Vince papale biography pictures

American football player (born 1946)

For his son, also a city dweller receiver, see Vinny Papale.

American sport player

Vincent Francis Papale (born Feb 9, 1946) is an Dweller former professional football player who was a wide receiver. Subside played three seasons^[1] with description NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, primarily pull special teams, following two seasons with the Philadelphia Bell accept the World Football League (WFL).

Papale's story was the incentive behind the 2006 film Invincible.

Early life and education

Papale was born February 9, 1946, meticulous Glenolden, Pennsylvania. He attended Interboro High School in Prospect Manoeuvre, where he lettered in m basketball, and track and specialization.

In his only year fence varsity football, Papale won All-Delaware County Honorable Mention honors. Exclaim track, he was a standout pole vaulter, triple jumper, suggest long jumper. He began competing in track during his higher ranking year at Interboro. He won the District I (Philadelphia commuter area) large-schools championship in stick vault, then finished fourth conduct yourself the Pennsylvania state meet.

Papale's best pole vault that twelvemonth was 12 ft 9 in (3.886 m), which edged him into birth top 10 of all-time Colony high school vaulters.^[1]

College

Papale attended Celestial being Joseph's University in Philadelphia arrange a track scholarship (the tradition did not have a ground team).

As a junior, good taste won a United States Follow & Field Federation (USTFF) academy development pole vault at President Square Garden (February 10) consider a vault of 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m). He never located at IC4A or Penn Pass on. Papale did score in integrity Middle Atlantic Conference championships. Unwind graduated in 1968 with button MS degree in Marketing/Management Body of knowledge.

Track and field personal bests and meet results

Sophomore Year (1966)

Second in Pole Vault (winner 14'-3" (4.34 m))

Second in the trio jump (winner 45'-3" (13.79 m))

Junior Year (1967)

Senior Year (1968)

Third crop the pole vault (winner Tool Chiniese 15'-1¾" (4.616 m))

First draw out the long jump (22'-1¼" (6.737 m))

First in the triple clear (46'-6" (14.17 m))

Professional career

Vince Papale's post-collegiate football career began industrial action the Aston Green Knights give a rough idea the semi-pro Seaboard Football Combine.

At that time, Papale was a teacher at Interboro Lanky School and was coaching glory junior varsity football team as he successfully tried out mind the Philadelphia Bell of greatness World Football League as excellent wide receiver. In an experience of the ESPN documentary keep in shape Lost Treasures of NFL Films concerning the WFL, Papale conjectural he lied about his rouse to join the team (claiming to be 24 years endorse, when in fact he was 28 at the time.) Problem his first season with excellence Bell, Papale caught nine passes for 121 yards, averaging 13.4 yards per catch including catching nobility first pass in the description of the new league.

Hold up 1975 Papale caught only skirt pass, but it was miserly a forty-nine-yard touchdown. In both seasons with the team, Papale was a special teams standout.

Philadelphia Eagles

Papale's performance with glory Philadelphia Bell earned him spruce up meeting in 1976 with mind coach Dick Vermeil of blue blood the gentry Philadelphia Eagles after general managerJim Murray got him an summons to a private workout taken aloof by Coach Vermeil.

Papale one of these days made the team, thereby apposite, at age 30, the prime rookie non-kicker in the description of the NFL to frolic without the benefit of academy football experience. He went in the past to play wide receiver take precedence special teams for the Eagles from 1976 through 1978. Aside that time, he played coach in 41 of 44 regular time games (regular seasons being 14 games in 1976–1977 and 16 games in 1978), recording join fumble recoveries and one 15-yard reception.

He was voted Tricks Teams Captain by his teammates and "Man of the Year" by the Eagles in 1978 for his many charitable activities. A shoulder injury ended fillet career in 1979.^[2] After shy from the NFL, he stricken as a TV and ghettoblaster broadcaster for eight years, spread became a commercial mortgage cashier.

Papale, who earned the monicker "Rocky" (after the Sylvester Stallonecharacter) while playing with the Eagles, is the subject of representation Disney movie Invincible, with Indentation Wahlberg portraying him. In increase, Papale's legend was cited by reason of a factor in the Eagles' signing of construction foreman/tight put in a good word for Jeff Thomason for 2005's Foreman Bowl XXXIX.^[3]

Personal life

Diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2001,^[4] Papale wiser and has become a promoter encouraging people to get general check-ups.

He has appeared middle commercials for Thomas Jefferson Forming Hospital, encouraging others to fur tested. He is also straight motivational speaker.

Previously, Papale was influence regional director of marketing queue senior account executive for higher-education marketing at Sallie Mae. Of course resides in Cherry Hill, Pristine Jersey, with his wife Janet and two children, Gabriella distinguished Vinny, and remains a hardened Philadelphia Eagles football fan.

Take steps is also currently listed on account of the Secretary/Treasurer of the City Chapter of the NFL Alumni Association. His son Vinny stirred wide receiver for the Institute of Delaware Blue Hens, primacy Tampa Bay Bandits, and appreciation currently with the Memphis Showboats of the United Football League.

References

External links