Philadelphia spirit

At Eagles games and in the community, Mylin Batipps fervently drums up support for his city.

Words by Fabiola Cineas

Mylin Batipps, member of the Philadelphia Eagles Drumline. The Drumline plays at all of the Philadelphia Eagles home football games.

Once the announcer declared, “Please welcome the Eagles drumline!” the crowd at Lincoln Financial Field roared, and a procession of about 30 drumline members sprang into motion in the end zone. Swaying from side to side and skillfully banging their drumsticks, the snare drum players set the tempo as the tenor drummers added flair to the rhythmic pattern. The cymbalists twisted their bodies to the beat, and amped up the crowd with loud clashes. The line of bass drummers moved their hips as they kept the drumline’s beat. Among the bass drummers was Mylin Batipps ’15. He moved in unison and flashed a big smile during the three-minute routine, one of the many he’s played since joining the official Philadelphia Eagles drumline in 2022.

It was a rainy Sunday afternoon in November, but that didn’t stop the Philadelphia Eagles from scoring a win against the Buffalo Bills — nor did it stop the drumline from keeping the team and fans in high spirits.

Batipps describes the experience of playing at Eagles home games as “high energy.”

“It’s the energy we pound into our drums, multiplied by the energy from the fans, that creates this almost indescribable environment. There’s no feeling like it,” Batipps says.

It had always been Batipps’ dream to play for the Eagles drumline, so when a friend told him about auditions, he signed up with no hesitation. The process was surreal.

“My first memory of the Eagles drumline was when I was in high school, so to put myself out there for the opportunity years later was a major moment. It all came to be,” says Batipps, who inherited his lifelong Eagles fandom from his parents. Now the football team helps him hone one of his lifelong passions.

Batipps started his formal percussion education in middle school, playing as part of a concert band and an orchestra. His innate rhythm and desire to perfect the craft kept him going. In high school, he joined the marching band and participated in the indoor drumline program. He learned about the power of the field, being able to move while playing an instrument to better connect with a crowd. Though he majored in journalism at TCNJ and spent most of his time on his other pursuit — writing — the drums were still on his mind. During his junior year, he jumped at the opportunity to help form a TCNJ pep band, where he performed with classmates at football games and club events. “The TCNJ community reignited my passion for drumline again,” Batipps says.

Now in his second year, Batipps has learned how to channel his Eagles pride into energy for the audience. The drumline practices two to three times a month, and he juggles these responsibilities with his full-time job as a senior account executive at Devine Partners, a boutique public relations firm in Center City, Philadelphia. “I am balancing my passions,” he says.

Batipps was nervous for the first couple of drumline gigs, as the sheer magnitude of the events weighed on him. “But now we’re just having fun out there,” he says. “I’m smiling from ear to ear and hitting the drum as hard as I can.”

Eagles fans have heightened Batipps’ enthusiasm. Before the drumline kicks off each home game, they play for Eagles fans at parking lot tailgates. On any given game day, superfans are grilling food, cracking open cold beers, and pumping themselves up for a win with chants and dance. It’s a sea of kelly green — and the drumline adds the soundtrack. “Eagles fans are very much Philly through and through,” Batipps says.  “When you come to their stadium, you will feel their passion; they let you know who they are.” Batipps is proud to be a part of that fan base.

But the ultimate reward is the drumline’s charity component. Aside from playing at games, the drummers get into the community. Whether it’s to support the Eagles Autism Foundation or help raise funds for individuals with disabilities through Woods Services, the drumline’s impact goes beyond the stadium.

“We all share a love for giving and uplifting our community,” Batipps says. When the drumline is helping to raise money for an important cause and face-to-face with children whom they teach to play the drums, that’s when they feel their impact the most.

“When we see how eager children are to learn from us, it gives us the positivity we need to keep going,” says Batipps. “As much as we play for the fans, it’s really about giving to the community.”