NJ teacher by day side-hustles as Phillies ball girl

"Msssss Fleck!"

Sometimes she'll hear it from the stands. Right away 23-year-old Kelly Fleck knows one of her students has come to see a Phillies home game. Or maybe even come to see her. After all, she does have her own baseball card. Seriously.

You see Kelly Fleck is a history teacher by day in New Jersey but a Phillies ball girl during home games.

She’s out on the field, shagging down foul balls and tossing them to eager fans. Or she’s handing out rally towels, or helping raise money for Philly charities selling 50-50 chances. And yes, sometimes even signing her own card and handing those out to fans.

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So how did a young rookie teacher end up a rookie on this field of dreams?

Her older sisters did it first. The Phillies look to colleges to fill these positions. When Fleck tried out, the competition was fierce. A field of about 100 candidates.

She had to pass an on-camera interview. She had to prove she could catch, throw, bat and a host of other obstacles to get this gig.

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There are 19 ball girls who are rotated but with her teacher status she might be the only one who gets recognized from the stands. So she’s kind of a big deal. And the season is kind of a big season.

OK, that’s an understatement.

There she is a ball girl with the Phillies playing in some of the most dramatic, tightest games in playoff history and now her team is fighting for the pennant and a spot in the World Series.

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What if they go all the way? Fleck says, “The ball girls would certainly be in the parade. And, who knows, maybe we will get a World Series ring!”

I wish the Phillies well in their quest for a championship.

Maybe, just maybe, this 23-year-old teacher from Oceangate who teaches in Robbinsville has been their good luck charm this season. I bet her students would see it that way.

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Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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55 baseball players from NJ (that Joe V could find stock photos of)

An amazing NJ restaurant in a historic building

If you've never been to Lambertville, you're really missing out on a true gem of a town in New Jersey.

And if you've never been to Lambertville Station you're missing out on a really great restaurant in a truly historic building.

It's housed in the building that acted as the Lambertville train station dating back to 1867.

The building and the town went through its tough times, but for the last 40 years, Lambertville Station has been serving diners in a casual upscale atmosphere with excellent food.

Last year a prominent restaurant group called Genesis Hospitality took over the historic dining spot and they've continued the excellence that has made this place a must-go-to spot anytime you're in town.

The menu consists of varied contemporary American favorites with plenty of options.

The food and the service are excellent and are a good fit for couples, families, and special occasions.

There is a first-class Inn on the property on the river across the parking lot if you want to stay over.