PSWA Dinner

Fifty years ago, the Philadelphia Eagles won the NFL championship with a 17-13 victory over the Green Bay Packers. It was December 26, 1960, in a game that Eagles fans of that era will never forget, that two-way star Chuck Bednarik, quarterback Norm Van Brocklin and company handed Vince Lombardi his first and only playoff loss as a coach. That game made the '60 Eagles immortal legends in the Delaware Valley, and the story of Bednarik's crushing hit on Frank Gifford that sealed the ... Read More

by John Gonzalez / Inquirer Columnist / A text came in. Then another. Then the whispers started in the press box. Then the phone started ringing. This all happened within seconds. It was about 8:45 last night when the focus shifted and everything changed. People stopped talking about how good Shady McCoy looked in the Eagles' preseason opener against the Patriots and started talking about the big news. Did you hear? The Birds signed Michael Vick. I didn't believe it at first. I didn't believe ... Read More

The drama and build-up before the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in St. Louis included a little of everything, from the Futures Game to the Home Run Derby won by Prince Fielder of the Brewers, to a personal appearance by the President, Barack Obama. Obama, known more for his prowess on the basketball court than on the pitching mound, nevertheless did more than an acceptable job. The lanky southpaw threw what appeared to be some kind of off speed pitch, reaching St. Louis favorite ... Read More

We stumbled across this video and thought it might be perfect mid-summer treat for Philadelphia Flyers fans. According to one of the versions on the Web, this game, between the Flyers and the Ottawa Senators set the record for most penalty minutes in one game. Not sure if that's true. The Flyers throwing fists in this one include Donald Brashear, goalie Robert Esche, John LeClair and Mark Recchi, but the Senators put up quite a fight! This Otawa broadcast crew is handling the play-by-play. But this is ... Read More

When you think of former Major League Baseball star Rick Monday, what comes to mind? If you're like most of us, it's the time he ripped an American Flag away from two "young men" intent on lighting the flag on fire. Those of us old enough to remember it may be stunned to learn that it happened on April 25, 1976! With the Fourth of July fast approaching, and the unique connection between baseball, the national past time, and the nation, we offer this video ... Read More

It was 1991, and the United States had just sent our troops into Iraq as part of Operation Desert Storm. The NHL was holding its All-Star game in Chicago, but the country's collective mind was on our military men and women and the events in the Persian Gulf. Anyone who watched the National Anthem on TV that day - let alone in person - would surely never forget the outpouring on patriotism and support for our soldiers. In honor of the Fourth of July, the ... Read More

Take a visit to Arlington, Texas, and Rangers Ballpark. A reporter from Channel 5, NBC's local affiliate in the Lone Star State, visits the park, and tries his hand at shagging some BP home runs on Greens Hill in centerfield. The only rule: You gotta wait until the ball hits the turf! Kind of makes me want to take in some batting practice at the Bank. Read More

In July, 2007, the Phillies were playing in Denver when strong winds from an impending storm interrupted their game with the Rockies. The situation on the ground quickly became dangerous, with the tarp blowing up and endangering the grounds crew. Phillies players responded to the crisis, rushing on to the field to help anyway they could. And the Rockies' fans, as shown in this video, appreciated the above-and-beyond effort. Read More

Some are already pegging him as the next Babe Ruth! But since Bryce Harper is only 16 years old, that tag is a bit premature. Harper, however, is getting this kind of attention and notoriety because he swings one heck of a big stick. As a sophomore, he led Nevada scholastic players with a .570 batting average, and in a home run derby competition he slammed an aluminum bat-aided 502-foot blast. The Las Vegas High School catcher won the International Power Showcase High School Home Run ... Read More

John Mayberry Jr. made his major league debut Saturday, filling the DH role for the Phillies in the new Yankee Stadium. Mayberry's father, a former Big League star himself, was on hand to see Junior belt a three-run homer to give the Phillies a lead that they would eventually cough up when Brad Lidge was roughed up for three ninth-inning runs. In his third at-bat of the game, Mayberry Jr. again raised eyebrows when he chipped a soft liner into right field and hustled ... Read More