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The Disneyland Report > Disney News > Michael Phelps: Homecoming King

Disney News

Homecoming King

Story about Olympics swimmer Michael Phelps returning to his hometown as part of Disney's Swim with the Stars tour with Ian Crocker and Lenny Krayzelburg

Stephen Kiehl
The Baltimore Sun via US Olympic Team

COLLEGE PARK - Now it can be said with absolute certainty: Michael Phelps has groupies.

Lots of them. They squealed when he took off his shirt at Loyola College yesterday morning. They stood in line for hours, clutching Wheaties boxes and Speedos, to get his autograph in Towson. And last night, four of them painted M-I-K-E on their stomachs in College Park.
You can be sure he got the message. Phelps said he was awed and humbled at the welcome he received across Maryland yesterday, his first day home since winning six gold medals in Athens last month. He even teared up on the deck of the pool at Loyola when he heard the cheers and stomps of hundreds of youngsters.

"I've been looking forward to this moment for the last two weeks," said Phelps, who arrived in Baltimore at 4:30 a.m. yesterday and quickly headed to his Rodgers Forge home. "I was dead tired, but it didn't matter. I was so excited to be back in Baltimore and back home.

"I saw my car. I saw my mom. I saw my cat. I saw my room."

It may have been the Olympic champion's only moment of peace all day. Most everywhere he turned yesterday, he was mobbed by young girls (and their mothers and brothers) who wanted his picture and his autograph. He signed one girl's shirt - while she was wearing it. He signed another's Speedo swimsuit - while she wasn't.

"He's just an amazing swimmer and he's got a lot of talent," said the Speedo girl, Kristina Gullivan, 15, of Glen Rock, Pa., who left school for the autograph-signing session at Towson Commons. "And he's really good-looking."

Also in line were Natalie Long, 13, her mother Barbara and several friends. Asked why she wanted to meet Phelps, Natalie said, "Because of his incredible talent."

Her mom raised her eyebrows at that. "She's in looove with him," she teased.

"Mom!" Natalie screamed. But she couldn't deny it.

Join the club

And, really, who isn't in love with Michael Phelps? Even Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith got in on the lovefest yesterday, eating breakfast at Pete's Grille, the Waverly diner where Phelps devours heart-stopping meals.

Phelps wasn't there, but O'Malley gave the swimmer a run for his money in the eating department. In less than 30 minutes, the mayor put away a Western omelet, home fries, toast and three blueberry pancakes.

Atkins who?

Though Phelps lives in Baltimore County, O'Malley said the city has some claim on him, too. "Michael Phelps is a metropolitan Renaissance man. He may live in the county, but he comes into the city to throw back those 7,000-calorie breakfasts," O'Malley said.

Phelps made his first appearance of the day at the Loyola Fitness and Aquatics Center, where 520 Riverview Elementary pupils serenaded him with "We Are the Champions" while Phelps' mother, Debbie, danced with Mickey Mouse.

Phelps was joined at Loyola by Ian Crocker and Lenny Krayzelburg, fellow Olympic gold medalists and his co-stars in Disney's "Swim with the Stars" tour, which is hitting 12 cities this month and next. They all took questions from the students before demonstrating strokes and then leading relay teams with nine of the children.

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