MIKE Sports Comic Books FREE Series Philadelphia Sports Icons ©2015 New Vision Entertainment www.theemike.com Introduction Since the Declaration of Independence was signed here in 1776, the City of Brotherly Love has nurtured a rich and diverse heritage. The home town of the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall has also become synonymous with the birthplace of Chubby Checker’s twist and Pat Olivieri’s world famous cheese steaks. Plus, other noteworthy Philadelphia foods have garnered national attention like Tastykakes, Italian hoagies and soft pretzels. Legendary flag maker Betsy Ross’ name still stands as the city’s most historically celebrated. But, like the Founding Fathers who signed the United States Constitution in Philadelphia, Ross’ name is now mentioned in the same breath as other famous Philadelphians. Dick Clark, W.C. Fields, Frankie Avalon, Will Smith, Grace Kelly, Pink, Boyz II Men, Tina Fey, Bradley Cooper and Richard Gere have all risen from Philly roots to international entertainment stardom. Sports heroes have also afforded Philadelphia a rich heritage that rivals the celebrated of other great American cities. In Philadelphia Sports Icons, I feature my favorite sports legends, beloved teams and cherished venues that have provided a common bond for this diverse, vibrant city. The most dominating player in NBA history, whose very presence prompted universal rule changes in the game of basketball, soars into the first chapter of this book. Blitzing into the next chapter is the NFL’s late Minister of Defense; he’s probably the most admired and successful football player in Philadelphia Eagles history. The Cathedral of College Basketball comes next. It’s hosted more NCAA basketball games than any other arena in the country. A former chubby NBA Hall of Fame player turned broadcasting superstar commands a colorful chapter all his own. This Philadelphia Sports Icons book also revisits the improbable run of the 1985 NCAA Men’s Basketball Champions - the Villanova Wildcats. A mature boxer who evaded a life of crime follows next. I chronicle his flamboyant entry into the ring and his weight class domination even at a surprisingly advanced age. With both front teeth missing, a diabetic quickly skates into the book as the city’s most beloved and decorated hockey player. Next, a seriously chiseled third baseman steps up to the plate. This Hall of Fame slugger spent his entire career sporting a Phillies uniform. Another amazing basketball player swoops into the book, too. He’s known for effortlessly flying above the hardwood where he operated so brilliantly with a basketball, instead of a surgeon’s scalpel, in his hand. My #1 choice in Philadelphia Sports Icons also ranks as perhaps the most hated team in hockey history. But, the two-time Stanley Cup champion can never be overlooked. The team embodied the toughness and brawn of this working class city situated between the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. As a bonus, this book culminates with a chapter about the most famous fictional athlete of all-time. He’ll undoubtedly inspire you to run up a few flights of steps while pumping your arms in euphoria. Enjoy my FREE sports comic book Philadelphia Sports Icons. Feel free to share it with friends. Write me at [email protected] if you think one of your favorite Philadelphia athletes or icons should have been included in this book. So, grab a soft pretzel or order a cheese steak and start reading! MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! Table of Contents Introduction Why read Philadelphia Sports Icons? Favorite #10: Wilt Chamberlain Favorite #9: Reggie White Favorite #8: The Palestra Favorite #7: Charles Barkley Favorite #6: Villanova 1985 NCAA Champs Favorite #5: Bernard Hopkins Favorite #4: Bobby Clarke Favorite #3: Mike Schmidt Favorite #2: Dr. J Favorite #1: Broad Street Bullies Bonus Chapter on Rocky Balboa FREE Bonus Books Meet the MIKE Makers Why read this book? Sports fans of all ages love my colorful stories, candid comments and creative content. My books are always entertaining and easy to read. Plus, the unique sports comics that accompany each chapter cleverly capture the essence of the featured player, team, coach, play, sports expression, or in this case, Philadelphia Sports Icon. As an added bonus, I always offer more FREE stuff in each of my sports comic books. See the back of this book for details. In addition to the bonus chapter on Philadelphia’s most iconic fictional sports character, I offer a few FREE sports comic books for safe downloading. Check out my author profile on Amazon.com, follow me on Twitter and fan me on Facebook. Straight talk. No static. MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! # 10 Philadelphia Sports Icon Few athletes so totally dominate a sport that their professional league must enact rule changes to make the games fair for the other 99.9% of the participants. Wilton Norman Chamberlain, simply known as Wilt, so altered NBA games that the league instituted new rules. Today's wider lane in the NBA and goal tending penalties were imposed because of how easily Chamberlain vanquished all opposing players. This incredibly athletic basketball phenom from Overbrook High School in center city Philadelphia is an easy slam dunk to start Philadelphia Sports Icons in the #10 spot. Wilt overpowered basketball opponents whenever he stepped onto the hardwood. The 7'1" and 260 lb. player effortlessly prevailed over all smaller, less physically gifted competitors. His towering size, strength, scoring ability and stamina empowered him to become the greatest player the NBA ever witnessed when he entered the league in 1959. Wilt unanimously earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1960 for posting remarkable league best numbers of 37 points and 27 rebounds per game. He continued his scoring assault on the NBA by leading the league in scoring for the next six consecutive years. Also known as The Big Dipper, Wilt the Stilt and Goliath, Wilt reigned as an unstoppable force in the pivot - in spite of being regularly double and triple teamed during games. This Philadelphia native and University of Kansas product now ranks as one of the NBA's top 50 players ever. A 1978 NBA Hall of Fame inductee, Wilt's gaudy NBA resume includes 13 All-Star selections, 4 Most Valuable Player awards, 11 rebounding titles and 2 NBA Championships. The first occurred in 1967 with the Philadelphia 76ers and the second in 1972 with the Los Angeles Lakers. Wilt may best be remembered for becoming the only NBA player to score 100 points in a single game. On the memorable night of March 2, 1962 Wilt reached the century scoring mark against the New York Knicks in front of only 4,124 fans at the old Hershey Sports Arena. Ironically, the game was not televised. No video footage of that historic night was ever taken. Wilt retired in 1973. His record included staggering NBA career statistics of 30.1 points per game, 22.7 rebounds per game and 4.4 assists per game. Oddly, his career FG% of 54.0 was higher than his FT% of 51.1. Wilt also battled his career long nemesis Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics. Many sports fans regard this as the greatest individual rivalry in all of team sports. Russell's Celtics bested Chamberlain's teams (Warriors, 76ers and Lakers) seven out of eight times they squared off against each other in the NBA Playoffs. Wilt's incredible dominance as an NBA player prompted many NBA fans to root against this giant of a man. The fans treatment of him led Chamberlain to famously respond, "No one ever roots for Goliath!" Sadly, Wilt passed away in 1999. Whether you were a fan of the Big Dipper or not, no one can argue that Wilt Chamberlain was a dominating Goliath as a basketball player. We can all celebrate the single named legacy of this NBA superstar because there won’t be another one quite like Wilt. He’s an easy choice at #10 in Philadelphia Sports Icons. MIKE - thee ultimate talking head on sports! #9 Philadelphia Sports Icon During his storied 15-year career, the imposing defensive lineman known as the Minister of Defense delivered his football version of a fire and brimstone sermon by obliterating opposing offenses. An ordained Evangelical pastor, my #9 selection in Philadelphia Sports Icons embodied his befitting Minister of Defense nickname. Whenever Reggie White set foot on the football field, he constantly administered defensive pressure. And, when away from the gridiron, he tirelessly catered to the needs of inner-city youth and those less fortunate through his work as a Christian minister. NFL.com rated White as the #7 NFL player of all-time, and ESPN Sports Nation named him the greatest player in Philadelphia Eagles history. His storied career validates their lofty choices. White graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1984 after being named SEC Player of the Year during his senior season. The Minister of Defense then played two years in the now defunct USFL with the Memphis Showboats, earning the 1985 USFL Man of the Year Award. After the USFL folded, Reggie White proceeded to the NFL and starred for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1985 – 1992. His incredible, dominating defensive play quickly made him a fan favorite. While in Philadelphia, this Minister of Defense proved why he personified his respected title. He was awarded the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1987 and led the league in sacks in both 1987 and 1988. Philadelphia fans loved him, and the franchise retired his #92 in 2006, the same year he was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot.