Philadelphia and football go hand in hand, and for many at Holy Family University, cheering on the Eagles is a beloved tradition. The passion for the Philadelphia Eagles extends beyond the stands and into the work of Holy Family University alumni, as evidenced by a recently published book celebrating the team’s rich history.
The Philadelphia Eagles: Images of Sports, a new photographic history of the Philadelphia Eagles, has been released by Arcadia Publishing & The History Press and is the work of two Holy Family alumni and a former professor. This detailed visual journey through Eagles history utilizes a vast collection of photographs from over two dozen sources, including never-before-seen archival and personal collections, with a significant contribution from Ed Mahan, the team’s photographer for more than 50 years.
Holy Family University Roots Run Deep in Eagles History Project
Brian Michael, a former instructor in Holy Family University’s Sports Marketing and Management program and a co-author of the book, has strong ties to the university. Beyond his teaching experience, Michael is the owner of Shibe Vintage Sports in Center City and the founder of Phillies Nation, a popular website for Philadelphia Phillies fans. His connection to Holy Family is further strengthened by his mother, Sandra Michael, a Holy Family University Athletics Hall of Fame inductee and the university’s first Director of Athletics.
For this ambitious project, Michael collaborated with two former students, Andrew Palagruto ’18 and Andrew Weicker ’18, both Holy Family University alumni. Their lifelong Eagles fandom and passion for Philadelphia sports history made them ideal partners. Palagruto’s South Philadelphia upbringing, near the sports complex, immersed him in the Eagles culture from a young age. Weicker, founder of the popular Philadelphia Eagles Frenzy Facebook page and website, brought his extensive online community and fan perspective to the book.
Palagruto recalls his deep connection to the team, stating, “Where I grew up I lived it took five minutes to walk to the South Philadelphia Sports Complex. Living within walking distance, you can’t help to be engulfed in the atmosphere. You weren’t allowed to wear anything non-Eagles around where we lived!”
The book also features a foreword by Hall of Fame football journalist Ray Didinger, reflecting on the generational impact of football fandom within families, adding another layer of depth to this historical account.
Uncovering Philadelphia’s Forgotten Football Past
The Philadelphia Eagles: Images of Sports delves beyond the Eagles, exploring Philadelphia’s early professional football history. Many Holy Family University students may be unaware that the Frankford Yellow Jackets, an NFL team predating the Eagles, once played near the university’s Philadelphia campus. The Yellow Jackets, NFL champions in 1926, played at Frankford Stadium from 1924 to 1931, a location less than five miles from Holy Family University. This forgotten piece of local sports history adds a fascinating dimension to the book.
Weicker, a Frankford native, found particular resonance with this historical aspect. “For me, from living in the Frankford area I think the most gratifying thing was learning the history of the Yellow Jackets,” he explains. “Just thinking about how there was a pro football team on Frankford Avenue—and that I took Frankford Avenue back and forth from Holy Family—was mind-blowing.”
Meet the Authors
The authors presented their work and discussed Philadelphia football history at The Historical Society of Frankford on December 14, 2021.
Signed copies of The Philadelphia Eagles: Images of Sports are available for purchase at Shibe Vintage Sports, offering a tangible piece of Philadelphia Eagles and Holy Family University history.
