A star at tight end for Temple University’s football team in the early 1970s, Randy Grossman went unnoticed in the 1974 NFL draft. Signing as a free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he went on to play eight seasons of professional football. As a member of the Steelers during their reign of NFL supremacy in… Read more »
Sylvia Wene Martin is known as one of the greatest women ten pin bowlers in history. A winner of numerous bowling crowns, she was the first woman ever to rack up three perfect or 300 games in sanctioned competition. She rolled her first perfect game in March 1951. Almost nine years later, in December 1959,… Read more »
As a professional boxing referee, Steve Smoger has long ranked at the pinnacle of his profession. He has refereed 185 World Title fights all over the globe and has officiated in more states and countries than any other professional boxing referee in the history of the “sweet science”. Honored several times as “Referee of the… Read more »
On November 3, 2008, three days after the Phillies World Series victory parade, Ruben Amaro, Jr. was named Senior Vice-President and General Manager of the Philadelphia Phillies. His appointment marked an extraordinary personal trajectory that began in 1980 when at the age of 15, Ruben was the Phillies batboy. Born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia,… Read more »
In July of 2009, Frank Levine established a world track record in the 5,000 meter race at the USA National Track & Field Championships held in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He was 95 years old. Five years earlier, at age 90, he set a world record for the 3,000 meters in Landover, MD. Both records still stand…. Read more »
In the world of inter-collegiate and international fencing, being chosen as a member of an Olympic team is the absolute pinnacle of the sport. Cliff Bayer, of the University of Pennsylvania has been so honored twice. The Wharton MBA and fencing superstar competed for the US in both the 1996 and 2000 Olympics. In addition,… Read more »
Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Eddie Gottlieb was known as the “Mogul” of basketball. He was one of the pioneers of the sport, helping to develop it to national prominence. A founder of the National Basketball Association, he was the first promoter to use the doubleheader as part of the program in basketball. He… Read more »
Over a half century ago, South Philadelphia gymnast Pearl Perkins was recognized as the Mary Lou Retton of her time. She has been called perhaps the most talented South Philadelphia athlete of all, and probably the least well known. By the age of 12 she had become a Delaware Valley track and field star and… Read more »
“Menchy” Goldblatt, a native of South Philadelphia, will always be remembered not only for his skills as a basketball player and coach, but as a father figure and mentor to generations of basketball players in the City of Philadelphia. He was an all-city basketball player at Southern High. As a member of the University of… Read more »
Widely regarded as the first modern basketball forward, Dolph Schayes is best known in Philadelphia as the first coach of the Philadelphia 76ers, following the team’s move from Syracuse in 1964. Two years later, he coached the 76ers to the NBA Title and was named NBA Coach of the Year. A distinguished college career earned… Read more »
