PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — If John Nolan III could go back in time to any moment in Philadelphia sports history, he would choose Jan. 11, 1981 — the NFC Championship Game between the Eagles and Cowboys at the bitter cold Veterans Stadium.
On the Eagles second play from scrimmage, star running back Wilbert Montgomery took a handoff from quarterback Ron Jaworski and ran through Dallas’ defense for a 42-yard touchdown.
The Vet was euphoric.
Nolan III wishes he could’ve been there that day.
“That’s one of the greatest plays of all our teams,” he says.
But, Nolan III wasn’t there because he wasn’t born yet.
In fact, he wasn’t born for another 23 years.
Nolan III just turned 19. He’s getting his freshman year of college underway.
“[The NFC Championship in ‘81] was our biggest win since 1960 when [the Eagles] beat Vince Lombardi’s Packers, Franklin Field. The gravity of that win was huge,” says Nolan III.
He says he is the biggest Philadelphia sports fan you’ll ever meet.
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“When people first meet me, that’s what I bring up.”
He recognizes this area has millions of big fans as well. But, there’s a reason he likes to refer to himself as the biggest one.
“I live an hour farther from the Linc, but I never wanted to go there more.”
Nolan III doesn’t just live that far from the sports complex. He lives in the land of the Giants, Jets, Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Nets, Rangers, Islanders and Devils.
He has spent the past decade in Morristown, New Jersey. But that hasn’t stopped him from being a history buff and ardent supporter of Philadelphia sports, despite his peers repping Giants and Mets blue.
“I guess growing, it’s just, those are your guys.”
Taking a millisecond to remain a Philadelphia fan
Philadelphia sports is in Nolan III’s lineage.
His grandfather, John Joseph Nolan Sr., was in attendance for the misunderstood 1968 Eagles game where fans threw snowballs at Santa Claus. He also had a ticket for the 1964 World Series before the Phillies collapsed that season and failed to make the Fall Classic.
His father, John Joseph Nolaln Jr., is a huge fan like Nolan III – the oldest of three kids around the same ages.
As a young kid, Nolan III and his family lived in Warrington, Bucks County. Despite only recently turning four, Nolan III remembers the 2008 Phillies winning the World Series on Oct. 29, 2008 — a game that took three days to finish because of the weather. Naturally, he became interested in the crazy world of Philadelphia sports.
Then, when Nolan III was around nine or 10 years old, Nolan Jr.’s profession necessitated his family moving from Pennsylvania to North Jersey. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to presume that must be a significant adjustment for any kid to experience, generally speaking. But in terms of Nolan III, there was also the fact he would be making new friends and going to school with kids who like New York sports — a rival city of Philadelphia sports.
So, Nolan Jr. told his kids they can decide to become New York sports fans under the condition that he can never buy them a jersey of those teams, or stuff like that.
The dad ended up having nothing to worry about with Nolan III.
“He took about a millisecond to stay a Philadelphia fan,” Nolan Jr. said.
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Nolan III said he never thought about switching. He says being in “enemy territory,” so to speak, strengthened his devotion to the Eagles, Phillies, Sixers and Flyers.
“I take a massive amount of pride in knowing that’s how people know me,” said Nolan III, “because I make a very big deal about it.”
“He’s not shy about his Philadelphia fandom," said his dad, who has a nice father-son bond with Nolan III over their shared love of these teams.
Returning the favor — ‘Dad, you have to go’
Being in New York sports land has its obstacles for the Nolan’s — including Philadelphia teams not being on TV nearly as much as in the Delaware Valley.
While the Phillies play 162 regular season games and the Sixers and Flyers each play 82, the Eagles, of course only have 17, so they’re much more magnified than their South Philadelphia neighbors. Hence, you don’t want to miss one – especially if you’re a diehard like the Nolans.
“It actually kind of made a tradition out of it,” Nolan III said. “Me and my dad would go out every Sunday to a restaurant and watch a game.”
And being farther up the Jersey Turnpike also hasn’t kept the Nolans away from the sports complex. They have been to Philadelphia home sporting events over the years since moving to North Jersey. And, recently, Nolan III — in essence — paid back his dad in a very cool way.
Nolan Jr. called it one of his proudest moments.
Nolan Jr. had never been to a Phillies postseason game before. And Nolan III was a really young kid during the 2007 to 2011 run. So, this past season when the 2022 Phillies went on an improbable run to winning the National League pennant, Nolan III experienced Red October and told his father how unreal it was.
“He said, ‘Dad, you have to go.’ And finally, I said, alright, and he got me a ticket for one of the games, which was awesome.”
It was a wonderful moment for Nolan Jr. and Nolan III, who was a senior at Morristown High School at the time.
Now, he’s off to college.
“He is my best friend watching sports … It’s been a lot of the things we’ve done and I am looking forward to all the things he does going forward,” said Nolan Jr.
A dream to preserve Philadelphia sports history
Nolan III is kicking off his freshman year at Seton Hall University – a school that has produced many broadcasters over the years. He wants to be a sports announcer and has already gotten a head start.
A kid already with a strong voice and outgoing personality, Nolan III has broadcasted games at Morristown High School, which also proved to be essential during the COVID-19 pandemic because people weren’t allowed to attend games in person — so they relied on Nolan III’s broadcasts.
“Ever since I was a kid, that’s all I ever wanted to do,” he said.
His father says his son is “all in” with this career. He sounds prepared to be in this for the long haul — ready to experience the unique, unpredictable journey just about every broadcaster goes through.
His goal, though — get back home. Get back to Philadelphia.
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Nolan III has been inspired by Philadelphia legends like Harry Kalas and Merrill Reese. He has taken the time to learn the history of Philadelphia sports, watching old games that date back decades. He has become a history buff. This is all he has ever wanted to do.
“So I don't think I'm going to stop ‘til I get there,” he says. “I may be working in another town I don't even know when I'm 60. But I'm still going to be pushing for that job, no matter what. Just a job in that area in general. Because it's a place I'd love to raise my kids and teach them about games and take them to the Linc and take them to Wells Fargo.”
So keep an ear or eye out for John Nolan III — the 19-year-old college freshman who hopes to be creating memories for you and him for years to come.
“I just love to preserve Philadelphia sports history … And just be a part of it would be all I could ever want.”
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