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PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — What would sports be without the unification of friends, old and new?
"I think I would be a sports fan in general," said Anthony DiTrolio, but with a caveat.
“Enjoying events, having people around you to enjoy them and share those events with is probably the most meaningful part of it."
DiTrolio, a South Jersey resident and West Philadelphia native, loves his Philadelphia teams dating back to 1980 when the four major teams, the Eagles, Flyers, Phillies, and Sixers all played in their sport’s world championship round, with the Phils going all the way that year to the World Series title.
"[My] father brought me to a [Phillies] game,” DiTrolio, 51, said about a transformative day at Veterans Stadium.
“I still remember, against the [San Francisco] Giants sitting in section 360 of the Vet and watching Mike Schmidt and Greg Luzinski hit back-to-back homers in that game."
That kind of experience will spark a fandom.
DiTrolio loves the underdog persona attached to being a Philadelphia fan, the "badge of honor" as he called it when it comes to the reputation of his fellow faithful. Those close to him describe DiTrolio as dedicated, knowledgeable and spirited.
"I gotta love the spirit. I respect it," said DiTrolio's high school sophomore-aged son Jonathan who recently got to share a wonderful moment with his dad on the field at “the Linc” by holding up the big Eagles flags before a game.
"We can hear him yelling in the basement…from upstairs, you can hear him yelling."
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"He's one of your true definitions of an Eagles fan," explained Dave Hulsey, DiTrolio's pal of roughly 14 years, as well as someone he goes to Eagles games with as a season ticket holder.
"When it comes to stats, when it comes to facts, he really knows Philadelphia sports history," Rich Klineburger said of his friend of 45 years.
And that last part says it all: Friend of nearly half a century. The beauty of DiTrolio's story is the camaraderie they maintain because of the common interest in sports.
In learning about DiTrolio from talking with those who know him, it became obvious a major part of his fandom was the bond he shares with close friends.
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People like Klineburger and Adam Schwartzberg grew up with DiTrolio in Overbrook Park. They live in New Jersey these days and stay close through their love of Philadelphia sports, which includes going to Eagles games as season ticket holders.
Klineburger said he's always the driver, Schwartzberg brings weird craft beers, and a couple games a season, DiTrolio will make "his famous chicken buffalo burgers."
"If nothing else, we have that continued connection every week, no matter what's going on, no matter what direction life takes us," DiTrolio said.
"I don't know many friendships that have lasted this long, especially when you move over the river. Nonetheless, [we] still end up all hanging out together, so I think that's a big part of it," Klineburger explained.
"We have a bunch of friends that we meet up with and we make it special every time,” Hulsey added.
"You could ask any Philadelphia fan, I think, that is a true row house Philadelphia fan that grew up loving these teams. It truly is a bond," Klineburger shared.
For DiTrolio and his crew, that bond didn't break amid the height of the pandemic, when stadiums and arenas were empty out of COVID-19 precautions.
Even though DiTrolio and his buds couldn't go to The Linc, they still got together, socially-distant and safe, to watch the games on TV.
So we give a hat tip to DiTrolio, the spirited, dedicated, trivia-telling lifelong fan who without sharing his story for this feature, would never have revealed his awesome group of friends that make his fandom complete.
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"Thankful that I have those friends in my life to enjoy the sports, and we're not just friends over sports. We're friends outside of sports. Always checking in on each other,” said a grateful DiTrolio.
“Thankful that I have those guys to enjoy Sundays with."
The beauty of sports.
Other parts of Anthony DiTrolio's Fandom:
— Favorite teams: Super Bowl LII and XXXIX Eagles Teams
— Favorite non-title team: 1993 Phillies
— Least favorite player: J.D. Drew
— Favorite coaches: Charlie Manuel and Andy Reid
— Favorite venue: Lincoln Financial Field
— Least favorite venue: The Spectrum
If you want to submit your story, or someone you know, to be highlighted as KYW Newsradio's Philadelphia Sports Fan of the Week, click here.
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