Phillies’ Matt Strahm Crafts Nicolas Cage–Inspired Glove with Declaration of Independence Twist
Fine, let me spell it out in the simplest terms: Phillies lefty Matt Strahm has officially turned his Nicolas Cage doppelgänger status into a baseball-accessory spectacle. You probably *think* you know the backstory, but let me guide you through every wild twist of this glove saga—complete with Hollywood flair and a dash of MLB rulebook drama.
After the 2023 National League Division Series, Strahm wasn’t grabbing headlines for strikeouts but for viral memes insisting he’s Nicolas Cage’s long‑lost twin. This comparison snowballed so hard that Strahm decided to lean into it—hard. Teaming up with custom‑gear artisans, the 33‑year‑old pitcher designed a collector’s‑edition glove emblazoned with the Declaration of Independence, a cheeky homage to Cage’s treasure‑hunting hero Benjamin Franklin Gates in 2004’s National Treasure. “I stole it, then made a glove out of it,” quipped Strahm to The Athletic’s Matt Gelb, nodding to that iconic movie line as Gelb dropped an image of the glove on X on April 16.
If you missed the behind‑the‑scenes caper, Strahm doubled down on Instagram Stories the very next day, captioning a workshop selfie, “BTS: Plotting to steal the Declaration of Independence.” Nearly 200,000 curious fans have liked Gelb’s post, reveling in the perfect mash‑up of baseball hustle and cinematic heist.
But wait—before you start placing bets on this glove in live play, here comes your precious rulebook reminder. According to section “a” of MLB Rule 1.15, a pitcher’s mitt “may not, exclusive of piping, be white, gray, nor, in the judgment of an umpire, distracting in any manner” (MLB.com). Translation: Umpires could bench this pristine white glove faster than a stolen artifact. Whether it sees mound time or stays a museum‑piece, fans aren’t letting that stop their praise. One Philly native noted on Facebook that since the Declaration was penned in Philadelphia, this glove is basically destiny.
Strahm has seemingly embraced the Cage comparisons for good—last fall on the MLB’s X account, he chuckled at everyday “Have you ever been told you look like…” queries, confessing, “I’m like, ‘Yeah, every day on Twitter.’ ” Even the league’s official handle poked fun: “Has anyone ever seen Matt Strahm and Nicolas Cage in the same room before…?”
So there you have it—your thorough, spoiler‑free primer on why a Phillies pitcher is channeling a Hollywood archaeologist, how MLB rules might rain on his glove‑parade, and why social media is eating it up.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and The Athletic (Matt Gelb), Sports Illustrated, MLB.com, People Magazine
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
