On paper, today seems like just another day in Philadelphia Flyers history as the Nashville Predators are in town (doesn’t exactly generate the same level of excitement as the Rangers, Capitals or Penguins), but the date Oct. 19 is a significant one. Exactly 50 years ago, the men in orange and black played their first home game at the Spectrum against the cross-state rival Penguins. The home team picked up a 1–0 victory in front of 7,812 fans.
Clarence Campbell, who was the third president of the National Hockey League, dropped the puck with former Flyers captain Lou Angotti and Ab McDonald of the Penguins meeting at center ice.
Ed Snider was the man responsible for bringing the Flyers and Spectrum to South Philly. Tomorrow, the organization is honoring the late Mr. Snider, who lost his battle to cancer in April 2016, by unveiling a nine-foot-tall bronze statue of him in an open-to-the-public ceremony outside of the Wells Fargo Center, 3601 S. Broad St. Earlier this year, a portion of 11th St. was named Ed Snider Way. The event will take place at 4:30 p.m.
