201220931
I completely comprehend the contempt that some athletes face, but I have never valued the venom that people have spit at Tim Tebow. The 29-year-old quarterback, who last year sought a roster spot with the Eagles, recently announced a desire to play baseball. The vitriol has been brutal, but the man has athletic talent, so I applaud him for not giving up on his God-given gifts. Because of his news and connection to South Philly, I started to wonder about local products who achieved stardom or renown in their fields. I pondered “what might have been” had they made different career choices. Here are the results of my musings.
10) Edward “Babe” Heffron: In 1942, this Pennsport native joined America’s World War II campaign at 19 years of age, serving as a private with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army. His efforts and those of his peers inspired the 2001 miniseries “Band of Brothers,” which captured multiple Emmy victories and a Golden Globe triumph. What if he had completely elected for a far less patriotic and therefore much safer existence as a waterfront worker, which is what he became after his involvement in the conflict? Might our cause have suffered?
9) Fr. Joseph Kelley: His will be the lone name on this list of which millions will not be aware, but the thousands who have interacted with the product of the 900 block of Pierce Street and pastor of St. Monica Parish can certainly sing his praises. I have known Fr. Kelley for 12 years and have never met a more gregarious and insightful man of the cloth. Thank God for having given him a vocation to serve.
8) Mario Lanza: How often have you met someone who just seemed destined for a certain career? When I think of those rare individuals who naturally gravitate to and succeed in a field, I think of Lanza, whom anyone with even marginal hearing would tout as a titanic talent. Suppose the Bella Vistan had thought of his gift as only a passing fancy. His death at 38 has already inspired so many lamentations that I shudder to think what my supposition might lead a few of you to envision.
7) Marian Anderson: To know the history of South Philadelphia, one must be a student of its contributions to the music world. Like Lanza, Anderson was a nonpareil whose achievements make one grateful that she never saw her gender and race as reasons to regard herself as inferior to males and Caucasians. If she had not chosen to challenge her register, how little lasting change we might have experienced.
6) Kenny Gamble: Hailing from South of South, like Anderson, Kenny Gamble has joined the contralto in becoming a music industry pioneer, with enshrinement in the Dance Music, National Academy of Songwriters, and Rock and Roll halls of fame as proof. What if he and co-writer Leon Huff had just settled for minor involvement in the business? Who else would have picked up the slack?
5) Frankie Avalon: I met this West Passyunk legend in 2012 and still smile over how courteous he was. Had he not believed in his range, not only would admirers not have opportunities to reminisce, but I would not have chances to treat my pasta to his family’s Avallone Tomatoes!
4) Larry Fine: This Queen Village son proved a knockout as a Stooge, but what if he had continued to lace up his gloves and follow his boxing ambition? Had he done so, I am sure he would have attacked rib cages with as much vigor as he tickled funny bones.
3) David Brenner: I will never grow tired of recalling and writing about my December 2013 phone interview with this Dickinson Square West comedic giant. During it he said, “… the day I would like to see is where there are no stand-up comedians because people are enjoying their lives so much and are finding laughter within their own friends and family.” How thankful I am that he contributed to the initiation of laugh lines that my son’s antics will surely make more prominent.
2) Jerry Blavat: Seventy-six years old and still going strong, the Geator with the Heater has built a 56-year career in radio. The airwaves have changed but this South Philly product’s gumption has not waned. Could anyone imagine how bland our lives would be minus the Boss with the Hot Sauce?
1) Frank Rizzo: Love him or hate him (and my Facebook page proves that plenty of folks have VERY solid estimations of him), Frank Rizzo has become a huge element to one’s comprehension of South Philly’s grit and stand-for-no-nonsense attitude. Had he even thought to tone down his larger-than-life personality, whom would many have to hold as a hero and whom would others vilify as a false savior? Thanks to South Philly’s cultural and critical identity, Rizzo will forever be the polarizer who unites us. ■
Contact Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
