This extraordinary portrait of Emlen Tunnell is the work of Radnor High graduate James Corcoran. Emlen, a World War II hero and the first African American elected to the National Football Hall of Fame, graduated from Radnor in 1942 and joined the Hall of Fame in 1967. A half-century later, in 2021, the US Coast Guard honored Emlen for his acts of heroism by naming a Coast Guard cutter ship after him. For a more extensive look at Emlen’s career, go to www.emlentunnell.org. The portrait is on display at the Emlen Tunnell Football Gallery on the second floor of the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum in the Radnor Township Municipal Building, located at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, Pennsylvania. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Contact Jim Vankoski at (610) 909-4919 for more information.

Delco soccer great Bob Rigby shown below with teammate and recently deceased  Soccer Icon Pele’.  Hi Bob, We were so happy that you were able to share your Pele’ story with us at the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum. Jim  Bob Rigby’s complete Pele’ Story is found on page 115 of our “Tales From the Museum ” book.  Bob, I have a question for you and other Delco sports legends. What is the single most personal sports-related object you own? The one thing you would be devastated to lose. The best connection to the world of sports that defined your life. Perhaps this keepsake reminds you not just of playing the game but of being a fan, as well. A photo of your beloved memento would be appreciated. In the near future, our virtual museum will be sharing these photos with our friends on our website (www.delcosportsmuseum.org). Jim Vankoski curator  Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum   610-909-4019  Jim, It would be a photo I have of Pele and I embracing in the locker room before a game at Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy. The photo taken in 1976 was before a game against Lazio a professional team from Italy. Bob Rigby

Model builder John Bullock has constructed a model of the United States Coast Guard cutter Emlen Tunnell for the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum. John, a friend of the museum, is a member of three prestigious model-ship-building clubs: the Ship Model Society of New Jersey, the Philadelphia Ship Model Society, and the Nautical Research Guild. The Coast Guard commissioned the Emlen Tunnell, a 154-foot Sentinel-class cutter, on October 15, 2021, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. John has informed us that the scale of his model, now completed, is 1/48, which makes it about 40 inches long(see photo above). We’re excited to announce that this one-of-a-kind piece of memorabilia is on display at our museum, located in the Radnor Township Municipal Building at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087. The museum is open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment Saturday and Sunday. Emlen Tunnell, a 1942 Radnor High graduate, went on to become a World War II hero and the first African American and first defensive player elected to the NFL Hall of Fame. To the best of our knowledge, he is the only professional athlete whose name graces a military ship. John, a lifelong resident of Delaware County, graduated from, Drexel Hill’s Monsignor Bonner High and was later inducted into the school’s baseball hall of fame. He went on to graduate from Villanova University, where he was a member of the varsity baseball team. Currently, he is a US Coast Guard auxiliary officer, FSO-FN, based out of the Chesapeake Flotilla, and is the director of business development at Vaughan Baio & Partners, a Philadelphia-based law firm. For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at (610) 909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net. Or visit the museum online at www.delcosportsmuseum.org. Paypal donations are accepted online.

Preserving Delco Heritage: Sports Legends Book review By Dr. Joe Giampalmi Almost a half dozen Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, a Heisman Trophy winner, manager of two World Series championships, and three-time manager of the year, member of the NFL’s 75th and 100th Anniversary All-Time Teams, first African-American inducted into the NFL Hall of fame and WWII hero, top 50 NBA player of all-time, winner of the Indianapolis 500, and nine Olympic Gold Medal Winners–an ESPN highlight playlist of the past 75 years? No, a highlight of sports legends of Delaware County. Tales From the Museum, edited and produced by Jim Vankoski, combines his passions of history and sports and chronicles the storied sports history of Delaware County athletes who earned national and international headlines. Jim celebrates twenty years of the Sports Legends of Delaware County (SLDC). His 248-page, coffee-table-size-book traces the history of local sports celebrities and artifacts over four locations that served as home for the SLDC Museum: Chester (Chapter One), Chadds Ford (Chapter Two), Granite Run Mall (Chapter Three), and Radnor Township (Chapter Four). Forewords are written by sportswriter Harry Chaykun and local historian Rich Pagano. The book contains contributions by more than forty sportswriters. The SLDC Museum, Jim’s vision to “recognize and reward excellence while preserving the heritage of local sports history” originated at a former bank on Fourth Street and Avenue of the States in Chester–a building worthy of safekeeping initial treasure from Delco’s highest-profile athletes. The first chapter of the museum opened on October 18, 2002, and recognized a collection of Delco’s five-star special guests including Mickey Vernon, Jack McKinney, Gertie Dunn, Billy Johnson, Jack Klotz, and Ray Didinger. If you’re unfamiliar with these local names, you need to spend more time in Wawa, especially on free-coffee Tuesday. If you’re familiar with them, you’re annoyed that “White Shoes,” the only player on both the 75th and 100th NFL anniversary all-time teams, is not a member of the NFL Hall of Fame. Special features in each chapter include “Behind the scenes story,” anecdotes about the athletes. For example, Jim recalls the story of Strath Haven High School’s Theater Department presenting Damn Yankees as a salute to Mickey Vernon’s celebrated major league baseball career. Mickey offered Jim a publicity photo to commemorate the event. Because of Mickey’s conflict with the agreed-upon time to deliver the photo, Mickey brought the photo to Jim’s social studies classroom. Jim introduced his students to an all-time baseball hero, a Wallingford resident, two-time American League batting champion, and seven-time major league All-Star. History came alive in Jim’s classroom. From 2004 to 2013, the museum relocated to the Delaware County Visitors Bureau in Chadds Ford. Special athletes honored at the Visitors Bureau included Danny Murtaugh, Paul Arizin, Charlene Morett, Joe Valerio, John Cartwright, Granny Lash, Mike Scioscia, and Ed Dougherty—athletes whose accomplishments were regularly reported in the award-winning Delaware County Daily Times by Bob Finucane and Ed Gebhart. John Cappelletti was honored in 2007. Cappelletti won every game his senior year at Penn State. He also won the Maxwell Award and the Heisman Trophy. When he delivered his Heisman speech, he won the hearts of Americans as he dedicated his award to his dying brother Joey—one of the most memorable moments in the history of college sports. In addition to Murtaugh winning the World Series twice and being named manager of the year three times, he was the first manager to write an all-minority lineup on September 1, 1971, against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Chadds Ford museum also honored “Six Decades of Chester High Basketball Teams,” including many players who performed at the legendary “Voc” on 7th Street in Chester. Delco’s performers on the Olympic stage included gold medal winners Carl Robie (swimming), Bruce Harlan (diving), Jean Shiley (track and field), Brendan Hansen (swimming), Richard Norris Williams (tennis), Leroy Burrell (track and field), Janie Barkman Brown (swimming), Dr. Eddie Coyle (weight lifting), and Ted Meredith (track and field). Meredith earned his gold in 1912, shortly after his graduation from Williamson Trade. The museum moved to the centrally-located Granite Run Mall on April 21, 2013. The grand opening was attended by Joe Cirilli, Gay Vernon (Mickey’s daughter), Gene Armstead, and Tim Murtaugh (Danny’s son). Special guests honored included Dave Donohue (representing his father Mark), Shannon Grady, Chris Wheeler, Jack Ramsay, Anthony Becht, Kia Davis, and Kim McKee. On Saturday, May 27, 1972, a Media resident became the epicenter of the sports world as Mark Donohue won the Indianapolis 500 after leading in only the last thirteen laps. A special feature at the Media location included recognition of the Anderson sisters (Sarah, Taylor, Courtney, and Emily), graduates from Marple Newtown High School who qualified for the Women’s National Curling Championships. Sarah was selected as an alternate for the USA 2014 Women’s Olympic Curling Team. The Anderson sisters introduced curling to county residents, who previously confused the Anderson sisters with the singing Andrews sisters. In December 2015 the museum relocated to its present venue in the Radnor Township Municipal Building where special guests included Ben Davis, Dallas Green, Janie Barkman Brown, Dan Connor, Bo Ryan, Fredia Gibbs, and the Crawfords (Delaware County’s First Family of Officiating). A capstone of the Radnor museum was the dedication of the Emlen Tunnell statue on June 2, 2018. The Radnor High School graduate and first African-American inducted into the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame were recognized as the NFL’s top safety of all time. But his greatest accomplishment was being awarded the U.S. Coast Guard’s Silver Life Saving Medal for twice saving shipmates, one after his USS Etamin was torpedoed by the Japanese in 1944. The Coast Guard named a cutter in his honor. The Delaware County hero received higher acclaim—American hero. Jim and Barb Vankoski are museum curators. Jim, a living artifact, fulfilled a life dream by creating the museum. Today’s museum features seven galleries located on three handicapped-accessible levels. Tales From the Museum, organized chronologically by special guests, highlights the story of the athletes behind the achievements and the virtues behind the victories. The book is available by calling 610 909 4919 or emailing vankoski21@comcast.net. More information on SLDC is available at www.delcosportsmuseum.org Joe Giampalmi (joegiampalmi@comcast.net) wrote four books, including the recently released APA Style & Citations—For Dummies.

Commemorative Luncheon Remember when Walter Cronkite would place you in a figurative time warp while hosting the old television show, You Are There? Well, keynote speaker Mr. Larry Bowa, one of the most popular players ever to put on a Phillies uniform and currently a Phillies front office adviser, along with some very special guests, will do the same as we set the stage for that final game played at Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium on October 1, 1970. The 51st anniversary of that history-making moment and the 50th anniversary of the first season to be played at the Vet. will be commemorated at a luncheon to be held Thursday, September 30, 2021, from 11:30, am to 2 pm at the Radnor Hotel 591 Lancaster Avenue Wayne, Pennsylvania. The luncheon is sponsors by The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum also located in Wayne. The cost of an individual ticket is $50. The crowd in attendance will be limited to 100. If you would like to relive fond memories of that time and place, be sure to reserve a ticket well in advance, thereby making your place in our museum’s history a memorable moment of your own. There will be no tickets sold at the door. Checks should be made payable to SLDC Museum and mailed to Jim Vankoski 14 Morgan Rd. Aston, Pa 19014 For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at (610) 909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net. www.delcosportsmuseum.org

Final game Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium #10 Larry Bowa argues with 3rd base umpire Ken Burkhart. The runner on third is Bob Bailey.

Our keynote speaker Larry Bowa not only played in that final game at Connie Mack Stadium but also got the first hit in the 1971 opener at Veterans Stadium.

This image shows Delaware County’s own Dan Barrow, left, receiving his bronze medal for single skulls rowing in the 1936 Olympics, which were held in Berlin, Germany. Germany’s Gustav Schaefer, center, won the gold medal and Austria’s Josef Hasenohrt, right, took silver. Dan Barrow earned a mention in Boys in the Boat, the award-winning novel by Daniel James Brown. Besides Yeadon’s Dan Barrow participating in the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin, Germany three other Delco residents had a part in those games. Fred Luehring of Swarthmore was the chairman of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Committee and Carson Thompson pitched for the U.S. in the exhibition baseball game played in front of 126,000 fans in Berlin Stadium. Also Media’s Ted Meredith, who had won two gold medals at the 1912 Olympics, returned to Berlin in 1936 as the head track coach of the Czechoslovakia team. Photos and information about the other eighteen Delco Olympic medal winners are on display at the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum located at 301 Iven Avenue Wayne, Pa. Curator Jim Vankoski 610-909-4919

If you’re from Delaware County or have even just attended a few local games you know Delco is passionate about sports and their home teams.
Delaware County is home to many outstanding athletes and notable individuals who bring great pride to the community.
The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum, located in the Radnor Township Municipal Building opened in 2015 after the closing of the Granite Run Mall where The Mickey Vernon Museum had been housed.
The multi-level museum has seven galleries with permanent collections. The first floor includes the Mickey Vernon / Danny Murtaugh Baseball Gallery; sponsored by The Steve Burman Family Trust; the Jane Barkman/Mary Ellen Clark Wide World of Women’s Sports Gallery and the home-town Radnor Township Sports Atrium Gallery. On the second floor are the Ted Meredith Olympic Gallery; the Emlen Tunnell Football Gallery; Sponsored by the New York Football Giants; the Jack Ramsay Basketball Gallery; Sponsored by Bo and Kelly Ryan, and the All-Sports Gallery.
The galleries display personal memorabilia from Delco Athletes in their respective specialized fields. In all, there are 150 years of Delaware County Sports History on display at Delaware County’s only sports museum.
In addition to the permanent displays, the museum also hosts numerous special events and showcases.
The museum is also having a year-long celebration to honor the birth of James Barton (Mickey) Vernon, the greatest baseball player that Delaware County has ever produced. Born on April 22, 1918 and a native of Marcus Hook PA, Mickey was a two-time American League Batting Champion and seven-time All-Star. To commemorate his centennial year, the museum’s website is offering video clips and twelve sports cards, a different one to be presented each month of the year.
The goal of The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum is to preserve the rich sports history of Delaware County by honoring athletes who have earned national and international acclaim for their accomplishments.
Find out how your club or organization can have your own private presentation. Contact Jim Vankoski. Curator of the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum. 610-909-4919
Much of the information contained in this article was provided by Adrienne Marofsky from the Public Relations office of the Delaware County Council.
www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com

Clippers game at Old Orchard Beach Maine in the mid-80s. Mickey was Yankees the hitting coach for the AAA Columbus Clippers of the International League.
George Bush surprised Mickey by coming into the dugout to pay him a special visit. Not sure of the year but the date on the back of the photo says: official white house photo.

Quizzo to Come to the Mickey Vernon Museum
Quizzo master Kevin Windsor, direct from the Great American Pub in Conshohocken, will bring his Quizzo [trivia]contest to the Mickey Vernon Museum in the Granite Run Mall on Tuesday, October 29 , 2013. The museum is on the second floor of the mall, near Boscov’s.
Prizes donated by the museum will be given to the winning team for each round with a grand prize for the overall winning team. Doors open at 7pm, with the games beginning at 7:30. Food and beverages will be available from Dominic’s in the mall at happy hour prices. For more information, or to make reservations, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net Please note that trivia questions include but are not limited to— movies, music, geography, history and sports.

Pagano Book Signing at Mickey Vernon Museum
Author Richard Pagano will be signing his new book, “The Baron of Leiperville: The Life and Times of James F. Dougherty “at the museum on June 13th and 14th.
Father’s Day is just around the corner, and Richard Pagano’s new book entitled, “The Baron of Leiperville: The Life and Times of James F. Dougherty”, would make a great gift for that sports minded Dad. Pagano, whose first book was entitled “Delaware County Sports Legends”, will be having two book signings at the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum which is located on the second level of the Granite Run Mall near Boscov’s. The first signing will be Friday, June 13, 2014, from 11:00am to 3:00pm, with a second signing the following day, Saturday, June 14, 2014, from 12:00 to 2:00pm. His new book can be purchased and signed by the author for $19.95. There will also be copies (only a few left) of his first book, “Delaware County Sports Legends” available for the same price of $19.95.
“The Baron of Leiperville: The Life and Times of James F. Dougherty” is the biography of one of Delaware County’s larger than life sportsman whose hotel, bar and fight arena in Leiperville, now known as the Crum Lynne section of Ridley Township, was a mecca for boxing from 1916 to 1947. During this time, he was the owner of one of the busiest fight camps in the country. It was at his arena, one of the first open air arenas in the country, that some of the greatest fighters in the sport trained or fought. It was also a popular hangout for sports writers too, especially Damon Runyon who made Leiperville and the Baron famous nationwide.
The Baron, who Tex Rickard once said was one of the best referees in the country, was the third man in the ring for three of jack Dempsey’s bouts, and in 1925, was the first imported referee to work a fight in California. He was well-known nationally as a referee, promoter and manager of fighters. He was friends with Jack Johnson and even worked as his manager for some of his bouts in Philadelphia. He gave Dempsey a job at his hotel and let him train there in late 1918 for his fight with Battling Levinsky, which he refereed. He was also responsible for getting Jack Blackburn out of jail, who later would be instrumental in training and guiding Joe Louis to the world heavyweight championship. In the sport of boxing, everyone knew the “Baron”. As a boxer, trainer, manager, referee, promoter and fight camp owner, Jimmy Dougherty stands alone.
For more information, contact the author at rp1751@aol.com or call at 267-280-6696.

Chris Wheeler to Speak at the Mickey Vernon Museum
Chris Wheeler, former Phillies announcer and color commentator[left in photo], will be the special guest of the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum in the Granite Run Mall on Wednesday, June 18, from noon to 1:30 PM. The museum is on the second floor of the mall, near Boscov’s
“Wheels,” as he became known, joined the Phillies in 1971 as an Assistant Director of Publicity and Public Relations . He began broadcasting games in 1977 and in 1982 was named Director of Community Relations. In 1983, he took on the responsibillity of Camp Coordinator for the Phillies Dream Week. With such qualifications, there are few people that can discuss the past forty plus years of Phillies history with more authority than Chris, a graduate of Marple Newtown High School.
Chris has promised that he will have available a dozen or more copies of his book, “View From The Booth.” His talk kicks off a new series, Sports Talk at the Mall, hosted by Delco Athletes Hall of Fame icon Joe Cirilli. For more information, call Joe at 610-494-3845.

Delaware County’s Wide World of Women’s Sports Exhibit Coming to the Mickey Vernon Museum
In 1932, Jean Shiley won a gold medal in the High Jump track and field event at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, defeating the legendary Babe Didrickson. This set the stage for other Delaware County women to achieve greatness in a variety of other Olympic Sports over the years:
Jane Barkman–Gold Medal in swimming in the 1968 and 1972 Olympics.
Char Morett, Karen Shelton and Chris Larson–Bronze Medals in field hockey in the 1984 Olympics.
Theresa Shank- Grentz–Head coach of the 1992 Olympic Bronze Medal winning basketball team.
Mary Ellen Clark–Bronze Medal winner diver in both the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.
Emily deRiel–Silver medal winner in the pentathlon in the 2000 Olympics
And, most recently, Lisa Raymond–2012 silver medal winner in tennis
Other Delco women achieving recognition in Olympic sports include Cindy Gilbert-Bevilacqua in Archery, Renee Hykel-Cuddy in Rowing, Karen Anderson,javelin,Dawn Burrell. long jump, Brenda Borgh swimming,
Kia Davis and Kate Fonshell in track.During the past 80 plus year time period, Delco women were competing at the national and world level in sports that were not included as Olympic Sports, most notably, lacrosse. Since Virginia Allen and Putty Willetts became involved with the sport of lacrosse in the early 1930s, no fewer than twenty Delco women lacrosse players have been inducted into the National Women’s Lacrosse Hall of Fame.In addition, the following notable representatives of their respective sports have all given Delaware County residents reason to cheer:
Auto Racing–Mares Stellfox
Bowling–Sadie Dixon and Patricia Mescanti
Boxing–Fredia Gibbs
Curling–Taylor and Sarah Anderson
Figure Skating–Mojca Kopac-Tiernan
Golf–Dorothy Germain-Porter
Gymnastics–Donna Fletcher
Ice Hockey–Gina Kearns
Rodeo–Kim McKee
Soccer–Sinead Farrelly
Softball–Theresa Dunbar
Triathlon–Shannon Grady
Volleyball–Shelbey Manthorpe
All of these outstanding athletes and many more will be included in an exhibit coming to the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum on May 30, 2014 and lasting until October 11, 2014. The museum is located on the second level of the Granite Run Mall close to Boscov’s. For more information contact vankoski21@comcast.net or call Jim Vankoski 610-909-4919

Recently, over seventy years of legendary Delaware County women athletes were in attendance at the Grand opening of the Mickey Vernon Museum’s Wide World of Women Sports Exhibit. Those present erupted in applause as Putty Willetts, Swarthmore High School class of 1943, took her place among the star-studded cast of amateur and professional athletes.
Putty, the only living member of both the National U.S. Field Hockey and National U.S. Lacrosse Halls of Fame is in the center, joined by, seen from left to right in the photo:
Strath Haven’s Megan Smith Fizzano–Lacrosse
Sun Valley’s Kim McKee–Rodeo
Drexel Hill’s Shelbey Manthorpe–Volleyball
Upper Darby’s Tiz Griffith–Field Hockey
Marple Newtown’s Sarah, Courtney and Taylor Anderson–Curling
Museum curator Jim Vankoski
Springfield’s Mares Stellfox–Auto Racing
Haverford’s Renee Hykel Cuddy–Olympic Rowing
Lansdowne’s Patricia Mescanti–Bowling
Archbishop Prendergast’s Theresa Dunbar–Softball
Jim Vankoski believes this to be the most talented assemblage of local women athletes together at one time representing such a extensive period and so many different games. The women brought with them personal memorabilia to be placed on display at the museum–artifacts representing seventy-five years of Delaware County sports history.
The museum is located on the second floor of the Granite Run Mall, close to Boscov’s. The exhibit can be viewed free of charge every Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm.

Mickey Vernon–April 22, 1918-September 24, 2008
September 24, 2014 will mark the sixth anniversary of Mickey Vernon’s death.
Help to celebrate his life by coming to the Mickey Vernon Museum in the Granite Run Mall at 12 noon on September 24 to see a 30- minute video of favorite memories of Mickey. The museum is on the second floor of the mall, near Boscov’s.
” Mickey was the nicest man I ever met.”–teammate Rudy Minarcin

In the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum’s new exhibit, Athletes and Authors– Books by and about Delaware County Sports Legends, there is a special baseball section saluting those Delaware County players who served in the military. Given special recognition in this section are Jimmy Dykes (WW I ), Mickey Vernon, Danny Murtaugh, and Stanley Glenn (WW II), and Terry Allvord (Iraq).
In association with this exhibit, the museum is sponsoring a Veterans Day Contest. If you know the names of the living members of Baseball’s Hall of Fame that served in the military during WW II, email your answer to vankoski21@comcast.net. On November 11th (Veterans Day), a winner will be selected from all correct answers submitted. The museum has a nice surprise gift for the winner.
The Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum is located in the Granite Run Mall, on the second floor near Boscov’s, and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 4:30 pm.

Basketball Section On Exhibit At Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum
The Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum in the Granite Run Mall includes exhibits of Delaware County Athletes and Authors. The Basketball Section of the exhibit is shown below. This section includes books by or about regional basketball greats such as Jack Ramsay, Jack McKinney, Bo Ryan, Jameer Nelson, Theresa Grentz and Phil Martelli, as well as a book on Pennsylvania’s Greatest High School Basketball Players, written by Mark Hostutler. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 4 pm. This exhibit can be seen through December 31, 2014

People familiar with Delaware County’s Sports Heritage are well aware of the achievements of County athletes and coaches. However, it might come as a surprise that many of these same individuals are also authors. Among this group are:
Jimmy Dykes, the only baseball major league player to play for over 20 years and manage for over 20 years in the big leagues.Emlen Tunnell, first African American to be elected to football’s Hall of Fame.Jack Ramsay, member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, Jack McKinney, NBA coach of the year and Phil Martelli are all St. Joseph University basketball coaches turned authors.Two more basketball coaches–“Bo” Ryan and Theresa Grentz–are as current as you get, with Bo having coached the University of Wisconsin Basketball team to the 2014 final four and Theresa being elected in 2014 to the Basketball Hall of Fame.Vince Papale of Invicible lore, Joe Klecko and Joe Fields are three football stars with books to their credit.Rich Westcott has written 24 books, including Mickey Vernon The Gentleman First Baseman.Rich Pagano has published a recent book on fight promoter Baron Dougherty.Colleen Hroncich, Danny Murtaugh’s granddaughter has authored his biography.Ray Didinger has compiled a New Eagles Encyclopedia that is soon to be released.Books by these authors are among the many included in an exhibit slated to open in mid-October at the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum. The museum is located in the Granite Run Mall, on the second floor near Boscov’s. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 5 pm. For more information, contact vankoski21@comcast.net.

FINAL EXHIBIT at Mickey Vernon Museum to close at 4 pm on March 7, 2015 The Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum at the Granite Run Mall opened on April 21, 2013. Since then, over 8,000 visitors have come to appreciate the great sports heritage of Delaware County PA. Besides the extensive permanent collection, the museum has assembled, in just nearly two years of operation, special exhibits on Delaware County Olympians; an exhibit on professional boxing in Delaware County–curated by author Rich Pagano; The Wide World of Delaware County Women’s Sports exhibit and an exhibit titled Athletes and Authors, Books by and about Delaware County Sports Legends.As it’s final exhibit, the museum will present a retrospective on its namesake, Mickey Vernon. Titled “Mickey Vernon: Grand Memories of a Great Champion“, the exhibit will feature numerous photos and artifacts of Mickey’s days in Major League Baseball as a player, manager, coach and scout. This final display of the museum will start on February 4 2015, closing on March 7 2015. Please take advantage of visiting the museum for what will be your final opportunity to see over 100 years worth of Delco athletes showcased at this Granite Run Mall location.The museum is located on the second floor of the mall, close to Boscov’s, and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11am to 4 pm. For more information, view our website www.delcosportsmuseum.org or contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

With the Granite Run Mall scheduled for demolition this coming summer, The Mickey Vernon Sports Museum will have to find a new home. Its departure from the mall will have to occur even earlier– most likely in March of 2015, when its lease at the mall expires. As a result, the time has come to start looking for an idea to keep the Mickey Vernon Museum in the public eye until a new site can be found. What do you think of finding a site at which a Delaware County Sports Rarity of the Month from the museum collection can be showcased? We would need a very nice high-traffic area that is safe and secure where we could display a different piece of Delaware County sports memorabilia each month-one that is appropriate to the sport season. I’d appreciate it if you’d give it some thought and let me know if you have any suggestions. March will be here before you know it.Thanks, Jim Vankoski email vankoski21@comcast.net website www.delcosportsmuseum.org

University of Wisconsin basketball coach and Chester native, Bo Ryan’s NCAA 2007 Division One Coach of the Year Adolph Rupp Cup is on display at the Rocky Run Y in Media, Pa. The cup will be on display for members during the month of April 2015. Ryan, a 1965 graduate of Chester High School led the Badgers to a then school record 30 wins that season and the first # 1 ranking in school history.
A recent addition to the Mickey Vernon Delaware County Sports History Museum welcomes you to its new home in the Rocky Run YMCA in Media, PA. The addition is a Sports Rarity of the Month exhibit, on display in a case adjacent to the gym.
Items from the museum’s collection, including the monthly Rarity, can be viewed at www.delcosportsmuseum.org. If you are one of the more than 19,000 members of the Rocky Run Y be sure to visit this site often to view periodic updates. If your club or organization is interested in hosting a hands-on presentation of any of these sports rarities at a meeting place of your choice, contact museum curator Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

Together Again–Danny Murtaugh and Mickey Vernon In the mid 1930s, Danny Murtaugh and Mickey Vernon were teammates on Chester’s American Legion baseball team. In the late 1930s, they entered professional baseball, playing in the Eastern Shore league. In the early 1940s, they both reached their goal of becoming major league players, beginning careers that were interrupted by World War II. During the war, they served in the United States military–Danny in the Army and Mickey in the Navy. In the late1940s and early 1950s, they were back playing major league baseball,–Danny in the National League and Mickey in the American League. In 1960, they were both part of the National League champion Pittsburgh Pirates that defeated the New York Yankees to gain the World Championship–Danny as the manager and Mickey as a player/coach. Now, eighty years after first playing for that Chester American Legion team, they will be brought together again posthumously in a museum exhibit held in the Delaware County Historical Society Museum and Research Library located at 408 Avenue of the States in Chester PA. The exhibit combines artifacts from the Delaware County Athletes Hall of Fame and the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum is free and will open to the public April 11, 2015 and last through October 2015. Additional information about this exhibit can be found on the Mickey Vernon Museum’s website www.delcosportsmuseum.org or call the Delaware County Historical Society Museum at 610-872-0502. The curator of this exhibit is Jim Vankoski. He can be reached at vankoski21@comcast.net or 610-909-4919. Many thanks to Los Angeles Angels manager Mike Scioscia for helping to make this exhibit possible.

A recent addition to the Mickey Vernon Delaware County Sports History Museum welcomes you to the museum’s new home in the Rocky Run YMCA in Media, PA. The addition is a Sports Rarity of the Month exhibit, on display in a case adjacent to the gym. The Sports Rarity for May will be a game-used ball from Gertie Dunn’s 1952 Rookie of the Year season with the All American Girls Professional Baseball League. The ball will be on display for Y members during the entire month. Dunn, a graduate of Sharon Hill High School and West Chester University, is arguably the best woman athlete in the history of Delaware County. In addition to playing in the AA/GPBL–the league made famous by the movie A League of Their Own–Gertie, now deceased, is the only player ever to be inducted into both The National Field Hockey and National Lacrosse Halls of Fame. Items from the Museum’s collection, including the monthly Rarity, can be viewed at www.delcosportsmuseum.org. If you are one of the more than 19,000 members of the Rocky Run Y, be sure to visit this site often to view periodic updates. If your club or organization is interested in hosting a hands-on presentation of any of these sports rarities at a meeting place of your choice, contact museum curator Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

On both Saturday, June 20th and Saturday, June 27th, there is a 3:05 start time for the Phillies game. The timing of that game makes for a good self guided day trip for your family and friends when combined with the following three nearby attractions:
A visit to our Danny Murtaugh–Mickey Vernon Exhibit in the Delaware County Historical Society Museum.
Something unique, a visit to an old-time boxing gym which is right around the corner from the museum.
Harrah’s Philadelphia Casino and Racetrack. 777 Harrah’s Blvd. Chester, Pa.
The museum, at 408 Avenue of the States in Chester, PA, is where the Murtaugh-Vernon exhibit is on display, with artifacts and information relating to those two local legends of major league baseball.
The Must Fight Boxing Gym, just a one-block walk from the museum, is at 504 Edgmont Avenue in Chester. It’s a place where young boxers train and older pugilists spar just to stay in shape, with a look that is right out of the 1930s. It was recently used in the filming of the movie “Creed”, the latest in the Rocky series.
Harrah’s, of course, needs no introduction, and is always a good source of entertainment.
For those fans that enjoy the historic aspect of sports, this makes for a great trip. Visit the museum and the gym in the morning then spend some time winning money at the casino and racetrack until it’s time to get to the game. All three of these attractions are only about an easy twenty-minute ride from Citizens Bank Park and the Phillies.
For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at vankoski21@comcast.net or 610-909-4919. For more information on the museum exhibit, visit www.delcosportsmuseum.org.

Kim McKee’s Rodeo Memorabilia

Kim McKee’s Rodeo Memorabilia from her National Collegiate Championship Career will be on display at the Rocky Run Y in Media, Pa. The memorabilia will be on display for members during the month of July 2015. McKee a graduate of Sun Valley High School and The University Tennessee Martin is arguably the best woman Rodeo athlete in the history of Delaware County. Kim winning a National College Finals Championship held in Bozeman Montana, aired on ESPN, she later rode exclusively as a professional, making it to the International Rodeo Finals in Wichita Kansas.
This addition to the Mickey Vernon Delaware County Sports History Museum welcomes you to its home in the Rocky Run YMCA in Media, PA. The addition is a Sports Rarity of the Month exhibit, on display in a case adjacent to the gym.
Items from the museum’s collection, including the monthly Rarity, can be viewed at www.delcosportsmuseum.org. If you are one of the more than 19,000 members of the Rocky Run Y be sure to visit this site often to view periodic updates. If your club or organization is interested in hosting a hands-on presentation of any of these sports rarities at a meeting place of your choice, contact museum curator Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

A recent addition to the Mickey Vernon Delaware County Sports History Museum welcomes you to the addition’s new home in the Rocky Run YMCA in Media, PA. The addition is a Sports Rarity of the Month exhibit, on display in a case adjacent to the gym. The Sports Rarity for August will be Phillies Broadcast Team’s Ben Davis’ game-worn jersey and game-used catcher’s mitt from Ben’s 2004 season with the American League Seattle Mariners. The jersey and mitt will be on display for Y members during the entire month of July. Davis was born in Chester,Pa., grew up in nearby Aston and earned acclaim as an accomplished catcher while at Malvern Prep. In 1995, he was selected second overall in the Major League Baseball Draft. Ben played seven years at the major league level, including stints with the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox. Items from the Museum’s collection, including the monthly Rarity, can be viewed at www.delcosportsmuseum.org. If you are one of the more than 19,000 members of the Rocky Run Y, be sure to visit this site often to view periodic updates. If your club or organization is interested in hosting a hands-on presentation of any of these sports rarities at a meeting place of your choice, contact museum curator Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

Producers and Directors George Case III and Jim Vankoski are proud to announce that the film “Ballfield to Battlefield and Back–From FDR to JFK” has been selected for showing at the Tenth Annual Baseball Film Festival, to be held at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY from September 25-27, 2015, The dvd features sixty minutes of color footage of WW II and Korean War-era major league players from 1939 through 1962.
More than eighty players in the dvd who served in the military, including 40 members of the Hall of Fame, are identified, along with their branch of service. Among the Hall of Fame veterans featured are Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Bob Feller, Warren Spahn, Hank Greenberg, Jackie Robinson, and Yogi Berra. All of those featured were professional ballplayers prior to WW II, served their country during the war and then returned to the ballfield. Ted Williams was called to serve again during the Korean war.
The dvd also features four presidents (FDR, Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and JFK) “throwing out the first ball” in Washington DC. In addition, there is color footage of Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium in 1947 and of the legendary Honus Wagner when he was a coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
This national treasure was filmed and narrated by two former major league players, George Case (six-time stolen base champion and four time all-star) and Mickey Vernon (two-time batting champion and seven-time all-star).
For information on how to obtain this dvd for your own pleasure or for that special fan, contact Jim Vankoski at the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum at 610-909-4919 or go to www.timelessbaseball.com.

Artist rendition of center atrium wall by George Rothacker.

An addition to the Delaware County Sports scene, open free of charge to all residents, awaits you at the Radnor Township Municipal Building at 301 Iven Avenue Wayne, Pa The addition is a Sports Rarity of the Month exhibit, on display in their atrium. With this addition The Delaware County Athletes Hall of Fame and the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum are preparing for a December 12, 2015 opening for a permanent Sports Legends of Delaware County installation also to be held at the Radnor Township building. The Sports Legends of Delaware County exhibit promises to preserve the rich sports history of Delaware County by honoring those athletes that have earned national and international acclaim for their accomplishments. The Sports Rarity for November will be Mares Stellfox’s Auto Racing Helmet and Fire Suit that she wore as a Professional Auto Racing Champion. These items will be on display Monday through Friday the entire month of November during the township’s normal business hours. Mares a graduate of Springfield High School, made her debut in the world of micro sprint racing with her car at Delaware’s Airport Speedway. In 1988 Mares joined a racing club called the Tri- State Outlaws. Mares was the only woman among the nearly one hundred men in the club. Because of her unique status she became known in the racing world as ” The Lady Outlaw” For more information contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net or www.delcosportsmuseum.org

photo credit James Doling Jr.

photo credit George Rothacker
Sports Legends of Delaware County presents the opening reception for Its new museum exhibit, to be held Saturday, December 12, 2015
from 11 am to 3 pm at the Radnor Township Municipal Building on 301 Iven Avenue Wayne, PA. Included in the numerous events that will be available free of charge that day will be the following:
Book signings by noted Delaware County Sports authors. Rich Westcott, the most prolific author in the history of Delco, will be there to discuss many of the 25 books that he has written. Rich Pagano, author of the very popular book Delaware County Sports Legends, will be there with his new book on boxing Baron Dougherty “The Baron of Leiperville”. Jack Lemon will also be there to sign his book Black Gold a History of the African-American athlete from Media High School. He will also tell you about his soon to be published book on Ted Meredith. Ted who attended Media High School and Williamson Trade School won two Gold Medals in the 1912 Olympics.
Ron Oser from Huggins and Scott auction house will be there to answer that nagging question that you may have about the value of your sports memorabilia free of charge.
A unique piece of baseball memorabilia will be on display that day. Once owned by Delco baseball great Mickey Vernon, it is a 25×42- inch piece of horsehide that was signed by all of the players and managers from every American League team during the 1957 season, complete with caricature drawings of many of the signers.
Just back from being selected to be shown at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Film Festival in Cooperstown, NY is the dvd Ballfield to Battlefield and Back, filmed and narrated by Mickey Vernon and George Case. In this film, you will be treated to rare color footage of 40 Hall of Fame players as they practiced and played during the 1939 to 1962 era.
Also on the big screen will be highlight film of Radnor’s own Emlen Tunnell, as well as other Delco football greats Billy Johnson, John Cappelletti, Al Atkinson, Joe Klecko and Randy Grossman.
Radnor artist George Rothacker, the artist for the Sports Legends of Delaware County exhibit will be on hand to present his work to the public and answer any questions you have with regards to the purchase of prints, or custom image of other legends.
In all, this will be a truly exceptional exhibit, not to be missed by the sports fan of Delaware County. For more information visit www.delcosportsmuseum.org or email vankoski21@comcast.net

The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum is excited to announce that–in addition to authors Rich Westcott, Jack Lemon and Rich Pagano–Dallas Green has been added to a book-signing event to be held December 12, 2015. The book signing will be part of the museum’s opening reception, to be highlighted by a display of artifacts from the Delco Athletes’ Hall of Fame and the Mickey Vernon Museum Collection.
Dallas, along with having a host of other major league credits, is a former Philadelphia Phillies player and was the Phillies manager when they won the 1980 World Championship. His book, The Mouth that Roared: My six Decades in Baseball, recalls the many ups and downs of Phillies baseball since the early 1960s.
The book signing will be held at the museum on Saturday, December 12th from 12 pm to 2 pm. The museum is located in the Radnor Township Building at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor, PA. For more information, call Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919

A recent addition to the Delaware County Sports scene Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum welcomes you to it’s new home in the Radnor Township. Municipal Building located at 301 Iven Avenue Wayne, Pa.
Ben Davis will bring his game-worn jersey and game-used catcher’s mitt from his 2004 season with the American League Seattle Mariners. Ben will be at the Museum’s opening reception from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm on December 12, 2015.
Davis grew up in nearby Aston and earned acclaim as an accomplished catcher while at Malvern Prep. In 1995, he was selected second overall in the Major League Baseball Draft. Ben played seven years at the major league level, including stints with the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox. Ben is currently a member of the Phillies Broadcast Team.
Items from the Mickey Vernon Museum’s collection, which will be housed in the museum, including the Davis Jersey, can be viewed at www.delcosportsmuseum.org. For more information contact museum curator Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum is excited to announce that–in addition to authors Rich Westcott, Jack Lemon and Rich Pagano–Dallas Green has been added to a book-signing event to be held December 12, 2015. The book signing will be part of the museum’s opening reception, to be highlighted by a display of artifacts from the Delco Athletes’ Hall of Fame and the Mickey Vernon Museum Collection.
Dallas, along with having a host of other major league credits, is a former Philadelphia Phillies player and was the Phillies manager when they won the 1980 World Championship. His book, The Mouth that Roared: My six Decades in Baseball, recalls the many ups and downs of Phillies baseball since the early 1960s.
The book signing will be held at the museum on Saturday, December 12th from 12 pm to 2 pm. The museum is located in the Radnor Township Building at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor, PA. For more information, call Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919

First place winner Connor Young

Second place winner Layla Duggan

Third place winner Brayan Guaman

Here is a photo of former major league baseball player and current Phillies announcer Ben Davis with his 2004 game-worn Seattle Mariners uniform. It was taken when Ben recently paid a visit to the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum, where the uniform is on display. The museum is located at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor, PA

An addition to the Delaware County Sports scene, open free of charge to all residents, awaits you at the Radnor Township Municipal Building at 301 Iven Avenue Wayne, Pa The addition is a Sports Rarity of the Month exhibit, on display in a case in their atrium. With this addition The Delaware County Athletes Hall of Fame and the Mickey Vernon Sports History Museum are preparing for a December 12, 2015 opening for a permanent Sports Legends of Delaware County installation also to be held at the Radnor Township building. The Sports Legends of Delaware County exhibit promises to preserve the rich sports history of Delaware County by honoring those athletes that have earned national and international acclaim for their accomplishments.
The Sports Rarity for December will be Mickey Vernon’s World War II Uniform that he wore while serving in the Navy 1943 through 1945. This item will be on display Monday through Friday the entire month of December during the township’s normal business hours.
Mickey born in Marcus Hook he was a graduate of Eddystone High School was Delaware County’s greatest baseball player making his major league debut in 1939 with the Washington Senators and ending his playing career in 1960 with the World Champion Pittsburgh Pirates. Along the way he won two batting titles and appeared in seven all star games. For more information contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net or www.delcosportsmuseum.org

This extraordinary portrait of Emlen Tunnel was completed by Radnor Township employee James Corcoran for the opening reception of The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum, held on December 12, 2015. Emlen, a 1942 graduate of Radnor High School, and a WW II Veteran was the first African American to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.
The portrait will be on display in the Emlen Tunnell Gallery at the museum’s home on the second floor of the Radnor Township Municipal Building, located at 301 Iven Avenue.

This extraordinary portrait of Lewis “Hack” Wilson is the work of Radnor Township employee James Corcoran. Hack lived in the Leiperville section of Delaware County from childhood through his formative years. He still holds the major league record for most RBIs in a single season, driving in 191 in 1930. He was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1979.
This portrait will be on display in the Mickey Vernon Gallery of the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum on the first floor of the Radnor Township Municipal Building at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor, PA. For more information on this portrait or other aspects of Delaware County sports history, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919.

This extraordinary portrait of Dawn Burrell is the work of Radnor Township employee James Corcoran. Dawn, a two-time Daily Times “Track Athlete of the Year”, helped Penn Wood High School win the 1991 PIAA State Championship. She also competed in track at the University of Houston. In 2000, Dawn competed in the Olympics–held in Sydney, Australia that year.
The portrait is on display in the Jane Barkman/Mary Ellen Clark Gallery at the museum’s home on the first floor of the Radnor Township Municipal Building, located at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, PA. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm. Contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 for more information

The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum is hosting a symposium entitled Defining the Delaware County Athlete–A Geographic and Cultural Perspective. The symposium will present various opinions by those present on what criteria should be used for any particular geographic area to make the claim that a sports figure can rightfully be considered part of its domain.
Currently, there are photographs of 130 sports personalities in the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum. Certainly they were not all born in Delaware County. They did not all go to a Delaware County High School. They did not all spend the majority of their adult years living in Delaware County. So what exactly is it that defines a Delaware County sports personality? The answer to this question is what this symposium will attempt to deliver.
The symposium will be held at the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor, PA on January 27, 2016 from 12:30 to 2 pm. It will be free and open to all interested parties. For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or email vankoski21@comcast.net.

Bo Ryan 2007 Award for NCAA Division 1 Men’s Basketball Coach of The Year Recently retired University of Wisconsin basketball coach and Chester native, Bo Ryan’s NCAA 2007 Division One Coach of the Year Adolph Rupp Cup is on display at the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum. The museum is located in the Radnor Township Municipal Building 301 Iven Avenue Radnor Pa. This Sports Rarity of the Month will be on display for visitors during the month of January 2016. Ryan, a 1965 graduate of Chester High School led the Badgers to a then school record 30 wins that season and the first # 1 ranking in school history. Ryan is the winningest coach in school history with 364 victories, and his 172-68 record [.717] in conference play is the best winning percentage in Big Ten history. Items from the museum’s collection can be viewed at www.delcosportsmuseum.org. If your club or organization is interested in hosting a hands-on presentation of any of these sports rarities at a meeting place of your choice contact museum curator Jim Vankoski at vankoski21@comcast.net

The John R Wooden Award for Player of the Year is given annually to the most outstanding college basketball player. For the 2003/2004 season, this award was given to Saint Joseph’s University’s Jameer Nelson. After leading Chester High School to the State Championship in 2000, Jameer led the hawks to a 27-0 regular season record and a number 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in the 2003/2004 season. He is currently in his twelfth NBA season. Jameer’s 2004 Wooden Award is now on display at the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum. This Sports Rarity will be on display for visitors during February 2016, compliments of the Saint Joseph’s University Athletic Department and it’s Director of Athletics, Dominick DiJulia. The museum is located at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor, Pa. It is open from 9am to 3pm on Monday through Friday and on certain weekend days by appointment. For more information contact Jim Vankoski at vankoski21@comcast.net or call 610-909-4919

During the month of February, the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum will be highlighting the athletic achievements of four outstanding African-American women athletes. The four being honored are track stars Kia Davis and Dawn Burrell, Professional Bowler Sadie Dixon Waters and Cabrini College All-American Fredia Gibbs. You can find out more about these amazing women by visiting the museum, located at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor PA. Hours are 9am to 3pm Monday through Friday. For information call Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919.

This extraordinary portrait of Dawn Burrell is the work of Radnor Township employee James Corcoran. Dawn, a two-time Daily Times “Track Athlete of the Year”, helped Penn Wood High School win the 1991 PIAA State Championship. She also competed in track at the University of Houston. In 2000, Dawn competed in the Olympics–held in Sydney, Australia that year.
The portrait is on display in the Jane Barkman/Mary Ellen Clark Gallery at the museum’s home on the first floor of the Radnor Township Municipal Building, located at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, PA. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm. Contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 for more information

Richard Norris Williams lived much of his adult life in St. David’s in Delaware County. He survived the sinking of the Titanic by jumping 40 feet into the frigid ocean. When rescued, he was found clinging to a water-logged raft where he had been in 20-degree water for six hours. When he returned home, he enrolled at Harvard University, where he captured both the Intercollegiate Singles and Doubles championships twice each. He also won the 1914 and 1916 US Open singles titles and the 1915 US Clay Court championship. In 1916-Williams’ senior year-he was ranked number one in the nation.
Williams captured a doubles title at Wimbledon, and two US Open doubles crowns in 1925 and 1926. He was a member and captain of five winning Davis Cup teams, teaming up with Bill Tilden to form an unbeatable duo. He was rated among the top ten players in the world seven times, twice in the top five. At the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, France, he captured the mixed doubles gold medal.

On the heels of “Race”, the movie that tells the story of Jesse Owens winning four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum is presenting a Sports Rarity of the Month that reflects Delaware County’s involvement in that same Olympics.
On display on the second floor Olympic Gallery, compliments of author Rich Pagano, is the blazer worn by Fred Luerhing during the Opening Ceremonies of that famous Olympic year. Mr. Luehring was Chairman of the Olympic Swimming Committee for the Games in Berlin. Previous to that, he was Secretary of that same committee for the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He has also been honored by the International Swimming Hall of Fame in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for having more years of service than any other United States physical education leader. Fred was a long time resident of Delaware County, having resided in Swarthmore for over fifty years.
This sports rarity will be on display to visitors during the month of March, 2016. The museum, located at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor Township, is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or www.delcosportsmuseum.org.

March is Women’s History Month, and there is plenty to celebrate at the Wide World of Women’s Sports exhibit at the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum.
The museum’s Jane Barkman/Mary Ellen Clark Gallery highlights the achievements of women in twenty-five different sports. Special emphasis is placed on women’s lacrosse, with an entire display case dedicated to the sport in which over twenty Delaware County women have been honored by being inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
The museum is at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor, PA. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. For more information, call 610-909-4919.

The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum salutes Joe Cirilli
of the Delco Athletes Hall of Fame for his over seventy years of service to the Delaware County sports community. Joe passed April 3, 2016. Thanks for the memories Joe. You truly will be missed.

The Sports Legends of Delaware County museum’s Sports Rarity of the Month for April reflects Delaware County’s participation in fifty years of NFL Super Bowl games.
Compiled by Rich Pagano and displayed on the second floor of the Emlen Tunnell Gallery of the museum, is a 24″x36″ framed poster entitled Fifty Years of Delco Super Bowl Legends. The poster, with its accompanying information, identifies Delaware County’s sixteen Super Bowl participants, their high schools and colleges attended, their pro team and the Super Bowl played.

Mickey Vernon and Hank Aaron

Two Gold Medal winning Olympians sharing time at the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum’s Grand Opening on May 7, 2016. Dr. Eddie Coyle and Jane Barkman. Truly something to brag about.

The Sports Rarity of the Month for May, 2016 at the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum will be Joe Crawford’s 2014 Gold Whistle award, the most coveted award in the world of sports officiating. This international award is presented annually to a recipient selected by the National Association of Sports Officials to an individual considered to be of a high degree of integrity and ethics who has made significant contributions to the betterment of officiating.
Joe was also chosen by the Daily Times Sports Department to be the 2015 Delco Sports Figure of the Year. During his illustrious career, which began in 1977, his reputation has earned for him the right to have officiated a record fifty NBA Finals games.
His award can be seen in the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum, first floor showcase, at 301 Iven Road in Radnor, PA on Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. For more museum information, visit www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com.

The Sports Rarity of the Month for June, 2016 at the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum will be the Heisman football once owned by the late Joe Cirilli. Joe’s sons, Vince and Mike Cirilli, have graciously placed the ball on loan to the museum so that visitors can view this unique item.
The football was given to Joe by John Cappelletti (Heisman winner in 1973) and is signed by 23 Heisman trophy winners. John was able to gather the signatures at the 75th anniversary of the Heisman award ceremony held in 2009. Shown here is Joe receiving the ball from his nephew Nick Cirilli and Mike Iannacci at a Delaware County Athletes Hall of Fame award dinner. The Heisman ball was given to Joe by John Cappelletti because of the respect he had for decades of significant contributions that Joe made to Delaware County’s world of sports. Joe’s legacy of sportsmanship and fair play will be remembered always by those that knew him.
This Heisman football can be seen in the first floor showcase of the Mickey Vernon Gallery located in the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum at 301 Iven Road in Radnor, PA on Monday through Friday from 9 am to 3 pm. For more museum information, visit www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com.

The Sports Rarity of the Month for July, 2016 at the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum will be a twelve-inch standing figure maquette in bronze, a replica of the Harry Kalas statue that was installed at Citizens Bank Park in 2011. The sculptor, Lawrence Nowlan, who passed on July 30, 2013, was a 1983 graduate of Archbishop Carroll High School. A lifelong athlete and sports fan himself, he led the effort to memorialize Kalas, the longtime Phillies broadcaster.
The reproduction is on loan from the Shane Victorino Foundation. Shane, a big fan of Harry, hung Kalas’ signature baby-blue blazer and white loafers in the dugout during every game after his demise.
This statue can be seen in the first-floor showcase of the Mickey Vernon Gallery of the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum at 301 Iven Road in Radnor, PA every Monday through Friday from 9 am to 4 pm. Harry often said that Mickey was his baseball hero as a kid and remained so when he became an adult.

A recent addition to the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum is Olympic memorabilia of two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner Jane Barkman from 1968 and 1972 .
In 1968, Jane postponed the beginning of her senior year at Radnor High School so that she could compete in the Olympic Games in Mexico City. At those games, she won a gold and bronze medal. Four years later, Jane returned for the 1972 Olympics, held in Munich, Germany. On display is her favorite Stars and Stripes suit from those 1972 games, where she again captured a Gold Medal.
Now, through Jane’s generosity, we are now able to view her striped suit as well as the parade uniform dress that she wore during those 1968 games. The museum is located at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor PA. It is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm. For more information, contact museum curator Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

The Sports Rarity of the Month for August, 2016 of the Sports Legends of Delaware County (SLDC) museum will be the silver life saving medal given to US Coast Guard Steward’s Mate First Class Emlen Tunnell. This medal is given by the Coast Guard to individuals that put their own life in danger to save another.
According to Rear Admiral Joseph Castillo, Tunnell was twice cited for exceptional acts of heroism during his service. In 1944, while aboard the USS Etamin, a Japanese torpedo blew a hole in the side of the ship. Tunnell came to the aid of shipmate Fred Shaver, who was on fire. Tunnell carried him to safety, sustaining burns of his own in the process. He saved the life of another man in 1946, when shipmate Alfred Givens fell overboard into 32-degree water and nearly drowned. Tunnell jumped into the water to his rescue.
The medal is on loan from David Lyons via Emlen’s late sister Vivian Robinson and her daughter, Catherine Robinson, of Radnor. It, along with many other medals and awards bestowed on Emlen, was given to the Tunnell family as he was posthumously honored by the Coast Guard when the gym at Coast Guard Island, Alameda,California was dedicated to him in 2011. The dedication of the gym is appropriate, since Tunnell, in addition to his meritorious military service, is also a member of the Pro- Football Hall of Fame!
The medal, along with other medals and awards given to Tunnell, can be seen in a first-floor showcase of the All-Star Atrium of the SLDC museum at 301 Iven Road in Radnor PA every Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm. For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

The Sports Legends of Delaware County museum and its Mickey Vernon Gallery are joining forces to present an exhibit that will feature one of the largest public displays of bobblehead figurines ever assembled in Delaware County.
In order to bring about this presentation, the museum curators are asking for your help. If you happen to have an old bobblehead figurine hanging around your house collecting dust, you can donate it and we will display it in our upcoming exhibit, to be held this August and September. For your generosity, you will receive a coupon good for a chance to have your own bobblehead made to your very own specifications, compliments of Choice Marketing.
To kick-start this event, more than a dozen bobblehead figurines that have been donated in memory of former collector Frank Upton will soon be on display at the Golden Impulse jewelry store at 25 West State Street in Media, PA. Bring your donated figurine to the store or to the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor, PA during the months of June or July any Monday through Friday from 10am to 4pm and receive your chance to win a personal bobblehead figurine for supporting this event.
For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

Remember when Walter Cronkite would place you in a figurative time warp as the host of the old TV show You Are There? Well, keynote speaker Bruce Markusen, a noted author and currently the manager of Digital and Outreach Learning at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY, will do the same as he sets the stage for three of Danny Murtaugh’s history-making moments at a dinner celebration to be held in the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum.
The museum is inviting you to help us celebrate those three moments.
The first moment occurred on October 13,1960, when Danny managed the Pittsburgh Pirates to an upset victory over the New York Yankees in a game in which Bill Mazeroski hit his historic seventh game walk-off home run.
The second history-making moment occurred on September 1, 1971, when Danny became the first major league manager to pencil-in the first all-minority lineup–24 years after Jackie Robinson broke the MLB color barrier.
The third moment occurred on October 17,1971, when the Pirates–again managed by Danny–defeated the heavily-favored Baltimore Orioles–also in a series lasting seven games.
The dinner celebration will take place on October 8, 2016 at the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, PA. The cost of an individual ticket is one hundred dollars. Bruce Markusen’s book, The Team that Changed Baseball:Roberto Clemente and the 1971 Pirates, will be one of the special complimentary gifts offered to those that purchase a ticket.
For more information, visit the museum’s website www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com or contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919, vankoski21@comcast.net.or Phil Damiani 610-565-0476

Tickets are now available for the Danny Murtaugh History-Making Gala to be held on October 8, 2016 at the Radnor Township Municipal Building home on the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum located at 301 Iven Avenue Wayne, Pa. Visit www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com or call Jim Vankoski 610-909-4919 or Phil Damiani 610-565-0476

Tickets are now available for the Danny Murtaugh’s History-Making Moments celebration to be held on October 8, 2016. A Rawlings Official Major League Baseball, autographed by Bobby Shantz and inscribed 1952 MVP, will be given to the first twenty-five purchasers of tickets to this event.
Bobby played an integral part in the deciding seventh game of the 1960 World Series while pitching for the New York Yankees–a game in which Bill Mazeroski hit his historic game-winning home run that enabled the Murtaugh-managed team to become World Champions. Through Bobby’s respect and admiration for Danny and Mickey Vernon, he graciously agreed to place his signature on the balls. Bobby is the oldest living MVP, and having his signature on an Official MLB ball would enhance the value of any collection.
Visit www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com for more information, or call Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or Phil Damiani at 610-565-0476.

Tim Murtaugh [left], grandson of Danny Murtaugh, is shown here presenting to Jim Vankoski, curator of the Sports Legends of Delaware County (SDLC) museum, the jersey that his grandfather wore when the Pittsburgh Pirates, then managed by Danny, defeated the New York Yankees in a game in which Bill Mazeroski hit his historic seventh-game walk-off home run.
The public will have it’s first chance to see the jersey on Saturday, September 3rd, from 10 am to 12 pm at the Mickey Vernon Gallery on the first floor of the SLDC museum. After that the jersey can be viewed during museum regular hours each Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. The museum is located at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor, PA.
On the same subject, a Danny Murtaugh Making History Gala will take place on October 8, 2016. For ticket information, contact Jim Vankoski 610-909-4919 or visit the museum’s website at www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com.

Danny Murtaugh’s historic number 40 jersey, shown in the photo below and last seen at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown NY, will be on display during this event. Sponsorship Information
The Sports Legends of Delaware County museum is inviting you to help us celebrate three history-making moments in the career of one of Delaware County’s favorite sons–Danny Murtaugh.
The first moment occurred on October 13,1960, when Danny managed the Pittsburgh Pirates to an upset victory over the New York Yankees in a game in which Bill Mazeroski hit his historic seventh-game walk-off home run.
The second history-making moment occurred on September 1, 1971, when Danny became the first major league manager to pencil-in the first all minority line-up–24 years after Jackie Robinson broke the MLB color barrier.
The third moment occurred on October 17,1971, when the Pirates–again managed by Danny–defeated the heavily-favored Baltimore Orioles–also in a series lasting seven games.
The celebration will take place on October 8, 2016 at the SLDC museum at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor PA 19087. Attendance will be limited to no more than 130 and is expected to last from 6 pm to 9 pm. We are looking for ten sponsors to make this a very special evening. Your sponsorship of $1,000 will entitle you to a pre-banquet reception in our hospitality suite as well as recognition of you or your company in our banquet program. The reception will be hosted by the board of directors of the SLDC museum, with a special guest giving a personal insight into the careers of two Delaware County athletes that participated in what could truly be called one of the most historic moments in baseball history.
Your sponsorship will also entitle you and nine additional friends, family or colleagues to our regular program, which includes dinner, entertainment, and video presentations as well as what perhaps will be the highlight of the evening: A talk by Bruce Markusen, the author of a book on one of the most important teams in the history of sports–the 1971 Pirates. Mr. Markusen currently is the manager of Digital and Outreach Learning at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
Thank you for considering this request. If you have any questions, please get in touch with me at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.
Jim Vankoski,PresidentSLDC Inc. (A 501c3 organization)

This Danny Murtaugh plaque is part of the Danny Murtaugh-Making Memories exhibit now available for viewing at the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne PA.
The plaque is a creation of Zenos Frudakis, a world-renowned sculptor. Laran Bronze of Chester, PA. is the foundry credited with the finished product as seen below.
The museum is open each Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm. For more information, log onto www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com.

Authors Rich Westcott, Rich Pagano, Jack Lemon and Bob McLaughlin to Have Book Signing at the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum.
Springfield resident and noted author Rich Westcott is easily the most prolific author that Delaware County has ever produced. During the past fifty years, he has served on the staff of various newspapers and magazines and has written twenty-five books. Rich has appeared frequently on radio and television shows and has made speaking appearances at numerous sites, including the Baseball Hall of Fame.Rich will be appearing Saturday, December 10, 2016 at the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum in the Radnor Township Municipal Building at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, PA. He’ll be there from 11 am to 2 pm to discuss and sign his most recent book, The Champions of Philadelphia, The Greatest Eagles, Phillies, Sixers and Flyers Teams.In addition to Rich, other authors of books on local sports notables will be there: -Rich Pagano, author of the very popular book, Delaware County Sports Legends will be there with his book on boxing’s Baron Dougherty, “The Baron of Leiperville”. -Jack Lemon will also be there to sign his book on Ted Meredith. Meredith, who attended Media High School and Williamson Trade School, was Delaware County’s first Olympic Gold Medal winner, winning two of them in the 1912 games. -Rounding out the lineup of attendees will be St. James High graduate Bob McLaughlin. His book tells the story of the close life-long friendship of baseball’s Danny Murtaugh and Mickey Vernon who led the Pirates to the 1960 World Series championship. He’ll be there with his new book, Danny Murtaugh and Mickey Vernon Ordinary Heroes. Their books, as well an array of Sports Memorabilia will be available for those early holiday shoppers looking for that ideal gift for the fan of local sports.

Welcome to a first look at our Sports Legends of Delaware County Inc. museum logo. The logo was carefully designed by Dan Falone of Choice Marketing to include a variety of symbols that indicate Delaware County’s place in the sports world. Here is the story of these symbols:
The Initials SLDC are the most prominent feature. They stand for Sports Legends of Delaware County, reminding us that our mission is to acknowledge excellence, preserving the heritage of our local sports history by recognizing and rewarding such excellence.
Across the top of the shield are 49 stars that represent the 49 political units that make up Delaware County. The top star represents Radnor Township, acknowledging the township’s foresight in providing the space for the museum.
At the bottom of the shield is an outline map of Delaware County, with a single star representing the Radnor Township location of the museum. The shield itself represents the Olympic Shield that was displayed on the uniform worn in the 1912 Olympics– significant to Delaware County because it was during these games that Ted Meredith received the first Olympic Gold Medal ever won by a Delaware County athlete.
Finally, the red, white and blue colors symbolize the patriotism of many of the athletes honored. Many of the honored athletes served in our armed forces. The military service of Delaware County athletes dates well before the Olympics–as far back as the Civil War. Trading one uniform for another, many other athletes also served during WWI, WWII, and the Korean, Vietnam and Gulf Conflicts.
Jim Vankoski, curator

A first look at the Sports Legends of Delaware County 2017 Card Set will be unveiled on December 10th from from 11am to 2pm at the SLDC museum, located at 301 Iven Ave. in Wayne, PA.
The 50-card set showcases county athletes in 15 different sports, as well as numerous coaches and officials that have received national recognition by their involvement in NBA and NCAA championship games and meets; Major League Baseball All-Star and World Series games; and the NFL Super Bowls. The first 25 people in attendance will be able to select 10 complimentary cards from the set to add to their sport card collection.
For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919

Barbara and Jim Vankoski at the SLDC museum with Dallas Green.

Basketball is being highlighted at the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum during the month of March. An exhibit assembled by museum curators, with professional hanging and installation by Glyn Daugh-Wood, features memorabilia from five iconic Delco coaches that have taken their respective teams to NCAA tournament play. Included are items from the coaching careers of Fran Dumphy, Phil Martelli, Jack McKinney, Jack Ramsay, and Bo Ryan. In the case of Jack Ramsay and Jack McKinney NBA Championships are a part of their resume.
The museum is located at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, PA. It is open on Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm and on Saturdays 11am to 2pm. For more information, call 610-909-4919

Danny Murtaugh, a 1935 graduate of Chester High School, played nine years of Major League Baseball, losing two playing seasons to WW II. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates for fifteen years–a span that included 1,115 wins, with World Series victories over the Yankees in 1960 and the Orioles in 1971. He was named manager of the year three times–1958,1960, and 1971.
One of his favorite articles of clothing throughout his managerial career was a black windbreaker. On display at the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum for the entire month of August will be the windbreaker worn by Danny during the 1964 season. The museum, located at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, PA.19087 is open from 8am to 4pm Monday through Friday and 11am to 1:30pm on Saturday.
This piece of memorabilia comes through the compliments of Danny’s nephew Patrick Newlin.
For more information visit www.sportslegendsofdelawarecouty.com

In a photograph taken at the time, former National League President Warren Giles is shown presenting to 1967 National league batting champion Roberto Clemente of the Pittsburgh Pirates the silver bat emblematic of that achievement. The National League Championship Trophy is now named in honor of the late Mr. Giles.
At the conclusion of this year’s Sports Legends of Delaware County Cavalcade of Stars Luncheon, Bill Giles, son of Warren Giles and the former owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, will replicate his father’s presentation by presenting that very same silver bat to its current owner, Steve Burman. Steve will then present the bat to SLDC Museum officials, who will place the bat on display in the Mickey Vernon Gallery. Mickey himself was a silver bat winner in 1953.
Roberto has a special place in baseball history and his connection with Delaware County’s own Danny Murtaugh is something we are anxious to celebrate. He was a part of Danny’s three history-making moments: The first was when Danny’s Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series; the second was when Roberto was the starting right-fielder in a game in which Danny fielded baseball’s first all-minority lineup on September 1, 1971; and the third was when Roberto was named MVP of the 1971 World Series, when the Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles.
This special Cavalcade of Stars luncheon will take place on Saturday, September 16th, from 11am to 1pm at the SLDC museum, located at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, PA 19087. For ticket information, log onto www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com or contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919

You are welcome to the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum at 301 Iven Avenue in Radnor, PA to view a recent addition to the Wide World of Women’s Sports gallery. The addition is Fredia Gibbs’ World Championship Kickboxing Belt, currently on display in a showcase on the first floor atrium level.
Fredia, a graduate of Chester High School and Cabrini College, is arguably the best woman athlete in the history of Delaware County. In addition to being the first African-American to win the World Kickboxing Championship, Fredia was a state championship track star as well as a professional basketball player, playing in the European Professional League.
This and other Items from the museum’s collection can also be viewed by logging on to www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com. The museum is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm and on Saturday from 11am to 1:30pm. Photo by Chuck Weems
For more information, contact museum curator Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net

June 2, 2018 Emlen Tunnell Statue Unveiling. SLDC Museum 301 Iven Ave Wayne, Pa 19087. Sculptor Jennifer Frudakis Petry to the right of #45. Emlen’s niece Catherine Robinson, to the left of the 7 foot bronze statue.

An art show produced by Art on Avenue of the States Gallery of Chester, Pa. and hosted by Harrah’s Casino and Racetrack, is currently on exhibit at Harrah’s Casino. One of the works on display in the show is a portrait of former major league baseball player and manager the late Danny Murtaugh by artist George Rothacker of the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum. The show will last until June 2018.
It is interesting to note that before and during Danny’s professional career, he worked as a piece-work counter for welders at Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. At the time, the company occupied the present site of the current Harrah’s Casino at what is now 777 Harrah’s Boulevard in Chester. During the time Danny was employed at the shipyard, he lived just a few blocks away, on Barclay Street. It’s an ironic indication of just how professional sports salaries have changed over the years that a man who was, in 1941, a league-leading major league base-stealer playing for the Philadelphia Phillies would find it worthwhile to pick up extra money during the off-season in this manner.
The exhibit is on Harrah’s ground floor lobby and is open 24/7 year-round. All the works of art displayed in the exhibit can be found on the gallery’s website www.artavestates.com. For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919. Photo compliments of Delco Times

Currently on display at the Sports Legends of Delaware County (SLDC) museum is a 1972 road jersey and pants worn by Roberto Clemente during his historic final season, when he got his 3,000th career hit at his final time at bat. Later that year, Roberto would make the ultimate sacrifice in an effort to help others in need on December 31, when he perished in an airplane crash while flying to Nicaragua to deliver supplies to earthquake victims.
During his 18-year career, Clemente was a 15-time All-Star, a 12-time Golden Glove Award recipient, a four-time Batting Champion, 2 time World Series Champion, and both a National League and World Series MVP Award winner. This significant knit jersey, with black and gold trim, has the Pirates team name across the front with his number 21 below it.
It has been confirmed by the Clemente family that they were presented with this uniform by the team during memorial ceremonies at Three Rivers Stadium at the start of the 1973 season.
The jersey and pants will be on display at the SLDC museum through December 31 of this year–the 45th anniversary of Roberto’s death. The museum is located at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, PA 19087 and is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm and Saturday from 11am to 1:30pm. Photo compliments of Hunt Auctions
For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919

This photo from the archives of the Delaware County, Pa. Daily Times shows a 1920 Chester, PA semi-pro baseball team. Seated second from left is 20-year-old Hack Wilson.
In 1921, Hack signed a professional contract with Martinsburg, West Virginia. In 1923, his contract was purchased by the New York Giants, He played three seasons with the Giants, but his most productive years were with the Chicago Cubs with whom, in 1930, he hit 56 home runs and drove in a record 191 RBIs. To this day, that RBI number represents the record for Major League baseball. Hack was inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame in 1979.
This is one of many historic photographs on display in the Mickey Vernon Gallery of the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum. If anyone has information on any of Hack’s Chester teammates, please contact museum curator Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

For all of 2018, the Sports Legends of Delaware County museum will have a year-long celebration to honor the birth of James Barton (Mickey) Vernon. With apologies to other great players of local origin–Hack Wilson, Jimmy Dykes, Danny Murtaugh and Mike Scioscia–it can be readily argued that Mickey is certainly the greatest baseball player that Delaware County has ever produced. Born on April 22,1918 and a native of Marcus Hook PA, Mickey was a two-time American League Batting Champion and seven-time All-Star. It’s a testimony to the character of the man that he was said by many of those who had the pleasure of knowing him to be the nicest man they ever met. To commemorate his centennial year, the SLDC website starting in January 2018 will be offering twelve video clips and twelve sports cards, a different one to be presented each month of the year. Find the clips and cards on home page www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com. Called Celebrating a Life Well-Lived, the clips consist of a series of twelve interview segments in which Mickey reminisces about his years in baseball. Many of the segments were filmed just nine days before his death on September 24, 2008. Those that knew Mickey best will tell you over and over again that he was one of those special individuals that should never be forgotten. This material should go a long way toward perpetuating his memory. For more information on how you can obtain a dvd entitled Grand Memories of a Great Champion, containing all twelve interview segments plus other video clips from Mickey’s career, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 or vankoski21@comcast.net.

Mickey Vernon a two-time batting champion and seven-time all star still holds the Major League record for the most double plays in a career by a first baseman. It has been 58 years since he retired in 1960. Mickey died at the age of 90 in 2008. Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum is a 501[c][3] organization located at 301 Iven Ave. Wayne, Pa.19087. Our mission is to acknowledge excellence, preserving the heritage of our sports history by recognizing and rewarding such excellence. Donations are appreciated.

Join the Delaware County Historical Society and the Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum as they celebrate Chester High Basketball’s 1961 through 1970 Team of the Decade. The day’s events will also include the unveiling of a memorial created by Haven Memorial Cemetery of the greatest player from that decade, Emerson Baynard. Emerson was buried in the Haven Memorial Cemetery in 1997 without the benefit of a grave site marker. Now over twenty years later this oversight will be corrected. Leading the charge of raising the funds for a memorial was the iconic University of Wisconsin Basketball Coach, Bo Ryan. Bo, himself, had an outstanding Chester High Basketball career while wearing the same number that Emerson wore-42. You are invited to a 11:30am dedication of this monument on September 13, 2018. The dedication will be held at the Delaware County Historical Society’s home located at 408 Avenue of the States, Chester, Pa. Invited, to be a part of this ceremony/luncheon are Chester’s Mayor, Thaddeus Kirkland, himself a noted Chester High School basketball player, State Representative Brian Kirkland and the living members of that 1961/1970 team–Bo Ryan, Mike Marshall, Eddie Swain, Earl Williams, George Tillery, and Ken Shamberger. Also accepting an invitation to attend is Cliff Wilson, the head coach of Chester’s First State Championship Team.The first fifty in attendance will receive a Team of the Decade Poster and a copy of Ed Gebhart’s 1997 Delco Times article “Crying for Glory that Might Have Been”. Jack Lemon, the author of a soon to be published book on Emerson will be the host of this event. For more information contact Jim Vankoski 610-909-4919 or email vankoski21@comcast.net

The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum located at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, Pa. is excited to welcome iconic former Philadelphia Athletics and New York Yankees pitcher Bobby Shantz. This season the proud institution will be celebrating Delaware County’s Baseball Winter Meeting with the appearance of Shantz and more enticing events coming during the Winter Wool and the Summer Game exhibit.
Shantz began his professional career in 1949, leaving only three short years in which he played before he was named the American League’s Most Valuable Player in 1952 as a Philadelphia Athletic. Then in 1958, Shantz helped the New York Yankees win their 18th World Championship. This American League All Star and World War II veteran stands proud at 93 years young as the oldest living major league player to have won baseball’s MVP award.
Rich Westcott is recognized as the most prolific author Delaware County has produced. Together with Shantz, Westcott will appear in the Mickey Vernon/Danny Murtaugh Gallery on December 8, 2018 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Rich will bring many of his twenty six books so holiday shoppers looking for that special gift for the baseball fan in their life will have no trouble finding it at the SLDC Museum.
The grand opening of the SLDC Museum’s newest exhibit, Winter Wool and the Summer Game, will feature three of the most alluring pieces of baseball memorabilia in the nation. The museum will display the Silver Bat award that was presented to Roberto Clemente in 1967 by National League President Warren Giles. Sports’ fans can also view the 25 inch by 42 inch horsehide featuring the signatures of more than 200 American League baseball team players, coaches, and managers. This horsehide was collected by Mickey Vernon during the 1957 season at Fenway Park. The third feartured displayed during the exhibit is an authentic, game-used bat by Ted “The Splendid Splinter” Williams in his 1960 season with the Boston Red Sox. Feel free to vist our website for more information. www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com Jim Vankoski 610-909-4919 email vankoski21@comcast.net

On display December 8, 2018 ,from 11am to 1pm, at the Sports Legends of Delaware County (SLDC) museum will be the exquisite National League Championship Silver Bat that was presented to Roberto Clemente in 1967 for being the NL batting champion that year.
During his 18-year career, Clemente captured the National League batting title four times. He posted a lifetime batting average of .317, with 3,000 hits and over 1,300 RBIs.
The 1967 season saw Clemente’s career-high batting average of .357. Shown here is the National League Silver Bat award that was presented to him for being the NL batting champion that year. The award is in the shape of a professional model Louisville Slugger 125 model bat, measuring 34 inches long and weighing 55.6 Troy ounces. “Batting Champion 1967 National League B.A. .357” is inscribed near the barrel area.
With the exception of the Most Valuable Player award, the Silver Bat is regarded as the most coveted of all personal player awards. This one is an iconic piece from one of the greatest players in Major League baseball history. It will be on display one day only at the SLDC museum December 8th. of this year. The museum is located at 301 Iven Avenue in Wayne, PA 19087 and is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm and Saturday from 11am to 1:30pm. www.sportslegendsofdelawarecounty.com
For more information, contact Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919

Photo compliments of Hunt Auctions

STARTING IN SEPTEMBER AND FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2018, the Delaware County Historical Society’s Museum located at 408 Avenue of the States, Chester, Pa. continues a year-long celebration to honor the birth of James Barton (Mickey) Vernon. A display case specially designed for the museum will showcase memorabilia from the life and times of one of Delco’s most illustrious personalities.
Born on April 22, 1918, and a native of Marcus Hook PA, Mickey was a two-time American League Batting Champion and seven-time All-Star. It’s a testimony to the character of the man that he was awarded Delaware County’s Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award in 2005. The award will be among the historical images and memorabilia celebrating Mickey’s career on display. Above, Mickey’s final season as a full-time player was with the 1959 Milwaukee Braves.