Chuckbits 2018 . . . Provided by Chuck Langerman

DEC. 18
CHUCKBIT
Speaking of the influx of foreign basketball players in the area, one of the first I remember was Max Blank of George Washington (Class of 1984). In this video, Brent Musburger and Red Auerbach talk about Max when he first appeared on the scholastic basketball scene. There is no telling how good he might have been if he didn't tear the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the Dapper Dan game in Pittsburgh. I remember an article Ted wrote about him when he had a big game against Dobbins in a losing effort in the Public League playoffs. And here it is . . .

WASHINGTON LOSES; NO FILL-IN FOR BLANK
Mar 07, 1984
By TED SILARY, Daily News Sports Writer
Seven seconds before the end of the third quarter, as he prepared to shoot a free throw, Max Blank received an ultimate indication of how much havoc he was creating at Murrell Dobbins Tech.
"Hey, Max," a Dobbins rooter yelled, "why don't you go play some Russian roulette? "
Max Blank , who emigrated here with his parents five years ago, might have come from the Soviet Union with love, but yesterday it appeared as if he'd
somehow obtained a copy of Nikita Khruschev's old we-will-bury-you playbook.
Blank turned in a memorable performance, despite the fact that Washington failed to bury Dobbins in a Public League basketball quarterfinal, dropping an 84-76 decision.
Under scrutiny by a reporter and photographer from Sports Illustrated, which will carry a feature later this month on his the-American-dream-is- something-like-this story, Blank shot 12-for-16 and 11-for-17 for 35 points and grabbed 14 rebounds.
The sparkling performance was limited to 25 minutes by foul trouble and it was terminated with 4:57 remaining and Dobbins ahead, 64-56, when Blank fouled guard Darryl Dirickson on a wing-and-a-prayer, shoot-from-the-hip, I'm-doing-this-for-the-hell-of-it follow.
Blank stretched flat-out on the floor and slapped it three times before heading for the bench.
"That was one of the worst moments of my life," he said. "I thought about how something I had worked so hard for, and had hoped so much for, was through. What I didn't think about right then was how much we've accomplished this year, how we should feel proud because we came out so hungry today, played so aggressive.
"Still, losing is not something good. This hurts very much. "
Don't be fooled into thinking that Blank, who has signed to attend George Washington University, wasn't missed merely because the end-of-the-game spread matched the spread at the time when he fouled out. The Mustangs kicked to a 16-point advantage, uncorking five slams, before Washington rallied to save some face.
"When you lose a guy like Max, the heavens really cave in, don't they?" said Washington coach Hal "Hotsy" Reinfeld. "Boy, what a performance. How often are you going to see something like that? I got such a kick out of watching him, it was all I could do to watch anything else.
"Max is going to be a great college player. He's finally getting the added confidence he'll need to succeed on that level. I've seen very few 6-8 kids in years who can shoot the ball like that kid. "
Reinfeld could have said, or should have said, "shoot the ball while encased. "
"We threw everything but the kitchen sink at him," said Dobbins coach Rich Yankowitz. "Every time he got the ball, we had two or three people on him. It didn't make any difference. He just squared up and released the ball like nobody was around him.
"If our kids didn't have respect for him before, they do now. They did anyway, really. "
"All I can say is, he's a helluva player," noted 6-5 Eric "Hank" Gathers, one of four junior starters for Dobbins , which has reached the semifinals tomorrow against Jules Mastbaum Tech, site undetermined, for the first time since 1979. "In a way, I was kind of surprised he played so well. I was hoping he'd be so hyped, he wouldn't be able to produce too much.
"We were trying to push him away from the basket. A couple times we did it and he was still able to knock down a jumper. "
In a much quieter way, Gathers came close to matching Blank's effort, totaling 31 points and 11 rebounds. Of course, he also benefited from being surrounded at all times by capable players, the best of which were juniors Greg "Bo" Kimble (23 points, nine rebounds) and Darrell "Heat" Gates (13 points, six assists).
You don't need a nickname to play for "Yank" Yankowitz, but it helps.
Meanwhile, Dobbins ' fans made non-stop mention of the fact Max Blank is not an original Yankee. They cheered "U-S-A" in his direction so often, you would have thought it was the hockey rink at Lake Placid in 1980.
"I heard them saying 'U-S-A,' and it made me laugh," said Blank, who scored 1,177 career points. "Then I thought of (the television series) 'Gomer Pyle, USMC. ' Hey, I love this country. Someday I hope to represent it in the Olympics, and next summer in Israel in the Maccabiah Games.
"I've already yelled 'U-S-A, U-S-A' a few times myself. "
Yesterday, when Max Blank fouled out, even the Dobbins fans had to yell in his direction that he'd played a great game.

DEC. 14
CHUCKBIT
Before Quade "Primetime" Green (pictured here) became a McDonald's All-American at Neumann-Goretti High School, he was a Cheltenham Township schoolyard legend and hoops star at Cedarbrook Middle School in Wyncote. Quade, who once scored 60 points in a CYO game, played for coach Brandi Butler Mills at Cedarbrook Middle. Brandi, one of the top girls' players in Cheltenham High history, scored 1,710 points as a four-year starter at Cheltenham before matriculating at the University of Richmond. Quade along with Cheltenham High's Craig Littlepage ("Class of 1969") are the two most highly recruited basketball players ever to come out of Cheltenham Township. . . . If Quade goes to La Salle, the backcourt guys will both be from Cheltenham Township with Quade and 6-8 freshman Jack 'Silk" Clark. A 2018 graduate of Cheltenham High, he is already seeing significant time at the shooting guard.

DEC. 9
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here with his father Matt Ortega, the head football coach at Coatesville High School, is Red Raiders quarterback Ricky Ortega. For his career, Ricky has completed 476-of-721 (66 %) of his passes for 7,768 yards and 102 touchdowns. And Ricky, a 6-0, 185-pound dual threat quarterback, is only a junior. He threw for 2,237 yards his freshman season, 3,270 yards as a sophomore, and 2,261 yards this past season. Ricky will enter his senior season within striking distance of the Philadelphia-area (southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey) career passing records of 9,672 yards and 105 touchdowns set by former Timber Creek High School and current North Carolina State signal-caller Devin Leary in 2017. Ricky also could become the first quarterback in the Philadelphia-area to throw for 2,000 yards in all four years of his high school career.

DEC. 3
CHUCKBIT

IN REMEMBRANCE . . .

We lost one of the good guys! On Friday, November 30, Manny Fernandez, age 78, of Elizabeth, New Jersey passed away from complications of Parkinson's disease. With all due respect to other hardcore high school basketball fans, nobody saw more more high school basketball games than Manny. For 65 years, Manny went to thousands of games across the Garden State. He purposely worked the graveyard shift at his factory job so that he could catch a basketball game in the afternoon, then grab dinner somewhere before going to a night game. His two favorite teams were Elizabeth High School and St. Anthony of Jersey City. He was a fixture in the 5,000-seat Dunn Center where Elizabeth played their games, and Manny followed his beloved St. Anthony Friars all over the USA. Right here is an article on Manny and his wife Mary by "Newark Star Ledger" sportswriter John Haley. The article written right before Manny got sick serves as a good bio of his life. R.I.P Manny!! You Will Be Missed!!!

DEC. 1
CHUCKBIT
Some local folks probably remember David Sills V, because when he played for Red Lion Christian in Delaware and Eastern Christian Academy in Maryland. Those teams played some City League and South Jersey high schools. He's the kid that committed to USC in 2010 as a seventh-grader, and was hailed by "Sports Illustrated" as "one of the greatest prospects ever." Fast forward eight years. David Sills V at West Virginia University is arguably the best wide receiver in the country and a NFL prospect. Click here.

NOV. 29
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is 6-5, 195-pound wide receiver Stanley King of Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden. This Saturday, the University of Louisville commit will play his final high school football game against Rumson-Fair Haven High School in a NJSIAA Group 3 Bowl Game held at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. King will have the opportunity to break two records. This season, he currently has 72 receptions for 1,339 yards and 13 touchdowns. He needs 96 receiving yards to break the South Jersey single-season receiving mark of 1,434 yards set by former Timber Creek High and Temple University wideout Adonis Jennings in 2013. For his career, Stanley has 141 receptions for 2,442 yards and 26 receiving touchdowns. Those numbers are all Woodrow Wilson High School records. He will need 13 receptions on Saturday against Rumson-Fair Haven to break the Camden City mark for receptions of 153 set in 2015 by former Camden High and current University of Michigan defensive back Brad Hawkins.

NOV. 28
CHUCKBIT
Right here is a picture from the 1967 "El Delator," the Cheltenham High School yearbook, showing Panther soccer star and current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu playing soccer against Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School during the 1966 season. Though he was born in Israel, Netanyahu lived his teenage years in Cheltenham Township. Netanyahu's father Benzion moved from Israel to Cheltenham in 1963 to teach at Dropsie College, America's first center for post-doctoral Jewish studies, now the Katz Center for Advanced Judaic Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. With Benzion came his children, including Benjamin, nicknamed "Bibi," the future Prime Minister of Israel. Benjamin is arguably the most famous graduate of Cheltenham High. Reggie Jackson ("Class of 1964") is a celebrity in the United States and the Latin American countries, but is virtually an unknown in other parts of the world, whereas Netanyahu, a world leader, stands alone in my opinion as Cheltenham's most famous alumnus worldwide. At Cheltenham, "Bibi" was fourth in his class and was a National Letter of Commendation winner. In addition to starring on the soccer team, "Bibi" was in the chess club and on the debating team. Ironically, on the soccer team, Benjamin played left wing which was the exact opposite of his political views while in high school. Netanyahu never received his 1967 "El Delator" yearbook and didn't attend the June graduation ceremony for his "Class of 1967," because in late May he left Cheltenham, returned to his native Israel and enlisted in the Israeli Defense Forces during the Six-Day War between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

"IN REMEMBRANCE"

Pictured here is the late 1949 Cheltenham High School graduate Ed Charters. Ed, a native of Glenside, starred in football, basketball, and baseball during his time at Cheltenham High. In fact, he scored the lone touchdown to give the Panthers a 6-0 victory over Abington in the 1948 annual backyard football classic. After graduating Cheltenham, Ed matriculated at Temple University, planning to become a football trainer. As things turned out, he ended up becoming the head football coach at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School where he became one of the top scholastic football coaches in the state of Pennsylvania during the decades of the 1960s and 1970s. His teams won numerous Suburban One championships, and Ed was named "Coach of the Year" several times. The success of his football teams at Plymouth-Whitemarsh was no accident. His teams were well-coached, well-disciplined, well-conditioned, and above all, rarely ever beat themselves. Every year at the Montgomery County All-Star Football game, the Most Valuable Players on the North and South squads are recognized with the "Ed Charters Memorial Award." Ed Charters will always be remembered for his success as a football coach at Plymouth-Whitemarsh, but more importantly he will be remembered as a respected influence on the lives of countless young people.

OCT. 29
CHUCKBIT
On Friday night Palmyra High School's Sam Aviles rushed for 404 yards and four touchdowns on only 11 carries in Palmyra's 41-32 triumph over Bordentown. That computes to 36.7 yards-per-carry and is the fifth-highest single game rushing effort in South Jersey history. The highest game in area history is 478 yards by Glassboro High's Corey Clement in 2012. Aviles scored his four touchdowns on runs of 99, 83, 62, and 44 yards. Oh, I forgot to mention that he is a quarterback. The 404 yards shatters the South Jersey record for rushing in a game by a quarterback which was previously 342 yards by Pennsville quarterback Dylan Cummings in 2013. Aviles missed the New Jersey state quarterback rushing record by two yards which is 406 yards by Devin Fuller (pictured here) of Old Tappan in 2010. Fuller had 28 carries when he set the record. Devin Fuller is a former UCLA and Atlanta Falcons wide receiver. He had arguably the most accomplished offensive high school career in New Jersey high school history. For his career, Devin compiled 10,737 yards of total offense (6,148 passing, 4,589 rushing) and threw for 58 touchdowns and ran for 60.

OCT. 26
CHUCKBIT
Click here to see how South Jersey Group 5 looks going into the last week before the playoffs. Eastern is currently sixth. The first 16 make it in after this Friday and Saturday's games. Then the state geographically sorts them into two groups of eight teams and the playoffs start next week. An Eastern win over Kingsway this week will go a long way in ensuring a first-round home playoff game.

OCT. 25
CHUCKBIT
Yesterday, October 24, I attended the 53rd meeting of the Philadelphia Area Basketball Junkies' Club, held at The Great American Pub in Conshohocken. The group co-founded by the late Les Kaune and Allen Rubin in 1993, has met at various restaurants in the Philly area over its 25 years in existence. Its origins can be traced back to May of 1993 when Les, Allen, Steve Keller, Norm Eavenson, and myself took in a scrimmage at Gustine Recreation Center in Philadelphia between Roman Catholic and an AAU squad from South Jersey. Afterwards, we had dinner and drinks at a restaurant in Manayunk and the Philadelphia Area Basketball Junkies' Club was born. Since then we have met twice a year in October and June at various locales in the region. On Wednesday 32 hardcore hoop fans turned out for the latest meeting. Among those in attendance were former Gratz coach Bill Ellerbee, HSBI Reports's Tom Konchalski, New Jersey Hoops Jay Gomes, EB Hoops Ed Butler, Villanova assistant coach Mike Nardi, Director of the All-City Hoops Classic Charles Monroe, The Philadelphia Inquirer basketball writer Mike Jensen, talent evaluators Steve Keller and Norm Eavenson, St. Joseph's University head coach Phil Martelli (pictured here), The Hoop Scoop's Allen Rubin, and longtime Philadelphia area impresario Hal Bailer. At the gathering, Norman Eavenson spoke about teams and players in southeastern Pennsylvania basketball, while Allen Rubin talked about South Jersey basketball. Steve Keller and Tom Konchalski spoke about the latest goings on of the NCAA. Then Adam Balk spoke about Jeremy Treatman's Scholastic Play by Play Classics, and Mike Nardi talked about the Villanova basketball program. The guest speaker was St. Joseph's head basketball coach Phil Martelli. Last but certainly not least, the junkies passed the hat and collected $5,310 for Coaches vs. Cancer. The meeting adjourned approximately at 10:00. The 54th gathering of the Philadelphia Area Basketball Junkies' Club will be next June.

OCT. 23
CHUCKBIT
"IN MEMORIAM"
(1936-2018)
Renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Rothman, pictured here in the 1954 Cheltenham High School "El Delator" yearbook, succumbed to cancer Sunday at the age of 81. Dr. Rothman was the founder of the well-known Rothman Institute which now has 29 offices in the Greater Philadelphia area dedicated to the treatment of musculskeletal diseases and characterized by quality, compassion, and affordability. The Rothman Institute has treated thousands of high school, college, and professional athletes over the years. Physicians at the institute also have served as team physicians for Philadelphia area high school sports teams in addition to the Philadelphia Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, 76ers, and Villanova University. Dr. Rothman , who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and its medical school, devoted his entire medical career to the specialty of orthopedic surgery with focus on the replacement of the human hip and knee. This past May 16, Dr. Rothman performed his last surgery, putting a 50-year surgical career to rest. On his last day of surgery, Dr. Rothman performed five knee replacements. In his 50 years in the operating room, Dr. Rothman performed approximately 50,000 knee and hip replacements. R.I.P. Dr. Rothman!!!

OCT. 18
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is former Bishop Kenrick basketball player and current University of Connecticut Hall of Fame basketball coach Geno Auriemma and his wife Kathy Osler, a graduate of Cheltenham High School. Geno has won an unheard of eleven NCAA Division I women's national championships at Connecticut and is considered by many basketball purists to be "among the best coaches in the sport." Kathy, his wife of 40 years, graduated Cheltenham High in 1972 where she was a varsity cheerleader. She matriculated at Montgomery County Community college in Blue Bell where she was also a cheerleader and met Montco basketball player Geno at the the first home basketball game of the 1972-1973 season. They were introduced by Kathy's good friend and former Cheltenham High cheerleader Robin Friedman. Geno and Kathy went out on their first date the night they met at the basketball game and were married in 1978.

OCT. 17
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is Hammonton High School running back Jaiden Abrams. The 5-foot-9, 175-pound sophomore, who just turned 15 years old last month, has carried the ball 179 times for 1,215 yards for an average of 173.6 yards-per-game. He is second in the state of New Jersey in rushing behind Syfee Campbell of Newark Central who has rushed for 1,224 yards. Jaiden Abrams will present a formidable challenge for the Eastern High School defense when the (5-1) Vikings travel down to Hammonton Friday night. Earlier this season, Abrams carried the ball 34 times for a school-record 288 yards against Shawnee. He has racked up six straight 100-yard plus games.

OCT. 16
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is Burlington Township High School football coach Tom Maderia who currently sports a career a record of 101-60 at the Burlington County school. Maderia, a 1980 graduate of the powerful Division III Mount Union College (Ohio) football program, also coached at Holy Cross High in Delran from 1992-2002, accumulating a coaching record of 90-28 there. With a current career record of 191-88, Tom Maderia stands alone in both South Jersey and New Jersey state high school football history as the only coach to win 90 or more games at two different schools. As far as winning 90 games at two schools, nobody in South Jersey history is even close to him. The closest to him in state history is the Hudson County football coaching legend, the late Joe Coviello. From 1946 to 1960, Coviello won 118 games at Memorial High in West New York, NJ, and from 1961 to 1971 he won 88 games at North Bergen as the school's first football coach. Also, from 1937 to 1942, Coviello won 48 games at Berwick High School in Pennsylvania. For his career, the Columbia University graduate tallied 254 wins at the three schools.
One of Joe Coviello's biggest wins was in 1946 when Memorial High pounded St. Cecelia's of Englewood, 43-6, handing the legendary Vince Lombardi one of his worst career coaching losses. Lombardi was so embarrassed after the blowout that the following week in practice he ordered the seniors to get their cars and light the practice field when it got dark so that they could practice until 10 o'clock. His players responded by winning their next game against Seton Hall, 33-0, and the following week they shutout Pope Pius, 40-0.
By the way, Memorial is the alma mater of SJ Prep football coach Gabe Infante, who played basketball and baseball in addition to football.

OCT. 12
CHUCKBIT
Ted wrote in today's TEDBIT that the high-scoring Eastern High School football team is averaging 45.0 ppg. after their first six games. As a follow-up, the South Jersey and New Jersey state record for points-per-game in a season is 51.8 ppg, set by Penns Grove High in 2012. In 2012, Penns Grove outscored their opponents 621-46 on their way to their first South Jersey Group 1 sectional championship. Here are the Top 10 team points-per-game in South Jersey history.
Highest Points-Per-Game Average For a Team in a Season
Team; Year; Points-Per-Game
1. Penns Grove; 2012; 51.8
2. Salem; 1996; 48.4
3. Penns Grove; 2010; 48.2
4. St. Joseph Hammonton; 2011; 47.4
5. Timber Creek; 2016; 47.0
6. West Deptford; 2013; 46.2
7. St. Joseph Hammonton; 2017; 45.4
8. St. Joseph Hammonton; 2014; 44.9
9. Penns Grove; 2017; 44.8
10. St. Joseph Hammonton; 2005; 44.5

OCT. 10
CHUCKBIT
Last Friday night, the undefeated Burlington Township football team pounded Clearview, 50-20, to give coach Tom Maderia his 100th career victory at Township. Burlington Township is now 5-0 for the first time in 41 years. Forty-one years ago in 1977, St. Joseph's University basketball great and Big 5 Hall of Famer Bryan Warrick (pictured here) quarterbacked the Falcons to a 10-0 record and the South Jersey Group 1 state title. Bryan was a multi-sport athlete at Burlington Township. competing in football, basketball, and track. Football was easily Warrick's best sport in high school as he quarterbacked the Falcons to 20 straight wins and sectional state championships in 1976 and 1977. Warrick attracted interest from Penn State, Michigan, and UCLA as a defensive back, but he wanted to play quarterback in college. Because of that, he decided to pursue a future in basketball. He took his talents to St. Joseph's University where he scored 1,273 career points and recorded 181 steals. During his junior season, Bryan helped the Hawks upset No. 1 DePaul in the NCAA tournament, scoring a team-high 12 points. With 13 seconds remaining in the game, Bryan brought the ball up the floor and found Roman Catholic's Lonnie McFarlan in the corner. Lonnie rose up, appearing to be taking a long jumper and drawing two defenders, before he passed off to Bishop Neumann's John Smith for the winning basket. Bryan was selected with the second pick in the second round (25th overall) in the 1982 NBA Draft by the Washington Bullets. He played for the Bullets, Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Indiana Pacers in four years in the league.

OCT. 4
TEDBIT
Pictured here is 2009 Shawnee High School graduate Chris LaPierre. Chris is the answer to the following trivia question: Who is the former South Jersey scholastic athlete who edged out Millville High's Mike Trout for "The Philadelphia Inquirer's" Male Athlete of the Year in 2009?? At Shawnee, Chris, who was nicknamed "Shocker," was a two-sport superstar. In 2008, Chris set state records on the gridiron for touchdowns (44) and points (272) as the Shawnee Renegades went 12-0 and won their second straight sectional title. He finished his stellar football career with 4,722 rushing yards and 84 touchdowns. Despite getting offers from Rutgers, Ohio State, and Penn State among others, he passed on collegiate football and went to the University of Virginia on a lacrosse scholarship. At Shawnee, Chris, a midfielder was a two-time All-American and set a school record with 199 goals. At Virginia, he was also an All-American and was selected All-ACC twice. Chris is currently working as an equity trader at Bronson Point Management in Connecticut. Looking back, in my opinion, Chris was the correct choice for "Athlete of the Year." Chris was first-team All-State in both lacrosse and football, while Mike Trout was only All-State in baseball. Either way, it was a difficult choice.

OCT. 2
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is Channel 10 NBC newscaster/sportscaster Keith Jones. Keith graduated from New Egypt High School in Plumsted Township, New Jersey in 2003. At New Egypt High, which participates in the Burlington County Scholastic League, Keith was one of the few basketball players in South Jersey history to captain his team all four years he played. Keith matriculated at Villanova University where he majored in Communications and minored in Journalism and Philosophy. At Villanova, Keith traveled the country with the Wildcats men's basketball team as a student manager. Since Keith had good basketball skills, coach Jay Wright decided to also use him as a practice player in addition to his student manager responsibilities. During his junior year, Keith roomed with Cardinal Dougherty graduate and NBA player Kyle Lowry. Nowadays, Keith also teaches at Villanova as an adjunct Professor of Broadcast Journalism.

SEPT. 29
CHUCKBIT
Last night, Woodrow Wilson quarterback Nick Kargman was 21-for-35 for 431 yards and six touchdowns in a 49-34 victory over Seneca. Kargman now has 26 passing touchdowns and 2,029 passing yards this season, making him the 56th South Jersey quarterback to have a season passing of 2,000 yards or more. The first 2,000 yard passer in South Jersey history was former Cherry Hill East, Boston College, and New York Jets quarterback Glenn Foley (pictured here). Thirty years ago in in 1988, Foley threw for 2,187 yards to become the first South Jersey quarterback to eclipse 2,000 yards. Here is the 2,000-yard club:

Passing Yardage in a Season
Name; School; Year; yards
1. Devin Leary; Timber Creek; 2016; 3,688
2. Dan Williams; Timber Creek; 2013; 3,545
3. Jason Amer; Holy Cross; 1999; 3,190
4. Manny Cortez; Pennsauken; 2011; 3,108
5. Max Smyth; Palmyra; 2015; 3,090
6. Dylan Cummings; Pennsville; 2011; 3,048
7. Tom Flacco; Eastern; 2012; 2,957
8. Kavon Lewis; Penns Grove; 2017; 2,934
9. Matt Burdalski; Holy Cross; 2001; 2,896
10. Devin Leary; Timber Creek; 2017; 2,863
11. Tom Flacco; Eastern; 2013; 2,782
12. Matt Burdalski; Holy Cross; 2000; 2,744
13. Ed Mebs; Holy Cross; 1996; 2,704
14. Kevin Foley; C.H. East; 1990; 2,626
15. Devin Leary; Timber Creek; 2015; 2,605
16. Mike Isgro; Absegami; 2005; 2,492
17. Joe Brennan; Camden Catholic; 2008; 2,438
18. Prince-Dru Bey; Winslow Township; 2017; 2,416
19. David Goree; W. Wilson; 1995; 2,382
20. Kahlil Trotman; Timber Creek; 2014; 2,373
21. Anthony Glaud; Winslow Township; 2005; 2,349
22. Brian Obuchowski; Holy Cross; 1998; 2,343
23. Jesse Milza; Cedar Creek; 2016; 2,339
24. Dylan Cummings; Pennsville; 2013; 2,323
25. Bill Belton; Winslow Township; 2009; 2,305
26. David Goree; W. Wilson; 1994; 2,279
27. Andrew Lisa; Moorestown; 2011; 2,268
28. Max Smyth; Palmyra; 2014; 2,263
29. Andrew Lisa; Moorestown; 2010; 2,240
30. Rob Curley; Holy Cross; 2004; 2,223
31. Jesse Milza; Cedar Creek; 2015; 2,208
32. Colin Wetterau; Shawnee; 2017; 2,197
33. Nick Cangelosi; Camden Catholic; 2002; 2,192
34. Tom Reilly; Holy Cross; 2006; 2,189
35. Joe Benson; Pemberton; 2015; 2,189
36. Glenn Foley; C.H. East; 1988; 2,187
37. Khalil Williams; Camden; 2014; 2,179
38. Alec Vignola; Paul VI; 2013; 2,176
39. Bill Belton; Winslow Township 2010; 2,167
40. Ken Emmons; Pennsville; 2008; 2,153
41. Sean Scanlon; Camden Catholic; 2003; 2,135
42. Cody Brown; Gloucester Catholic; 2009; 2,130
43. Al Mallen; Holy Spirit; 1988; 2,104
44. Jarren McBryde, Atlantic City, 2012; 2,099
45. Sean Scanlon; Camden Catholic; 2005; 2,098
46. Malik Muldrow; Lindenwold; 2013; 2,090
47. Mike Isgro; Absegami; 2004; 2,087
48. Jose Tabora; St. Augustine; 2013; 2,084
49. Nick Kargman; Wilson; 2017; 2,072
50. Brent Caprio; Mainland; 2008; 2,065
51. Steve Rizzo; Audubon; 2007; 2,052
52. Kevin Foley; C.H.E.; 1991; 2,042
53. Nick Kargman, Woodrow Wilson; 2018; 2029
54. Damon Mitchell; Cedar Creek; 2012; 2,023
55. Joe Flacco; Audubon; 2002; 2,016
56. Riley Giles; Deptford; 2015; 2,008

SEPT. 26
CHUCKBIT
It's not well-known, but baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson was also a pitcher on the Cheltenham High School baseball team in 1964. Reggie had an electric arm with amazing velocity, but at times he experienced problems with control. During the 1964 season, the future "Mr. October" had both his best and worst pitching performances of his prep career. His best was a no-hitter against Norristown High, while his worst was a 3-2 eight-inning loss to undefeated Abington High School. The hard throwing left-hander struck out 15 in his no-hitter against Norristown including six of the last eight batters. In the eight-inning loss to Abington High School (May 7, 1964 "Times Chronicle" article posted here), Reggie struck out 16 and only gave up one hit, but he was all over the place with his pitches, walking an uncharacteristic 14 batters, hitting two, and was credited with three wild pitches. One can only imagine what his pitch count was that day???

SEPT. 25
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is Deslea High School's highly successful football coach Sal Marchese, Jr. Currently in his 26th season, Marchese has won nine sectional South Jersey championships and sports a career record of 201-71-1. Marchese played football at Delsea for his next-door neighbor and mentor John Oberg who started the football program at Delsea in 1960. Oberg, a former running back at Chichester High School and the University of Delaware, compiled a 230-67-16 record as head coach at Delsea. With Marchese and Oberg both tallying over 200 career wins at Delsea, the high school is the only football school in the state of New Jersey to have two coaches that have each won 200 games at that school. In 58 years, Sal Marchese, Jr. and John Oberg are the only two head coaches in Delsea history, combining for 431 wins. There is only one other school in the Philadelphia area (Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey) that has had two coaches win 200 career games at that school. That would be Ridley High School. Phil Marion coached Ridley to a record of 223-59-13, and Joe McNicholas compiled a mark of 226-28-2 at the Delaware County school.

SEPT. 23
CHUCKBIT
The list if South Jersey's single-game passing leaders needs to be updated and . . . there's a new No. 1. Yesterday, Woodrow Wilson's Nick Kargman passed for 539 vs. Cedar Creek. That's also a state record. Below the SJ list is one that shows the Top 5 performances in state history.

Top 16 Passing Performances in South Jersey History
Name; School; Year; Yards
1. Nick Kargman; Woodrow Wilson; 539
2. Dan Williams; Timber Creek; 2013; 536
3. Dan Williams; Timber Creek; 2013; 488
4. Joe Flacco; Audubon; 2002; 471
5. Nick Kargman; Woodrow Wilson; 2018; 456
6. Tom McKeown; Holy Cross; 1994; 447
7. Dylan Cummings; Pennsville; 2011; 444
8. Tom Flacco; Eastern; 2012; 443
9. Jason Amer; Holy Cross; 1999; 438
10. Christian Maiden; Washington Twp.; 2013; 436
11. Khalil Trotman; Timber Creek; 2014; 433
12. Justin Long; Pennsauken; 1999; 412
13. Riley Giles; Deptford; 2015; 408
14. Tyrae Taylor; Winslow Twp.; 2015; 403
15. David Goree; W. Wilson; 1994; 402
16. Andrew Heck; Eastern; 2018; 399

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Top 5 passing performances in NJ history
1.Nick Kargman: Woodrow Wilson; 2018; 539 yards
2.Dan Williams; Timber Creek; 2013; 536 yards
3.Cooper Heisey; Scotch Plains-Fanwood; 2017; 533 yards
4.Scott Brown; Butler; 1997; 515 yards
5.Dom Natale; Hun; 2003; 511 yards

SEPT. 22
CHUCKBIT
Eastern's Andrew Heck (pic here) last night posted the 15th highest passing yardage total in South Jersey history . . .

Name; School; Year; Yards
1. Dan Williams; Timber Creek; 2013; 536
2. Dan Williams; Timber Creek; 2013; 488
3. Joe Flacco; Audubon; 2002; 471
4. Nick Kargman; Woodrow Wilson; 2018; 456
5. Tom McKeown; Holy Cross; 1994; 447
6. Dylan Cummings; Pennsville; 2011; 444
7. Tom Flacco; Eastern; 2012; 443
8. Jason Amer; Holy Cross; 1999; 438
9. Christian Maiden; Washington Twp.; 2013; 436
10. Khalil Trotman; Timber Creek; 2014; 433
11. Justin Long; Pennsauken; 1999; 412
12. Riley Giles; Deptford; 2015; 408
13. Tyrae Taylor; Winslow Twp.; 2015; 403
14. David Goree; W. Wilson; 1994; 402
15. Andrew Heck; Eastern; 2018; 399

SEPT. 11
CHUCKBIT
Seventeen years ago on September 11, 2001, former West Deptford High School and Fordham University fullback Nick Brandemarti (click here) went to work just like any other day on the 89th floor of 2 World Trade Center, but he never returned home, losing his life in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. In 1996, Nick set the individual game school rushing record at West Deptford with 340 yards against Gateway High. That record still stands today. GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN! R.I.P. Nick!!

SEPT. 10
TEDBIT
Senior Woodrow Wilson High School of Camden quarterback Nick Kargman (pictured here) threw for a school-record 456 yards and a South Jersey-record eight touchdown passes as Wilson rolled to a 62-6 victory over Camden Catholic on Saturday. Florence Township High School's Brian Opre and Woodrow Wilson's Kareem Gilliard, both set the previous single-game South Jersey record of seven on Thanksgiving Day in 1992. Kargman's eight touchdowns is one shy of the New Jersey state record of nine, set by Kinnelon High's Kyle Presti in 2014 with a 68-42 victory of over Sussex County Tech. This coming Saturday, September 15 at noon, Kargman will take his aerial show over to Philly to play at Frankford High School.

SEPT. 7
CHUCKBIT
There are 80 high schools in seven-county South Jersey playing football. This season there are a record 16 new coaches which computes to exactly 20 percent of the schools in South Jersey that field a football team. Pictured here is Robert "Cody" Hall, the new coach at Camden Catholic. Robert Cody Hall, who played college football at James Madison University, was formerly the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Simon Gratz High School in Philadelphia and Glen Mills in Delaware County. Here's the list of new coaches with the old coach in parenthesis:

SEPT. 5
CHUCKBIT
The Cheltenham-Abington football rivalry, also known as the '"Backyard Brawl" and the "Battle of Old York Road," goes back over 100 years to 1915. It's the fifth-oldest public high school gridiron rivalry in Pennsylvania. When the two schools meet this Friday night (September 7) in Abington, two former Philadelphia Catholic League linemen will be coaching their respective teams. Father Judge product Ryan Nase is the head coach at Cheltenham, while La Salle grad Kevin Conlin is Abington's coach.

AUGUST 30
CHUCKBIT
Listed below are the 11 South Jersey football coaches that have won 200 or more games. In an amazing coincidence, the three coaches with the most wins and four of the Top 5, are all currently coaching at their alma maters. In fact, their alma maters are the only schools they have ever coached at. Number one Paul Sacco (pictured here) with 317 career wins is a 1975 graduate of St. Joseph Hammonton, while Number 2 Joe Frappolli with 302 wins graduated Florence High School in 1965. Number three Glenn Howard, who has 284 wins, is a 1977 graduate of Paulsboro High, and Number five Tim Gushue is a 1970 alumnus of Shawnee High with 246 career victories. Also, on the 200-win list is 1985 Delsea High School graduate Sal Marchese, Jr. who won his 200th career game at Delsea last December.
South Jersey Coaching Wins
Coach; Schools; Wins
*1. Paul Sacco; St. Joseph Hammonton; 317 wins
*2. Joe Frappolli; Florence; 302 wins
*3. Glenn Howard; Paulsboro; 284 wins
4. Clyde Folsom; West Deptford/Bishop Eustace; 262 wins
*5. Tim Gushue; Shawnee; 246 wins
6. John Oberg; Delsea; 230 wins
7. Skeets Irvine; Collingswood; 223 wins
*8. Pete Lancetta; St. Augustine/Hammonton; 220 wins
9. Tom Brown; Washington Twp./Paulsboro; 216 wins
10. Tony Barchuk; Kingsway; 206 wins
*11. Sal Marchese, Jr.; Delsea; 200 wins
*Active

AUGUST 23
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is rising senior star quarterback Nick Kargman of Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, New Jersey. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound dual-threat quarterback is one of the top signal callers in the New Jersey "Class of 2019." Nick has the combination of tools most most colleges seek in filling their quarterback voids. He transferred to Woodrow Wilson from Pitman High School last season after the Pitman varsity football program was suspended for the 2017 season. Last season playing for Woodrow Wilson, Nick threw for 2,072 yards and 28 touchdowns despite being injured several games. For his career, he has thrown for 4,173 yards and has a very good chance of joining the 5,000-yard career passing club. Here are South Jersey's 5,000-yard career passers:

AUGUST 21
CHUCKBIT
The 2018 Little League World Series is currently being played in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. You can't miss it since it's on ESPN practically every day and night. The Little League World Series will culminate this Sunday (August 26) when the United States Champion meets the International Champion for the title. Believe it or not, 63 years ago in 1955, two Philadelphia-area little league teams played in the championship game. Morrisville, Pennsylvania and Delaware Township, New Jersey, now known as Cherry Hill Township, which are located only 32 miles apart played for the title with Morrisville winning, 4-3, in seven innings on a walk-off home run by right fielder Rich Cominski (pictured here) in the bottom of the seventh inning. Because of the close proximity of the two towns in the title game, the 1955 World Series has become known as the "subway series." Nowadays, with the US Champion meeting the International Champion in the final game, the record of 32 miles for closest distance between two teams in the championship game may stand forever.
Several of the players from both the Morrisville and Delaware Township Little Leagues ended up making their marks as noted future athletes and coaches. Morrisville pitcher Tom Kaczor became a basketball star at Bishop Egan High School in Levittown and a prominent hoops coach in Bucks County. Tom coached at Morrisville High, Bristol High, and Holy Ghost Prep in Bensalem, compiling an overall record of 358-115. At Holy Ghost Prep, he won state titles in 1972 and 1974. Morrisville Little League star Dan Napolean made it all the way to the Major Leagues, playing outfield for the New York Mets in 1965 and 1966. Also, Dick Hart, probably Morrisville High School's most well-known athlete along with former Temple University basketball standout Mike Vreeswyk, played on the school's 1958 championship football team and set the state shot put record before turning sports into a profession. Hart played baseball for a few years in the Milwaukee Braves minor league system. He eventually left baseball and joined the Philadelphia Eagles playing guard. He had quite a successful pro football career in spite of never playing in college.
For the Delaware Township or Cherry Hill Little League team, star Billy Hunter starred in football at Delaware Township High (later, Cherry Hill West) and Syracuse University before playing wide receiver in the NFL with the Washington Redskins and Miami Dolphins. He went to law school, worked in the Jimmy Carter presidential administration, became a judge, and served as executive director of the NBA Players Association. Delaware Township Little League pitcher Tom Trotman became a legendary baseball coach at Cherry Hill West. Under coach Trotman, Cherry Hill West made the state Group 3 finals in 1987 and 1988, won the state Group 4 title in 1989 and 1990, and captured the state Group 3 title in 1991. In 1992, they won another state Group 4 title with the best team in school history. The 1992 team went 27-3 and was ranked Number 2 in the country by USA Today.

AUGUST 16
CHUCKBIT
With the New Jersey high school football season two weeks away, here are the coaches in New Jersey state history that have won 300 or more games. Of the 11 coaches, three are active: Don Smolyn of Lenape Valley with 329 wins, Paul Sacco of St. Joseph Hammonton with 317 victories, and Florence Township's Joe Frappolli with 302 career wins. The all-time wins leader is the late Vic Paternostro (pictured here) who won 373 games in his coaching career. Paternostro spent all 43 years of his coaching career at Pope John in Sparta where he amassed a record of 373-67-5. Vic retired after his team's 10-1 season in 2010. Paternostro's teams won 18 NJSIAA Non-Public state championships and boasted a 44-17 playoff record. Vic graduated from Queen of Peace High School in North Arlington, Bergen County, and he earned a full scholarship to the University of Notre Dame where he was part of the 1966 NCAA championship team under legendary coach Ara Parseghian.

New Jersey Coaching Wins
1. Vic Paternostro; Pope John; 373 wins
2. Warren Wolf; Brick Twp./Lakewood; 364 wins
3. Vin Ascolese; North Bergen/Hoboken; 356 wins
4. Tony Karcich; St. Joe�s Montvale/Bergen Catholic; 348 wins
5. Frank Bottone; New Providence; 334 wins
6. Pierce Frauenheim; Immaculata; 332 wins
7. Don Smolyn; Lenape Valley/Green Brook; 329 wins (active)
8. Doug Wilkens; Mountain Lakes; 328 wins
9. Paul Sacco; St. Joseph Hammonton; 317 wins (active)
10. Greg Toal; Don Bosco/Hackensack/River Dell/Saddle Brook; 305 wins
11. Joe Frappolli; Florence; 302 wins (active)

AUGUST 11
CHUCKBIT
Circled in this team picture is former professional basketball and football athlete, the late Gorham Getchell. Gorham is the answer to the following trivia question: Who is the only high school football coach in South Jersey history to coach at least one full season who never lost a game??? Gorham grew up in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania and was a multi-sport athlete at Jenkintown High School from 1936-1939. He matriculated at Temple University where he played both football and basketball. After graduating, he joined the Marines and served his country in World War II. After the war, the 6-foot-4, 205-pound Gorham played professional basketball as a member of the Pittsburgh Ironmen in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) during the 1946-47 season. The BAA and the National Basketball League (NBL) eventually merged to create the NBA in 1949. Gorham Getchell also played pro football with the Baltimore Colts in the NFL during the 1947 season as an offensive end. It was during the 1949 scholastic football season that he coached in South Jersey. Gorham coached Haddonfield High School to their first perfect season in 1949 with a record of 9-0. Haddonfield finished the season outscoring its opponents, 234-75. After the 1949 season, Gorham resigned as head coach and relocated to California.

AUGUST 8
CHUCKBIT
The other day I checked out and read a book (click here) from my local Mount Laurel, New Jersey library entitled Wilt, Ike, & Me by David Richman. David chronicles his personal memoir in this 300-page engaging paperback. David writes how his late father, Ike Richman, founded the Philadelphia 76ers, and moved NBA superstar and Overbrook High School graduate Wilt Chamberlain into their Elkins Park home during the 1965 NBA season. It's a lot more than a sports story, dealing with coming of age, living with an NBA icon, and coping with the loss of a parent. David is a terrific storyteller, making the reader feel like part of the story. As the book begins, Ike Richman makes the incredible trade that brings Wilt to the 76ers. For David, a 16-year old tenth grader at the time, rooming with Wilt turned into a pretty wild ride. The stories of Wilt living in Elkins Park with David are priceless. From Wilt sleeping diagonally on two twin beds in David's room, to the 7-foot-1, 300-pound Chamberlain taking two mile walks around the Elkins Park neighborhood, and to Wilt's talks on birth control. The stories of Wilt instructing David how to drive in the Elkins Park neighborhood are hilarious. To show David how to parallel park, he took him into North Philadelphia. There at Broad and Olney, Wilt instructed David on the particulars of parallel parking while hundreds of curious onlookers watched. Readers get a unique look and perspective on the smart, funny, and charismatic Wilt. They will hear stories about the famous athlete from Philly never told before. This book is a great read that I highly recommend. It has much to offer everyone!

AUGUST 7
CHUCKBIT
It's always very difficult to predict the manifest destiny of young college football prospects, but Highland High School's rising sophomore running back Johnny Martin III (pic here) appears to have the right stuff. The 5-foot-9, 200-pound athlete rushed for 1,266 yards in 2017, becoming the first ninth-grade South Jersey back to eclipse the 1,000-yard plateau since 2008 when Holy Spirit freshman halfback Nigel Jones carried the ball 167 times for 1,207 yards and 13 touchdowns to lead the Cape Atlantic League in rushing. Johnny Martin ("Class of 2021") is the first freshmen running back in Camden County football history to crack the 1,000-yard mark. That's very impressive when you consider two Heisman Trophy winners, Woodrow Wilson's Mike Rozier and Overbrook Regional's Ron Dayne both played their prep football in Camden County. Martin, who helped lead Highland to the South Jersey Group 4 semifinals, has already received scholarship offers from Temple University and Rutgers. Stay Tuned!!!

AUGUST 2
CHUCKBIT
Twenty-five years ago yesterday, on a steamy, humid August 1, 1993 day in Cooperstown, New York, 1964 Cheltenham High School graduate Reggie Martinez Jackson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame before an overflow crowd that included his parents Martinez and Clara and his Cheltenham High football coach John Kracsun. Pictured here is me, standing next to Reggie's plaque in the Hall of Fame Room of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Reggie is one of only two former Montgomery County high school baseball players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The other is L.A. Dodgers legendary manager Tommy LaSorda who graduated Norristown High in 1944. Reggie Jackson is an intelligent, outspoken, and often controversial figure who was highly recognizable, whether it be his famous left-handed swing or from his candy bar. He hit hard, ran fast, and in a career that spanned 20 seasons, became a positive role model for black children. The baseball superstar from 149 Greenwood Ave. in Wyncote was an inspiration that a baseball player could be respected, successful, and clout 563 home runs without the aid of anabolic steroids or other performance enhancing drugs. He was one of the most colorful and exciting players of his era, and a prolific hitter who thrived in pressure situations. His ability to shine in post-season earned him the nickname "Mr. October," and made him a living legend and a Baseball Hall of Famer.
**Tom Taylor, who has long tracked city basketball scoring, offered these Reggie nuggets after reading the post right above.**
-- A college teammate of mine played in an all-star game with Reggie after his senior year. Reggie, like the mighty Casey, struck out. When he got back to the bench he said �That�s okay. I�m going to play football.�
-- About twenty years ago we chaperoned the Hershey High band on a trip to California and landed in the John Wayne Airport. The band was divided between two planes. When we landed we found out that Reggie Jackson had been on the other plane and several of the kids were talking about how nice he was. Our younger son Curt, who was about ten, was with us and asked if he could try to get Reggie's autograph. Curt was able to find Reggie outside waiting for his ride and Reggie couldn�t have been nicer. As you can understand I�ve been a big Reggie fan since then.

AUGUST 1
CHUCKBIT
There are currently 80 high schools in seven-county South Jersey playing football. Of those 80 schools, Eastern High School in Voorhees, New Jersey ranks second in the most first-round NFL draft picks. The Vikings have had two first-rounders in the school's history. In 1997, Chris Canty (click here), a 1993 Eastern graduate, was selected 29th overall by the New England Patriots coming out of Kansas State University where he played defensive back. At Eastern, Canty was an All-South Jersey cornerback in addition to playing quarterback his senior season for the Vikings. The other first-round pick from Eastern High is defensive back Eli Apple (click here) who was known in his days at Eastern High as Eli Woodward. Eli was chosen tenth in the 2016 NFL Draft by the New York Giants. He played his college football at Ohio State University. The only South Jersey high school with more first-round NFL picks than Eastern is Rancocas Valley High School in Mount Holly, New Jersey with three. In 1972, former Rancocas Valley running back Franco Harris, who played collegiately at Penn State, was chosen 13th by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Then in 1984, wide receiver Irving Fryar was picked number one overall by the New England Patriots coming out of Nebraska, and in 1992 defensive end Alonzo Spellman, out of Ohio State University, was the 22nd. pick by the Chicago Bears.

JULY 31
TEDBIT
Three times in the history of South Jersey football, a high school team has scored over 100 points in a gridiron game. On September 27, 1922, Woodbury High School shut out Gloucester High, 113-0. On November 3, 1917, Pleasantville High School upended Ocean City High, 106-7, and on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1913, Woodstown High blanked Glassboro, 102-0. The highest scoring football game in South Jersey history occurred on November 12, 2016 at Pennsauken High School's Vince McAneney Field when Freehold High School and Pennsauken High School combined for 125 points as Freehold outlasted Pennsauken, 69-56 in a NJSIAA playoff game. There were no overtimes. The 125 combined points is the highest-scoring high school playoff football game in state history. The football contest literally turned into a track meet. Pennsauken senior running back, Martin Booker, Jr, (pictured here) the son of former Villanova University track star Martin Booker, Sr, carried the ball 40 times for 376 yards and eight touchdowns. Meanwhile, Freehold's human highlight film, quarterback Ashante Worthy, rushed for 465 yards and eight touchdowns on 43 carries in addition to throwing two touchdown passes.

JULY 29
CHUCKBIT
As a follow-up to the Chuckbit on New Jersey boys' basketball coaching legend Jerry Molloy, below is the list of the state's all-time Top 10 boys' basketball coaching win leaders. Pictured here is current Burlington City coach Paul Collins who is currently seventh on the list with 759 wins. Paul has been coaching 44 years at Willingboro, Riverside, and Burlington City. He has the longest active tenure of any boys' basketball coach in the Garden State. A 1968 graduate of now defunct Kennedy High School in Willingboro, Paul was an All-South Jersey standout in football and basketball. He played quarterback on the gridiron and as a guard on the basketball court he scored 1,374 career points. Collins went on to play basketball at Temple University for legendary Owls' coach Harry "Chief" Litwack.

JULY 28
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here on the right is New Jersey high school basketball coaching legend, the late Jerry Molloy. From 1931 to 1973, Jerry coached basketball at St. Mary's of Paterson, St. Michael's of Newark, St. Mary's of Jersey City, St. Patrick's of Elizabeth, and St. Mary's of Elizabeth, winning 900 games in 42 years. Jerry Molloy was much more than a basketball coach. He was a multitasker to say the least. The official title of his full-time job was "Hoboken's Coordinator of Youth Activities." In other words, Jerry was the Head of Hoboken's Department of Recreation. In addition to working with kids in Hoboken and coaching high school basketball at five different schools, Jerry was a colorful referee in college basketball, officiating many games at the old Madison Square Garden. He was also the head baseball coach at St. Peter's College in Jersey City. Last but not least, the charismatic, entertaining Molloy was known as the "Toastmaster of New Jersey," speaking at hundreds of dinners, banquets, and other social functions in North Jersey and New York City. More than once, the raconteur made as many as seven appearances in one day. Jerry loved to tell tales of his past that once had him coaching two high school basketball teams at the same time. Believe it or not, Jerry once coached St. Patrick's of Elizabeth and St. Mary's of Elizabeth simultaneously. When the two schools played each other, Jerry would sit on one team's bench the first two quarters, then switch sides for the third and fourth quarters. I'm not making this up. With his 900 career wins, Jerry Molloy is currently third all-time in the state of New Jersey for career victories behind St. Anthony's Bob Hurley, Sr. (1,185 wins) and St. Augustine's Paul Rodio (908 wins).

JULY 20
CHUCKBIT
Eighteen years ago in 2000, University of Richmond junior cornerback Jason Hill, a 1997 graduate of Eastern High and now the school's athletic director, returned an interception 44 yards for a TD with 1:22 remaining to give Richmond a 10-3 victory over Youngstown State in a first-round NCAA I-AA playoff game. The game was iced when Jason's older brother, senior Harold Hill, a 1996 alumnus of Eastern, intercepted a pass with 0:41 left in the game. Recap is here.

JULY 19
CHUCKBIT
This is a follow-up to yesterday's post on Tom and Joe Flacco playing in the Baltimore area. Pictured here on Throwback Thursday is Tom Flacco playing for Eastern High School in 2013 and older brother Joe Flacco, the current Baltimore Ravens quarterback, is here with some of his family in 2002 when he was playing quarterback at Audubon High School. Joe Flacco threw for 5,101 yards in his career at Audubon High School from 1999 to 2002. Younger brother Tom threw for 7,387 yards in one year at Camden Catholic and three at Eastern High. Tom's 7,387 career yards is third all-time in South Jersey history, while Joe's 5,101 yards is 17th. Their combined yardage of 12,488 yards is a South Jersey record and second in New Jersey state history for the most combined career passing yardage of two brothers. The state record is 13,145 yards by Chris Simms and Matt Simms, the sons of Phil Simms, the former New York Giants quarterback and current NFL television sportscaster for the CBS network. Chris Simms threw for 7,055 yards in his career at Ramapo High School from 1995 to 1998, while Matt Simms had 6,090 yards passing at Don Bosco Prep from 2004 to 2006.

JULY 18
CHUCKBIT
You know things are going your way when you complete a touchdown pass to yourself. On October 23, 2015, in the best passing game of his career, Shawnee High School quarterback Mike Welsh completed 26-of-36 passes for 352 yards and five touchdowns in a win over sister school Cherokee High. In the second quarter, on a play worthy of an ESPN Top 10, Mike Welsh's pass was batted right back to him, and he had the presence of mind to catch the ball on his shoulder and start running towards the left pylon (on the Max Preps YouTube here). The senior scored on the nine-yard pass to himself to give the Renegades a 14-7 lead, and they went on to defeat Cherokee High, 35-14. For his career, Mike Welsh threw for 4,158 yards and 46 touchdowns, including one to himself. Mike led the Renegades to a pair of South Jersey Group 4 titles, and finished his career winning more games (35) than any other quarterback in Shawnee history.
Note from Ted: Chuck asked me whether a city QB had accomplished this feat. The answer is yes. Versus La Salle on Thanksgiving in 2004, SJ Prep's Jim McCormick accomplished the feat on a play that began at the 5. He threw and then caught a pass that was batted by defensive end Scott Waters, then powered his way into the end zone. McCormick made the catch all the way back at the 15.

JULY 16
CHUCKBIT
As a follow-up to Ted's Tribute Page on the career of former Camden Catholic basketball coach Jim Crawford, here is the list of South Jersey's all-time winningest boys' basketball coaches. Pictured here is all-time leader, Paul Rodio of St. Augustine High School. In 41 seasons at St. Augustine, Paul has directed the Hermits to five state championships, 14 South Jersey titles, an average of 22 wins-per-season, and 908 career victories. Paul is second in state history to only retired St. Anthony of Jersey City coach Bob Hurley, Sr. who won 1,185 games as coach of the Friars from 1972-2017. Bob Hurley's legacy is that he went straight to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts without ever leaving Jersey City. He grew up in Jersey City, graduated from St. Peter's Prep High School in Jersey City, attended St. Peter's University in Jersey City, and coached St. Anthony for 45 years until it closed its doors in 2017.

1.   Paul Rodio, St. Augustine, 908 wins (active)
2.   Clarence Turner, Camden,   775 wins
3.   Paul Collins, Riverside, Willingboro, Burl City, 759 wins (active)
4.   Tom Feraco, Middle Township, 719 wins
5.   Jim Crawford, Camden Catholic, 713 wins
6.   John Valore, Cherry Hill East, Cumberland, Camden, Holy Cross, 673 wins (active)
7.   Joe Kessler, Shawnee, 667 wins (active)
8.   Lou Schantz; Salem,  625 wins
9.   Bill Hiltner, Sterling, Millville, 523 wins
10. Ken Faulkner, Burlington Twp., 521 wins

JULY 13
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here on the left is 102-year old Philadelphia-area golfing legend Louise "Bobbie" Rose being interviewed by CBS Philly Channel 3 news anchor Jessica Dean. Bobbie, a 1933 graduate of Cheltenham High School, lettered in four sports at Cheltenham High: basketball, swimming, field hockey, and softball. She was named "Best All-Around Female Athlete" in her class four straight years. Bobbie matriculated at Temple University where she won letters in five sports, adding tennis to her growing list of accomplishments. After graduating Temple, she became a physical education teacher, and in 1947 she took up the game of golf which would become her life's passion. Over the years, Bobbie has won 60 golf tournaments including 14 straight Women's Club Titles at the now defunct Ashbourne Country Club. Now at the age of 102, Bobbie still plays a few times a week and sports a 23 handicap. One of golf's most challenging goals is to shoot or score your age. For Bobbie Rose she does it almost every time she plays. At 102 years young, the amazing, age-defying Bobbie drives to meet friends for lunch, creates art, and travels in addition to playing golf.

JULY 12
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here on the right is current Ewing High School boys' basketball coach Shelly Dearden shaking hands with retired Naismith Hall of Fame basketball coach Bob Hurley, Sr, the former coach at now defunct St. Anthony High School in Jersey City. Shelly has quite an impressive resume at Ewing High which is located right outside of Trenton, New Jersey. She coached the Ewing High girls' soccer team to a state title in 1991, the girls' basketball team to a state championship in 1999, and the school's boys' team to a state title in 2012. Shelly is the only female coach in state history to lead a boys' basketball team to a state title. She's the second coach in state history, along with former Neptune High School coach Ken O'Donnell, to coach both a boys' and girls' basketball team to a state title. Shelly is also the first and only coach in state history to coach three teams in three different sports to state championships, and she is one of only a few high school coaches in the United States to ever accomplish that feat. Last season, the Ewing boys' basketball team defeated Hamilton West, 60-39, to give coach Shelly Dearden her 500th career victory coaching both boys' and girls' basketball.

JULY 11
CHUCKBIT
Of all the high school national records, the one that amazes me the most is the longest field goal mark. Dirk Borgognone, a field goal kicker from Reno High in Nevada, booted a 68-yard field goal in 1985 to set the National High School standard for the longest field goal. His 68-yard field goal, believe it or not, is four yards more than the NFL record which is 64 yards by Matt Prater of the Denver Broncos in 2013. Shouldn't the NFL record be more than the high school record???? Of course, in high school, they kick off a small tee, but still? Anyway, The Philadelphia area (southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey) record is 56 yards by former North Penn High School and current Oklahoma State University kicker Matt Ammendola, pictured here. The South Jersey mark is 54 yards by Bill Blackman of now defunct Kennedy High School of Willingboro in 1973. That record was tied in 1990 by former Holy Cross High and Ohio State field goal kicker Brad Costello. Football has been played in South Jersey since 1881. There have been only 11 field goals of 50 or more yards.

1. Bill Blackman, Kennedy, 1973, 54 yards
1. Brad Costello, Holy Cross, 54 yards
3. Jeff Haug, Cherokee, 1993, 53 yards
3. Merf Trout, Gloucester Catholic, 2003, 53 yards
5. Rob Juliano, Lenape, 1990, 52 yards
5. Rich Maston, Camden Catholic, 1990, 52 yards
7. Jae DeShields, Bridgeton, 2010, 51 yards
8. Mark Woods, Lenape, 1975, 50 yards
8. Kevin Cunningham, Rancocas Valley, 1983, 50 yards
8. Rob Juliano, Lenape, 1989, 50 yards
8. Scott Peeler, Cherry Hill East, 1993, 50 yards

JULY 10
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is 1945 Central High School graduate Phil "Sonny" Slosburg. At the age of 91, Phil has the distinction of being the oldest living former NFL running back. Slosburg matriculated at Temple University and starred in football and baseball. He earned six letters at Temple, three in each sport. He earned numerous awards on the gridiron including first-team All-East honors and second team All-American after the 1947 season. In 1947, Slosburg was the 10th leading ground gainer in the country and top ground gainer in the East. In 1948, Phil was still eligible to play for the Owls, but decided to graduate early with a business degree. That year, he was selected by the Boston Yanks in the fourth round (39th. overall) of the NFL Draft. During the 1948 season, Phil played as a running back for the Yanks. The following year the franchise moved on to New York and changed its name to the Bulldogs. Slosburg played both offense and defense for the Bulldogs. He retired after the season, having played 15 career NFL games. Slosburg worked in the textile business after football and was named to the Temple University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979 and the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. All three of Phil's sons graduated from Cheltenham High School, and his youngest son, Mike, played on the 1973 Cheltenham High football team, considered one of the best teams in school history. Even today at age 91, the Abington resident remains active by playing competitive tennis and softball.

JULY 9
CHUCKBIT
Over the years, some Philadelphia City League products have ventured over to South Jersey to coach scholastic football. Here are five that have each won at least 100 games in South Jersey.
1. Joe Corbi---The late Olney High School ("Class of 1957") All-Public League guard coached at Woodrow Wilson and Deptford, accumulating a career coaching record record of 194-84-9. His teams won 10 conference titles, and at Deptford High School his teams won South Jersey Group III titles in 1978 and 1998.
2. Vince McAneney---Vince is a 1947 graduate of LaSalle College High School. Coaching at Cherry Hill West and Pennsauken, the late McAneney compiled a record of 192-69-5. His teams at West Catholic (1957-1964), Cherry Hill West (1967-1969), and Pennsauken (1970-1994) won a total of 244 games. In South Jersey, his teams won 12 conference titles and won South Jersey Group 4 championships at Pennsauken in 1980, 1984, and 1986. At Pennsauken, eight of his former players made it to the NFL. Outgoing and gregarious, McAneney was one of the most popular people on the South Jersey sports scene. He was a great story-teller.
3. Larry Ginsburg---The former Southern High School graduate coached at Woodbury and Eastern High Schools, compiling a career record of 139-76-7. He also coached at Dover High in Delaware where he had a record of 73-25-2, overall winning 212 games in his coaching career. Larry is a founding board member of the Adam Taliaferro Foundation.
4. Lou D'Angelo---The former Central High School and Villanova University alumnus, coached at Pennsville High in South Jersey for 22 years where he had a record of 117-64-11. His finest team was the 1974 team which went 9-0 and only surrendered 22 points the entire season. In 1994, the Pennsville School Board named the school stadium after him.
5. Gary Degenhardt---Pictured here, the 1968 Frankford High School graduate coached Ocean City High from 1991 through 2005 to a 101-55 mark. His teams won six Cape Atlantic League titles and three South Jersey championships in 1996, 1998, and 1999. At Frankford High School, he was coached and mentored by legendary Philadelphia Public League football coach Al Angelo.

JULY 7
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here, signing a letter-of-intent to play football at Lackawanna Junior College in Scranton, Pennsylvania is Freehold High School's record-setting quarterback Ashante Worthy. Freehold High School is located in Monmouth County, New Jersey and is the alma mater of Bruce Springsteen ("Class of 1967"). In 2017, the 5-foot-9, 195-pound hybrid quarterback-running back was a human highlight film. He had a record-breaking season in 2017 that will long be remembered in the history of New Jersey scholastic football. He set the state's modern-day single season rushing record of 2,860 yards, breaking the old record of 2,815 yards set in 2016 by former Salem High School and University of Wisconsin All-American running back Jonathan Taylor. Worthy also passed for 2,106 yards in 2017, becoming the first player in New Jersey state history to rush and pass for more than 2,000 yards in a season. Ashante finished the season with 4,966 yards of total offense and accounted for a state single-season record 61 touchdowns------41 rushing and 20 passing. Worthy averaged 8.3 yards-per-carry and 220 yards-per-game as a runner. He's essentially a quarterback who runs like a Division I tailback. In the Central Jersey Group 4 state final (a 43-42 Long Branch victory in overtime), he had 62 touches, six touchdowns, and 420 yards. Amazingly, Ashante would be the only player in the Freehold backfield------on every play. There were no play fakes, no option choices, no backs to pick up blitzes off the edge. There was never a question which Freehold player was going to have the ball after the snap, and opposing defenses still could not stop him.

JULY 5
CHUCKBIT
At 6-foot-2, 235 pounds of chiseled muscle Mike Trout looks like an NFL running back, but even though he played youth football, it was not his second favorite sport. His second favorite sport at Millville High School was basketball where he was an All Cape-Atlantic League swingman during his prep days. (Click here). In his early teens, Trout was already a playground legend, dunking on 18-year-olds at the schoolyards when he was only 14. Even though the Major League Baseball's prodigy's manifest destiny was pretty much predetermined at an early age, Trout still crashed the boards for the Thunderbolts' basketball team in the winter like each possession took place in the final minute of a one-point game. Under the basket, he made sure opponents earned points in the paint, and time and time again Mike sacrificed his body to draw his share of offensive fouls. He averaged 14.7 points-per-game his senior season and was good for a double-double on nearly a nightly basis. Mike Trout had two of his best games in February of 2009 during his final season playing basketball at Millville High. On February 14, Trout scored 14 points and grabbed 18 rebounds as Millville beat Bishop Eustace, 53-48, in an Olympic-Cape Challenge game. Then on February 24, Mike scored 17 points as Millville upset perennial South Jersey basketball power St. Augustine Prep, 76-64 for its biggest win in years.

JULY 3
CHUCKBIT
These are the Eastern High School College Commitments according to the Camden Courier-Post. I took Jack Herman (signed pro baseball contract) off their list and added Ryan Jennings, Jr., who they didn't have.

GIRLS' SOCCER
Marlee Franden, Kean
Gianna Gonzalez, Pace
Mikayla Ronczka, Wilkes
Madison Tyree, Rutgers

JULY 2
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here on the right with her father Haviland "Biff" Harper and her brother, Will Harper, is 2004 Cheltenham High School graduate Laura Harper, the all-time leading scorer, boys or girls in Cheltenham High history with 2,009 career points and arguably the most accomplished basketball player in school history. Laura's brother Will, a 2000 graduate of Central High, played for their father Haviland, who was the Lancers' boys' basketball coach and chairman of the school's math department. At Cheltenham, Laura was All-Area, All-State, and an All-American selection. She was one of the most highly recruited athletes in Cheltenham High history. Laura matriculated at the University of Maryland where she teamed with her good friend Crystal Langhorne from across the Delaware River at Willingboro High to lead the Terrapins to the 2006 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball championship with a 78-75 overtime victory over Duke. For her efforts, Laura was named the "Most Outstanding Player" in the tournament. She graduated Maryland in 2008 and went on to play professionally in the WNBA and overseas. Laura is now an assistant women's coach at the University of Florida. Her father Haviland, a 6-7 forward at both Central High and George Washington University, racked up 17 double-doubles in his career at GW from 1972 to 1976, scoring 1,050 points and grabbing 547 rebounds.

JUNE 29
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is the late Central Bucks West football coach Mike Pettine Sr. Mike is the all-time leader in career wins in the Philadelphia area (southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey) with 326 wins. His final record at Central Bucks West was 326-42-4 in 33 seasons. Here is the list of football coaches in the Philadelphia area with 250 or more wins.

7. Gamp Pellegrini; Malvern Prep/St. Joseph's Prep/St. Thomas More; 278 wins

JUNE 28
CHUCKBIT
Pictured holding the ball (click here) at the recent reunion of the PIAA AAAA state finalist 1968 Cheltenham High boys' basketball team is City Leagues' product and Shakespearean scholar, coach Paul Westhead. Paul graduated West Catholic High School in 1956, then attended Malvern Prep for a year to brush up on both his basketball skills -- he never played varsity at WC -- and Shakespearean studies before matriculating at St. Joseph's University where he played for the legendary Dr. Jack Ramsey. Paul is the answer to the following trivia question: Who is the only basketball coach in history to win both a NBA and WNBA championship?? In 1980, Westhead coached the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA title on a team that featured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and a rookie from Michigan State University named Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Then 27 years later in 2007, he coached the Phoenix Mercury to the championship in the women's professional league. Paul coached the men's basketball teams at La Salle, George Mason, and Loyola Marymount Universities. At Loyola Marymount, he was called "The Guru of Go" for his run-and-gun, up-tempo freewheeling style of play that took Loyola to the "Elite Eight" in the 1990 NCAA tournament, before bowing out to eventual champion UNLV. His first coaching job was at Cheltenham High where he guided the 1968 boys' basketball team to a 26-0 record before losing to Laurel Highlands, 63-56, in overtime of the PIAA AAAA title game at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena before an estimated crowd of 13,000. The star of the team pictured in the back row, far left was 6-foot-7 forward Craig Littlepage, who would go on to play and coach at the University of Pennsylvania. "Page" recently retired as the Director of Athletics at the University of Virginia.

JUNE 27
CHUCKBIT
It all started with a powderpuff football game between the Deptford High School junior and senior girls and evolved into something much bigger for Samantha Dimitri (pic here). On September 12, 2009, in the season opener, Samantha, a senior kicker on the Deptford High football team, became the first female kicker in South Jersey history to score a point in a football game when she converted her first PAT attempt midway through the second quarter. Later in the game, she booted a 23-yard field goal to become the first girl in South Jersey history to kick a field goal. In the 21-17 loss to Pennsville, Samantha was perfect on her two conversion attempts in addition to making her history-making field goal. In the Deptford High powderpuff game, played in October of 2008, Dimitri was successful on all five of her conversion kicks, and word got back to varsity football coach Al Orio. One thing led to another, and Samantha tried out for the football team and not only made the squad but beat out two other male hopefuls for the kicking job. As a freshman and sophomore, Samantha played soccer at Deptford, and in the fall of her junior year she joined the field hockey team. She enjoyed these experiences but said they don't match up to how she felt after her football debut.

JUNE 25
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is Tim Watson, a history teacher and highly successful football coach Cedar Creek High School in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey. Watson is considered one of the up-and-coming young football coaches in South Jersey, having taken a Cedar Creek team to three championship games and one title in the program's first six years. Tim's career record at Cedar Creek currently stands at 57-16 with a .750 winning percentage. Tim was a Division III All-American defensive end at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. In the year 2000, he was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in Round Six, pick number 185 in the NFL Draft, but unfortunately never got to play in a regular season game due to a serious knee injury. In the same 2000 NFL Draft, 14 selections later, at pick number 199, the New England Patriots took a chance on a quarterback from the University of Michigan named Tom Brady.

JUNE 22
CHUCKBIT
For many, the thought of turning one's passion into a full-time job is unfortunately nothing more than a pipedream. But for 1985 Cheltenham High School graduate Jim Clibanoff it is reality. After graduating from Temple University's Beasley School of Law in 1995, "Clib," a lifelong hardcore basketball junkie, ran a private college hoops scouting service for 17 years, evaluating future NBA players. A respected talent scout, he made regular appearances as a draft analyst on NBA TV and offered his thoughts on future prospects during other media interviews. In September of 2013, Jim (pic here) was named Director of Scouting for the Denver Nuggets in the NBA. "Clib" is well-known in both college and professional basketball circles for his dedication, tireless work ethic, and attention to precision and detail. On Thursday night with the 14th pick, the Denver Nuggets selected Michael Porter, Jr, a 6-foot-11 small forward from the University of Missouri.

JUNE 21
CHUCKBIT
Who is the most accomplished former New Jersey high school boys' basketball player??? This question is sure to start some long discussions and controversy. Everybody has their opinion. The NBA might have deserted New Jersey a few years ago, but that doesn't mean the state has stopped producing many of its best players. Some of the legends of the sport have learned to play on the Garden State's playgrounds and for its high school teams. In no particular order, here are some names that might come to mind: Camden's Dajuan Wagner, Hudson Catholic's Mike O'Koren, River Dell's Billy Paultz, Camden's Milt Wagner, St. Joseph Metuchen's Jay Williams, Lakewood's J.R. Smith, Perth Amboy's Brian Taylor, Atlantic City's Lou Roe, St. Anthony's David Rivers, Hudson Catholic's Jim Spanarkel, Paterson Eastside's Rory Sparrow, Paterson Catholic's Tim Thomas, Bloomfield's Alaa Abdelnaby, Delbarton's Troy Murphy, Holy Spirit's Chris Ford, CBA's John Crotty, Weequahic's Al Attles, St. Patrick's Kyrie Irving, Franklin Township's Roy Hinson, Newark East Side's Randy Foye, Woodbury's Dave Budd, New Brunswick's Gary Brokaw, East Orange's Clyde Bradshaw, St. Anthony's Kyle Anderson, St. Patrick's Al Harrington, Camden's Billy Thompson, Blair Academy's Luol Deng, St. Joseph Metuchen's Karl-Anthony Towns, Bloomfield's Kelly Tripuka, St. Rose of Belmar's Bobby Verga, Lawrenceville School's Joakim Noah, St. Michael's of Union City's Tommy Heinsohn, St. Anthony's Bobby Hurley, Jr, East Brunswick's Dave Wohl, Weequahic's Mo Layton, Bishop Eustace's Billy Melchionni, Blair Academy's Charlie Villanueva, St. Patrick's Sam Dalembert, and Sherman White and Bill Willoughby of Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, just to name a few. My pick for the most accomplished former New Jersey high school boys' basketball player is a player that was not an All-American in high school. In fact, he was not even All-State, averaging only 13 ppg at a small Union County school that was more known for wrestling than basketball. He was only 6-foot-3 in high school, before growing to a 6-foot-7 high-scoring forward at the University of Miami. Rick Barry (pic here), a 1962 graduate of Roselle Park High School, is the only player to lead the NCAA, ABA, and NBA in scoring for an individual season. A 12-time All-Pro with over 25,000 points in 14 seasons, Barry is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in addition to be named in 1996 as one of the greatest 50 NBA players ever. In 1975, Barry led the Golden State Warriors to the NBA championship, and he was named NBA Finals MVP. He was known for his unorthodox but effective underhand free throw shooting technique, and at the time of his retirement in 1980, his .900 free throw percentage ranked first in NBA history.

JUNE 20
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is Reggie Jackson's 1964 graduation picture in the the Cheltenham High School yearbook El Delator. In the other photo here, Reggie is shown hitting a double in a 1963 Cheltenham High baseball game. Reggie earned his nickname "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason. Jackson's crowning achievement came on October 18, 1977 with his three-home-run performance for the New York Yankees in the World Series-clinching Game Six, blasting each homer on the first pitch off three different Los Angeles Dodgers pitchers. He was the first player to hit three home runs in a World Series game since Babe Ruth in 1928. During the 1963 scholastic baseball season, Cheltenham High played Marple Newtown High School from Broomall, and Reggie hit a tape measure homer to right field in the game. Playing second base for Marple Newtown was senior Chris Wheeler who would later become the Philadelphia Phillies announcer and color commentator on television and radio for 37 years. Of Jackson's home run "Wheels" said, "That was one of the longest homers I've ever seen at any level of baseball. With no fence at the field, Reggie could have run around the bases three times. On that day, I realized that I would never be good enough to be a professional baseball player and set my sights on another job in baseball."

JUNE 19
CHUCKBIT
The date was Friday, November 16, 1962. It was a historical night in the history of the NBA for several reasons. That night, Power Memorial High School opened up the the New York City Catholic League season at Madison Square Garden against defending champion LaSalle Academy in the undercard of an NBA game between the New York Knicks and the San Francisco Warriors. Power Memorial featured budding prep superstar, 7-foot sophomore Lew Alcindor, who would later change his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In the high school game, Lew Alcindor led his team to a resounding victory, and the game was hailed as Alcindor's coming-out-party. After the game, the Power Memorial players entered the Madison Square Garden locker room just as the San Francisco Warriors were getting ready to come out for warm-ups. It was there in the locker room of the storied Madison Square Garden that 15-year old Lew Alcindor and 26-year old NBA superstar Wilt Chamberlain met for the first time ever. Looking at each other eye-to-eye, the two seven-footers shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (pic here) would go on to play mano-a-mano against each other 27 times in the NBA, including 11 games in the playoffs of 1971 and 1972. Chamberlain's teams won 14 of the 27 games, while Jabbar's teams won 13. By the way, the San Francisco Warriors defeated the New York Knicks, 127-111, in the NBA game on November 16. That night, Wilt was just Wilt, playing all 48 minutes and scoring 73 points which is still tied for the fourth-highest individual game scoring effort in NBA history. Wilt was 29-for-43 from the field and 15-for-19 from the charity stripe in addition to grabbing 14 rebounds.

JUNE 18
CHUCKBIT
It may come as a surprise to some, but former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (pic here) was a pretty good little league and high school baseball player growing up in Livingston, New Jersey, a suburb of Newark. As a little league catcher, Christie called a smart game and had some pop in his bat, going "park" 15 times in his little league career. His major deficit was slow foot speed on the base paths. He led his little league team to the championship game of the 1974 New Jersey Little League tournament, helping the Livingston Americans upend the Bergenfield Americans, 6-1, in the state final. From there the Livingston Americans went to the Eastern Regional Tournament in Staten Island, New York and made it all the way to the finals before losing to New Haven, Connecticut, 3-2. A win in the Eastern Regional final would have sent Christie and his Livingston teammates to Williamsport, Pa. for the Little League World Series. In high school, Chris Christie was a natural leader, serving as Class President all three years in high school in addition to captaining the varsity baseball team. Going into his senior season in 1980, the Livingston High School baseball team looked real strong with a good nucleus of players from the state championship little league team, but unfortunately for Christie a phenom catcher transferred in from private school, and Chris was relegated to a pinch hitter. The twice-beaten 1980 Livingston baseball squad ended up defeating Steinert High from Mercer County to capture the NJSIAA Group IV state championship. In the final poll of the baseball season, The Newark Star Ledger newspaper ranked the Livingston Lancers (28-2-1) Number 1 in the state, but not without controversy, since perennial power Number 2, Gloucester Catholic High, from South Jersey finished the season undefeated with a 24-0 record. Chris Christie matriculated at the University of Delaware and opted not continue his baseball career there.

JUNE 16
CHUCKBIT
As a senior in high school in 1982, he quarterbacked the Paulsboro Red Raiders to a 34-26 triumph over Audubon in the South Jersey Group 1 title game. As a wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams in 1989, he set the NFL record for most receiving yards in a game. Such is the football career of 1983 Paulsboro High School graduate Willie "Flipper" Anderson (pic here). Willie was dubbed "Flipper" as a baby by a relative who thought his crying made him sound like the famous dolphin. The 6-0, 175-pound speedster excelled in football, basketball, and track and field at Paulsboro and was one of the nation's top high school football recruits in the "Class of 1983." Flipper matriculated at UCLA where he was the main receiving target of quarterback Troy Aikman. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2nd round (46th overall) of the 1988 NFL Draft. On November 26, 1989, Flipper set the NFL record for most receiving yards in a game with 336 yards on 15 receptions in an overtime win against the New Orleans Saints. That record still stands today. Flipper played ten seasons in the NFL and finished his career with 267 receptions for 5,357 yards and 28 touchdowns, giving him a 20.1 career yards per catch average. Anderson's son Dres "Flipper" Anderson is now a wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts.

JUNE 13
CHUCKBIT
Nowadays, in the world of Division I college basketball recruiting, there are very few "sleeper prospects" out there anymore. With the recruiting services, internet, social media, tip sheets, bird dogs, AAU, and high exposure camps, there are very few unknown future stars. You can either play or you can't! Mainland High School's Osun Osunniyi (pic here) is the rare example of a player that managed to slip under the radar. The Somers Point, New Jersey resident didn't start playing basketball until eighth grade. As a 6-foot-1 ninth-grader, he came off the bench for the Mainland Mustangs freshmen team in 2014. He then grew to 6-4 as as a sophomore and 6-8 as a junior. As a 6-9 senior at Mainland in 2017, Osun averaged 14.4 ppg, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.6 blocks per-game and shot 71 % from the field. Most of his college offers were from Division II and Division III schools. La Salle and Lafayette were the only two Division I schools that showed strong interest. Former La Salle head coach Dr. John Giannini was impressed with his amazing potential, and he convinced Osun to commit to the Explorers in March of 2017. Both La Salle and Osun agreed that he should attend prep school at the Putnam Science Academy in Connecticut for a year to add some bulk to his slender frame. At Putnam, Osun grew to 6-10 and signed a National Letter of Intent basketball scholarship in November with the Explorers. In March of 2018, he led Putnam Science Academy to the National Prep Championship game, and took MVP honors in the title game with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks in a 74-66 overtime victory over Northfield-Mount Hermon from Massachusetts. After La Salle and coach Dr. John Giannini decided to part ways, Osun decomitted from La Salle and opened up his recruiting process. With his stock going through the roof, he narrowed his choices down to Syracuse, Georgetown, and St. Bonaventure. On Monday, May 21, Osun decided to continue his education and playing career at St. Bonaventure. According to St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt, "Osun oozes with potential. His ceiling is very high. He has so much God-given ability, and he's a great kid who is level-headed. Osun has a great wingspan, he runs the court well, and has a natural talent for blocking shots and is a very good rebounder. He can score around the basket." Needless to say, former Mainland High School center Osun Osunniyi is no longer an unknown talent!!

JUNE 11
CHUCKBIT
Note: Chuck is a proud Cheltenham grad (Class of 1973).
This pic shows Cheltenham High School "Class of 1945" graduate Wally Triplett. Wally, now 92 years old, is the "Jackie Robinson of professional football." Triplett, who grew up in the LaMott section of Cheltenham Township, is the first African-American NFL draft pick to play in the league. For that reason you can find his picture hanging in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Wally played in the NFL with the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Cardinals. A running back, he played collegiately at Penn State where he was the first black player to start and earn a varsity letter. The origins of the now famous "We are Penn State" stadium cheer came about in 1948 when Penn State's Cotton Bowl opponent, Southern Methodist University, wanted to discuss with Penn State about leaving Triplett home in State College and not taking him to the Bowl game in Dallas. Penn State captain Steve Suhey, whose three sons would all later play at Penn State, responded, "There will be no meeting. We are Penn State." This past May 8, the Cotton Bowl organization inducted Cheltenham High and Penn State alumnus Wally Triplett into its Hall of Fame.

JUNE 10
CHUCKBIT
This past Thursday, Thursday, June 7, I attended the 52nd meeting of the Philadelphia Area Basketball Junkies' Club, held at The Great American Pub in Conshohocken. The group, co-founded by the late Les Kaune and Allen Rubin in 1993, has met at various restaurants in the Philly area over its 25 years in existence. Its origins can be traced back to May of 1993 when Les, Allen, Steve Keller, Norm Eavenson, and myself took in a scrimmage at Gustine Recreation Center in Philadelphia between Roman Catholic and an AAU squad from South Jersey. Afterwards, we had dinner and drinks at a restaurant in Manayuank and the Philadelphia Area Basketball Junkies' Club was born. Since then we have met twice a year in October and June at various locales in the region. On Thursday, 31 hardcore hoop fans turned out for the latest meeting. Among those in attendance were former Gratz coach Bill Ellerbee, HSBI Report's Tom Konchalski, former Philadelphia Daily News sportswriter Dick "Hoops" Weiss, head scout at Basketball Finders Sam Rines, Jr, Director of the All-City Hoops Classic Charles Monroe, The Philadelphia Inquirer basketball writer Mike Jensen, talent evaluators Tom Strickler, Steve Keller, and Norm Eavenson, NBA scout Elan Vinokurov , La Salle head coach Ashley Howard, La Salle assistant coach Donnie Carr, The Hoop's Scoop's Allen Rubin, and longtime Philadelphia area basketball impresario Hal Bailer. At the gathering, Dick Weiss spoke about the state of high school basketball in the Philadelphia area. Tom Konchalski informed the group about Condoleezza Rice's Commission on College Basketball and his days in college at Fordham University with then classmate Donald Trump. Elan Vinokurov, the President and Owner of EV Hoops, detailed the upcoming NBA Draft. The guest speaker was recently hired LaSalle basketball coach Ashley Howard (pic here). The meeting adjourned approximately at 10:00. The 53rd gathering of the Philadelphia Area Basketball Junkies' Club will be next October.

JUNE 8
CHUCKBIT
As a youngster growing up in Moorestown, New Jersey in the early part of the 20th century, Walter French (pic here) dreamed of becoming a professional athlete. As an adult, he surpassed his goal, becoming a pro athlete in two sports, football and baseball, and winning both a NFL championship and a World Series. Walter attended Moorestown High School from 1914 to 1917, starring in football, basketball, baseball, and track. At only 5-foot-9, 160-pounds, French had to rely on quickness and speed. In 1915, Walter and classmate Al LeConey, a future Olympic Gold Medal winner, led Moorestown to its only victory ever in the Penn Relays at Franklin Field. Walter matriculated at Rutgers University where he starred on the gridiron before transferring to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. At West Point, he earned All-American honors on the football field and played center field on the school's baseball team. In 1923, French signed with the Philadelphia Athletics, managed by the legendary Connie Mack. He played six years with the Athletics as a substitute outfielder and pinch hitter. He had a .303 batting average in the Majors and played in the 1929 World Series against the Chicago Cubs, which the powerful Athletics won decisively in five games. The Philadelphia Athletics were loaded in 1929 with players like catcher Mickey Cochrane, first baseman Jimmie Foxx, left fielder Al Simmons, and pitchers Lefty Grove and Rube Walberg. Against Connie Mack's wishes, Walter French started playing running back for the Pottsville Maroons in the NFL and was instrumental in helping the Maroons defeat the Chicago Cardinals, 21-7, for the NFL championship at Comiskey Park in Chicago on December 6, 1925. French led the NFL in rushing that season with a 5.4 yards-per-carry average. In 1936, after his playing days were over, Walter went back to the United States Military Academy to coach baseball and served as the Academy baseball team's coach from 1937 to 1942.

JUNE 6
CHUCKBIT
This pic is of former All-South Jersey running back Greg Wanamaker. Greg is the answer to the following trivia question: Who is the only running back in New Jersey state history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season at three different schools?? Greg started playing football at the age of seven in his hometown of Camden before commencing his high school career at Timber Creek High in 2004. Unfortunately, Wanamaker's prep career got off to a rocky start when he tore his ACL and MCL in a scrimmage before his first game as a freshman on the varsity, and he was on the shelf for the rest of the season. In 2005, the 6-foot-1, 200-pound halfback had a breakout year at Timber Creek, rushing for over 1,000 yards in his sophomore season. Then in 2006, after transferring to Camden Catholic High School in Cherry Hill, Greg rushed for 1,501 yards and 19 touchdowns in his junior campaign. For his final year in high school in 2007, Greg enrolled at Lindenwold High and rushed for 1,450 yards and 20 touchdowns. Greg went on to play collegiately at Pierce Junior College in Los Angeles and at Division I Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.

JUNE 5
CHUCKBIT
Pictured here is 1969 Middle Township High School graduate and former All-South Jersey basketball player Stedman Graham. Stedman, a 6-6 forward scored 1,179 career points at Middle Township, a small school located down the shore in Cape May Court House. Stedman played college ball at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene Texas, where he earned a bachelor's degree in social work. He played professionally in Europe for a few years before returning to the the U.S. to work on his master's degree in education from Ball State in Indiana. Maybe you have never heard of him, but you may have of heard of his longtime significant other------ media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey. Stedman and Oprah met 32 years ago in 1986 and were engaged to be married in 1992, but decided they would rather have a "spiritual union." Stedman's enduring relationship with Oprah Winfrey has perhaps overshadowed his long list of accomplishments accumulated over the course of an impressive career as chairman and CEO of S. Graham and Associates, a management and marketing consulting firm specializing in the corporate and educational fields. He's a prolific writer, the author of 11 books, two of which became New York Times bestsellers. Stedman also founded the nonprofit organization Athletes Against Drugs in 1985 which is dedicated to developing leadership in underserved youth through scholarships and education.

JUNE 4
CHUCKBIT
Click here for pics of autographed baseball cards.
The 1944 Burlington City High School baseball team was "special." Not only were they one of the top teams in the state of New Jersey, but they featured three players, Barney Schultz, Sam Calderone, and Eddie Miksis, who all went on to play in the Major Leagues.
**Barney Schultz was a knuckleball relief pitcher who played for all or parts of seven seasons between 1955 and 1965 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago Cubs. Barney had a career record of 20-20 with 35 saves. The 1964 season was his best year. Barney was instrumental in the St. Louis Cardinals' drive to the National League pennant, pitching the final out against the New York Mets to win the pennant and saving two games in late September against the slumping Philadelphia Phillies. He appeared in four games of the 1964 World Series against the New York Yankees and recorded a save in the first game of the World Series which the Cardinals won in seven games.
**Sam Calderone was All-South Jersey in both football and baseball at Burlington City High School. In the Majors, he was a reserve catcher, playing three seasons with the New York Giants and Milwaukee Braves. One of his biggest highlights as a pro came on August 17, 1950 when he hit an inside-the-park home run against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the same game in which Dodgers' great Pee Wee Reese also hit an inside-the-park homer.
**Eddie Miksis debuted in the Majors at the age of 17 and went on to have a 14-year career as a utility infielder and outfielder with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, and Cincinnati Reds. Miksis hit .236 for his career and played all four infield positions in addition to playing in the outfield at times. He played in both the 1947 and 1949 World Series with the Dodgers against the New York Yankees. Miksis batted .273 in eight World Series games.

JUNE 1
CHUCKBIT
Devin Leary will graduate from Timber Creek High School this month as the most prolific passing quarterback in South Jersey, New Jersey state, and Philadelphia area (southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey) history. For his career, Devin was 566-for-910 (62.2 %) for 9,672 yards and 105 touchdowns. Statistically speaking, his junior season was his strongest when he threw for 3,688 yards and 48 touchdowns, both state records. During his junior campaign, Devin threw for a career high 398 yards in a 59-21 victory over Absegami. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound North Carolina State recruit also finished with 566 career completions and 10,197 yards of total offense (passing and rushing) which are both new South Jersey records. His 9,672 career yards and 105 touchdowns breaks the former state record of 8,732 yards and 96 touchdown passes, set by Butler High's (Morris County, NJ) Scott Brown in 1997. Leary and Brown are the only quarterbacks in Garden State history to throw for over 2,000 yards in three different seasons. Devin's career yardage and touchdowns also eclipses the Philadelphia area mark of 8,551 yards and 94 touchdowns, set by Perkiomen Valley's Stephen Sturm in 2016. Sturm is now playing at Division II Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts. Stephen Sturm's father, Ken Sturm, played linebacker on the late coach Bill Bernardo's Northeast High 1968 Public League Champions and was the former head coach at Overbrook High in Philly.

Here's the Philadelphia Area 7,000-yard Passing Club:
1.Devin Leary; Timber Creek; 2017; 9,672 yards
2.Stephen Sturm; Perkiomen Valley; 2016; 8,551 yards
3.Pat Devlin; Dowingtown East; 2005; 8,162 yards
4.Dylan Cummings; Pennsville; 2013; 7,695 yards
5.Jon Jon Roberts; West Chester East; 2015; 7,592 yards
6. Tom Flacco; Eastern/Camden Catholic; 2013; 7,387 yards
7.Anthony Paoletti; Marple Newtown; 2017; 7,048 yards