The best cheesesteaks in Philly might be at The Bank
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The best cheesesteak in Philadelphia might be in the visitors’ clubhouse at Citizens Bank Park.
Phillies visiting clubhouse assistant Eric Michaels makes them every day when the Phillies are in town. His cheesesteaks became famous last week when Rockies physical performance coach Mike Jasperson set a record by eating 25 during Colorado’s four-game series at Citizens Bank Park. Jasperson also set the three-day record at 21 1/2.
“I went up nine [pounds],” Jasperson said.
To break the record, he only needed to follow these four rules:
- Everything must be consumed in the clubhouse.
- No yakking.
- Some form of meat must be on the roll. (Jasperson ate chicken cheesesteaks.)
- The bun must be filled.
“It’s impressive, man,” Michaels said. “I watch the guys do it and it’s unbelievable. It’s almost freak-of-nature-like to see how determined these guys are. ‘Yeah, I’m going to eat this much food.’ I look at just the bread alone and I try to picture myself doing it. Eating 10 rolls alone would fill me up for the day, let alone with anything inside.”
Jasperson broke records set by former Brewers bullpen coach Marcus Hanel, who ate 18 in three days and 23 in four days.
Nationals infielder Adrian Sánchez holds the one-day player record with 10 1/2 cheesesteaks, which he set last season as a member of Washington’s taxi squad. The Mets set the one-day team record with 103 in 2014. The record comes with an asterisk, however, in that their game that night against the Phillies got postponed at 2 p.m. because of rain. The team could not fly out until later that night, so the Mets came to the ballpark, worked out and then watched the Rangers and Flyers play in a playoff game.
All the while, they devoured cheesesteaks.
So what is the motivation for somebody like Jasperson?
Pride, sure.
But typically, there is a handsome cash prize, which is collected from everybody in the clubhouse.
Still, you need great cheesesteaks to take a run at history. You can’t eat 25 if they aren’t delicious.
Michaels knows good cheesesteaks from bad. He grew up in Northeast Philly. He attended Holy Ghost Prep in Bensalem and Temple.
“We make them as they come in,” said Michaels, who has been working for the Phillies since 2014. “We don’t just make a bunch of cheesesteaks and then players come in and say, ‘Can I get one?’ And say, ‘Yeah, here you go.’ If you come into the clubhouse and say, ‘Can I get a cheesesteak with mushrooms, provolone and onions,’ we’re hand-picking the mushrooms and onions out of a little jar and taking the provolone out of the fridge and we’re making that sandwich specifically for you. We kind of make them to order, one by one. And that gives it a little extra love.”
Michaels made me a cheesesteak with provolone on Tuesday. Legit delicious and absolutely loaded with meat. No idea how Jasperson ate and survived 25 in four days.