Ava Compagnoni avcompagnoni@ursinus.edu
Thursday, November 3rd was a jam-packed day in Philadelphia sports. The Eagles grabbed a win against the Houston Texans in Houston. The Phillies took a devastating no-hitter loss in Philly in game four of the World Series. Just prior to the first pitch of that game four, The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame inducted 18 new members, including an Ursinus alum. Adele Boyd ‘53 had a golden field hockey career during her time at Ursinus and after, as a player and coach. From professional leaguers to local leaders, the 18 inductees brought Live! Casino & Event Center Philadelphia to life, and I was lucky enough to attend.
As the Sports Editor for The Grizzly, opportunities like this are ones I love to jump on. Once I received the email from the Hall of Fame President asking a Grizzly member to attend, I knew I could contribute to Adele’s legacy. The Ursinus legacy is important to uphold, especially as part of Philadelphia sports history. Adele’s success in field hockey led her to become a popular name in Philadelphia sports, getting inducted alongside Philadelphia professionals like Jimmy Rollins and David Akers.
As I scanned the list of inductees, I recognized a few, but learned about many. As I arrived at Live! I was surrounded by many older men, a few families, and three male media representatives. As I failed
to find anyone displaying Ursinus pride, I proceeded to wander and view the displays for the inductees. There are auctions around the banquet hall, exquisite catering options, and a balloon display sporting, pun intended, Philadelphia colors. The headliner for the induction was Jimmy Rollins, the shortstop from the 2008 World Series winning Phillies.
As I wandered around the event center, listening to big money sports fans, all the attention went towards Rollins as he entered. The three other male reporters flocked to him, and I sat back and observed their behavior. As an Ursinus reporter, I saw myself on the bottom of the totem pole to get an interview with Rollins. However, my pessimistic attitude turned around quickly when an attendee offered
to get me an interview. As we approached Rollins, I scanned my mind for questions to ask him. Luckily Rollins is a pretty laid back guy.
I began the interview by asking about how it feels to be back in the city during the electric time of the World Series. The nostalgia of the Phillies being in the World Series brought back a lot of memories: “To see the fans the way they are, to see the team the way they are in the World Series with a chance to win it all, is something that I’m happy these fans get to experience. In this city, with this passion, it is truly amazing,” said Rollins. “I got to see a lot of the guys from the ‘08 team, we got to hang out and enjoy, we’re seeing it all over again. The moments that the fans get to cheer and explode, when you’re on the field you’re in the game, but now on the other side we have a whole different view.”
As I am standing in front of a player of one of the most beloved Phillies teams in history, I feel the energy every fan in Citizens Bank Park felt. While interviewing Jimmy Rollins was the highlight of my night, it could not have happened without Adele Boyd’s Ursinus legacy. That Thursday night I truly felt the opportunities admis- sions bombarded me with on my first tour of Ursinus, almost five years ago.