiling, so why not?"



Here's a closer look:



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