--
DEC. 20
CHUCKBIT
Pictured
here
is former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro tackle Al Wistert. Al
played his entire nine-year NFL career from 1943 to 1951 with the Eagles and
became their captain. He was named to play in the NFL's first Pro Bowl as an
Eagle. All told, Al was named to the NFL's All-Pro team eight of the nine
years he played in the league. While he was playing for the Eagles,
Al was the head coach at Riverside High School in Burlington County
from 1945 to 1947. I'm not making this up. In fact, with Al at the helm,
Riverside went 10-2 in 1946 and won the South Jersey Group I
championship. Can you imagine the Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro lineman
Fletcher Cox coaching St. Joseph's Prep or Frankford High in his spare
time during the NFL season?? In 2009, Al Wistert was inducted into the
Philadelphia Eagles Honor Roll along with Randall Cunningham. Al died
on March 5, 2016 in Grants Pass, Oregon at the age of 95.
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. 17
CHUCKBIT
Temple University Stadium
(pictured
here),
which opened in 1928, was located on a 32-acre area in the West Oak Lane
neighborhood of the city bounded by Cheltenham Avenue. It hosted the Temple
University Owls football team until they moved to Veterans Stadium in 1978.
The football stadium had seating for 20,000 people, and with mobile seating
the capacity increased to about 35,000. On November 26, 1970, I saw Temple
and Villanova play for the Mayor's Cup at Temple Stadium. With Villanova
starting quarterback Daryl Woodring injured, junior Drew Gordon, a
former star at nearby Bishop McDevitt High School, got the start.
Gordon responded in a huge way, completing 24-of-42 passes for 395
yards and three touchdowns as Villanova upended Temple, 31-26.
Gordon's favorite target that day was flanker Mike Siani who had
nine catches for 194 yards and three TDs. Siani was
eventually a NFL first-round draft choice who played with the Oakland
Raiders and Baltimore Colts.
A few months earlier on May 16, 1970, Temple Stadium on Cheltenham Avenue
had become the center of the "rock universe." For the first time in rock
history, Jimi Hendrix and The Grateful Dead performed on the
same stage on the same day. An estimated 10,000 concert goers paid $6.50 to
sit on the stadium grass to see the show which included The Steve Miller
Band and Cactus. The music was so loud at times that it
reverberated off the windows and walls of houses throughout the usually
quiet Mt. Airy and Wyncote neighborhoods. It was the first and last concert
ever held at Temple Stadium. Frank Rizzo, then Philadelphia's Chief
of Police, who lived near the venue, termed the concert a "hippie
catastrophe" and made sure it was one-and-done. It would also be one of Jimi
Hendrix's last concerts. Almost exactly four months from the date of the
show, Hendrix, arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock
music, passed away in London at the age of 27.
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.
NOV. 17
CHUCKBIT
"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.
NOV. 8
CHUCKBIT
"IN MEMORIAM"
(1926---2018)
Cheltenham High and Penn State football legend
Wally Triplett,
pictured
here
in his 1945 Cheltenham High School graduation photo, passed away today
(November 8) at age 92 after a long illness according to the Detroit Lions.
Wally Triplett was the
"Jackie Robinson of professional football." Triplett,
who grew up in the LaMott section of Cheltenham Township, was 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 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, the Cotton Bowl organization inducted Cheltenham High and Penn
State alumnus Wally Triplett into its Hall of Fame. R.I.P Wally!!!
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
---
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:
West Deptford-----Jason
Morrell-----(Clyde Folsom)
Winslow Township-----Kenny
Scott-----(Kemp Carr)
Cherokee-----Brian Glatz-----(P.J.
Mehigan)
Woodbury-----Anthony
Reagan-----(Al Mailahn)
Atlantic City-----Leo Hamlett-----(Thomas
Kelly)
Cherry Hill East-----Andrew
Daley-----(Tom Coen)
Glassboro-----Tim Hagerty-----Mark
Maccarone
Collingswood-----Mike McKeown-----(Jack
McConnell)
Pemberton-----Kareem
Johnson-----(John Rosnick)
Washington Township-----Michael
Schatzman-----(Lamont Robinson)
Lenape-----Joe Wojceichowski-----(Tim
McAneney)
Camden Catholic-----Robert
"Cody" Hall-----(Nick Strom)
Gloucester-----Rob Bryan-----(Ed
Malone)
Haddon Heights-----Chris Lina-----(Rob
Bryan)
Delran-----Garret
Lucas-----(Pete Miles)
Bridgeton-----Steve
Lane-----(Dave Ellen)
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:
-
Devin Leary; Timber Creek; 2017;
9,672 yards
- Dylan Cummings; Pennsville; 2013; 7,695 yards
- Tom Flacco; Eastern; 2013; 7,387 yards
- Jesse Milza; Cedar
Creek; 2016; 6,659
yards
- Khalil Williams; Camden; 2014; 6,314 yards
- Kevin Foley; C.H. East; 1991; 5,928 yards
- Dustin Thomas; St.
Augustine; 2009; 5,916
yards
- Max Smyth; Palmyra; 2015; 5,823 yards
- David Goree; Woodrow Wilson; 1995; 5,673 yards
- Matt Burdalski; Holy
Cross; 2001; 5,640
yards
- Sean Scanlon; Camden Catholic; 2005; 5,591 yards
- Malik Muldow; Lindenwold; 2014; 5,564 yards
- Nolan Quinn; Middle
Township; 2009; 5,535
yards
- Rob Curley; Holy Cross; 2004; 5,402 yards
- Tom Reilly; Holy Cross; 2007; 5,289 yards
- Kahlil Trotman; Burl
Twp./Timber Creek; 2014; 5,271 yards
- Joe Flacco; Audubon; 2002; 5,101 yards
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.
All-Time Wins' List
1. Bob Hurley; St.
Anthony; 1,185 wins
2. Paul Rodio; St.
Augustine; 908 wins (active)
3. Jerry Molloy; St.
Mary's (Pat), St. Patrick's, St. Michael's (Newark), St. Mary's (JC), St. Mary's
(Elizabeth), 900 wins
4. Bob Farrell; Seton
Hall Prep; 777 wins
5. Clarence Turner;
Camden; 775 wins
6. Marty Rivard;
Cresskill, Bergenfield; 769 wins
7. Paul Collins;
Willingboro, Riverside, Burlington City; 759 wins (active)
8. Tom Feraco; Middle
Township; 719 wins
9. Jim Crawford; Camden
Catholic; 713 wins
10. Dick O'Connell;
Rutgers Prep;
705 wins
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
FIELD HOCKEY
Jessica Maute, St. Joseph's
Olvia Perrone, Lehigh
Isabella Sinibaldi, Quinipiac
BOYS'BASKETBALL
Matt Cotton, Yale
FOOTBALL
Zahir Goyins, East Stroudsburg
Ryan Jennings, Jr, Kutztown
BASEBALL
Joshua Roach, Chestnut Hill
Ronald Silvestro, Kutztown
BOYS' LACROSSE
Andrew Garrison, Norwich
Benjamin Smith, Kean
GIRLS' LACROSSE
Haley Dixon, Stockton
Amanda Farnswoth, LaSalle
Lauren Ferriola, Millersville
Jessica Kinser, Stockton
Savannah Slack, Virginia
Commonwealth
GOLF
Joel Hark, Muhlenberg
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.
1. Mike Pettine Sr; Central Bucks West;
326 wins
2. Paul Sacco; St. Joseph Hammonton; 317 wins (active)
3. Joe Frappolli; Florence Township; 302 wins (active)
4. Kevin Clancy; Strath Haven/Archbishop Carroll; 300 wins
(active)
5. Jim Algeo; Lansdale Catholic; 293
wins
6. Greg Howard; Paulsboro; 284 wins (active)
7. Gamp Pellegrini; Malvern Prep/St. Joseph's Prep/St. Thomas
More; 278 wins
8. Clyde Folsom; West Deptford/Bishop Eustace;
262 wins
9. Ron Cohen; George Washington; 261
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
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|
MAY
30
CHUCKBIT
Pictured is Steve Farquhar, a former 6-2 shooting guard at
Calvary Baptist Christian High School in the Kirkwood section of
Voorhees Township, New Jersey. During the 1984-1985 basketball
season, Steve was the talk of the South Jersey basketball community and
beyond with
his scoring accomplishments. In one season of 30 games, he scored
1,494 points for a 49.8 ppg. average at tiny Calvary
Baptist High to lead the USA in scoring. How tiny is Calvary
Baptist?? Well, when Philadelphia Daily News sportswriter Ted Silary
called the school to do a feature piece on Farquhar, the Principal of
the school answered the phone. Calvary Baptist, an independent school
which emphasized college preparation, had an enrollment of only seven
students in the senior class and 35 in the entire school in 1985.
The school had no home court, practicing at the Hoops Sports Center in
Cherry Hill. Farquhar's 49.8 ppg. average is still a Philadelphia area
and New Jersey state record in addition to being fifth
all-time in the USA. During the 1984-1985
season, Steve sank 398 free throws which is still a national
record. One could only wonder how many points he would have scored
if he had the benefit of the three-point line. The national record
is 54.0 ppg, set by Bobby Joe Douglas of Marion, Louisiana
during the 1979-1980 season. For his career, Farquhar scored 2,701
points in 72 games for an average of 37.5 ppg. Steve turned down
an offer from Drexel University, instead matriculating at then Division
II Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. At Liberty, he was
a four-year letter winner, playing during the school's transition to
Division I basketball. From there Steve went on to become a math teacher
and successful boys' basketball coach in the Cincinnati, Ohio area. His
son, Zach, followed in his father's footsteps, earning a
basketball scholarship and also playing for the Liberty Flames . . .
Click
here
for Ted's story on Steve's 68-point outburst. |
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