Governors Make Friendly Wager to Rally All-Star Voting Support for Shane Victorino

Governors Make Friendly Wager to Rally All-Star Voting Support for Shane
Victorino
Hawaii vs. Pennsylvania: Who will show the most love for the Flyin' Hawaiian?

PHILADELPHIA, July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The final spot for the National League
All-Star roster is up for grabs, and the governors of Hawaii and Pennsylvania
have made a friendly wager to rally online voting support for Phillies'
outfielder Shane Victorino, also known as the Flyin' Hawaiian.

Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle and Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell
agreed to the stakes earlier today. To win, one state must vote for Victorino
more than the other. Voting for the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote takes
place until Thursday, July 9 at 4:00 p.m. (EDT) on www.mlb.com or
www.phillies.com.

Playing off Victorino's team number, the losing state's governor will send a
taste of that state's local flavor to the winning governor. If Pennsylvania
casts more votes than Hawaii, Governor Lingle will send eight cases of
pineapples to Governor Rendell; and if Hawaii casts more votes than
Pennsylvania, Governor Rendell will send eight cases of cheesesteaks to
Governor Lingle.

"I am confident that Pennsylvanians will show their love for Victorino," said
Rendell. "I am more than happy to show my support for Shane Victorino and the
world champion Philadelphia Phillies. Let's get him voted onto the All-Star
team."

"All the people of Hawai'i are proud of our local Maui hero, Shane Victorino.
We are excited to do our part and show the baseball world our 'aloha' as we
help get the final All-Star votes he needs to make the 2009 roster," said
Governor Lingle. "It is only fitting that we enter this friendly wager with
Governor Rendell. We are excited to help get the final vote cast for the
Flyin' Hawaiian."

The Competition
Victorino is one of five players on the All-Star ballot for the final roster
spot along with Cristian Guzman of the Washington Nationals; Matt Kemp of the
Los Angeles Dodgers; Mark Reynolds of the Arizona Diamondbacks; and Pablo
Sandoval of the San Francisco Giants.

The 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game will be televised nationally on
Tuesday, July 14, by FOX Sports, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and Sportsnet
HD and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International, with
pregame ceremonies beginning at 8:00 p.m. (EDT)/7:00 p.m. (CDT).

SOURCE Philadelphia Phillies

Bonnie Clark of Philadelphia Phillies, +1-215-218-5371, bclark@phillies.com