The women of the Hot Pants Patrol, who spent about a decade working for the Phillies as an “elite corps” of usherettes, built lasting bonds.

Former Phillies Hot Pants Patrol members pose for a group photo during a gathering in Philadelphia. Former members say the job helped them pay for their education.

PHILADELPHIA — At about 1 p.m. on a recent Sunday, a group of 27 women filtered into an Italian restaurant in South Philadelphia. Most were in their 60s or 70s.

Because the Hot Pants Patrol represented the Phillies organization for over a decade, it became well known in the Philadelphia area. Sometimes, this worked to the Patrol members’ benefit. One ...

Most of the women used the Hot Pants Patrol to pay their way through college or postgraduate programs. For some, like Sheila Sacco, who began with the patrol in 1981, it was their entry into a decades ...