PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — If you follow Philadelphia sports regularly, you've probably heard of “EagleShirley,” whether it's from her passionate phone calls on 94WIP or the commercials or documentaries in which she's appeared.
But there is so much more to the story of Shirley A. Dash.
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"It didn't really dawn on me that the bond we were doing as a family, that we were going together, would eventually come to this type of moment or these moments in my life where football or basketball or any sports ... that is so impressionable in my life today,” Dash said.
“But it started way back."
Dash grew up in North Philadelphia near Temple, where her love of sports blossomed. In the neighborhood, she and her family would play sports outside, before turning in to watch them on television.
"It was like a foundation built, or instilled, in me."
Fast forward to today, Dash's interest in sports has led to several opportunities for her to showcase her talents as an amateur commentator and dazzle the region with her personality.
Calling in as “EagleShirley” on the radio has made her a well-known fan, not to mention her cameos in Eagles commercials and appearances in documentaries, like 2019's "Maybe Next This Year," about the Eagles' Super Bowl- winning 2017-18 journey through fans eyes.
When Dash isn't representing the Eagles fandom in documentaries, however, she works as an IT professional. She also started a website and podcast called "A Dash of Shirley." To learn her way around a microphone, she went to the Connecticut School of Broadcasting.
LISTEN: Shirley Dash's son Craig Wilmore describes his mom's love of the Eagles, and how much that has meant to their family.
A family affair
"I think what makes her unique is ... being a woman in the sports world," Dash's son Craig Wilmore said.
Wilmore, who is also a big Philadelphia sports fan, says he loves seeing his mother's passion, and it's like getting a VIP seat to her fandom and authenticity.
"I know there are a lot of women that are coming up that have already made it in the sports world, but, to be honest, I joke with my mom sometimes. I tell her, ‘You don't really see too many people your age,’ not saying she's that old. But for her to be her age and also, to be honest, an African-American woman at her age, it's just very rare to see, and how fast she just shoots to the stars. It’s just amazing to watch my mom doing what she's doing [in the sports world."
Dash, who is a woman of faith, shows genuine passion and energy in everything she does, whether at church or in the stands. She often uses it to encourage the city's athletes and give her thoughts on questionable plays.
As for where that energy comes from, Dash had an answer: "It comes from Shirley."
"Shirley is passionate, fun. I sing on a praise and worship team in my church, Beloved St. John, and we have fun. And when it's my turn, you know, the minister that Sunday or whatever, we go hard. It's like you give your all, or don't give at all. Even as a fan, you give your all, or don't give at all. God said whatever you do, put your hands to do, do it with all your might.
"It's just that ... I love watching sports. And when I'm watching sports, and something is either gonna to excite me, or make me upset, you want to get that passion. Either way, I'm excited about it, or I'm upset about it. And it's going to show and it's not just a church or sports. It's whatever I'm excited about, or whatever I'm passionate about."
That includes defending her city against the negative reputation it receives from the outside. Dash said she takes it personally if someone from another town or state knocks on Philadelphia or its teams. She rides and dies with her city.
Of course, her town reached the pinnacle of sports elation in February 2018, when her beloved Eagles finally won the Super Bowl. Like so many, she called that her favorite moment as a fan.
Dash paid for a hotel room downtown so she and her family, including her son Craig and grandson Mahki, could watch the game together and be ready to celebrate with other fans when the Eagles won.
Her reaction to their first-ever Super Bowl win was recorded, and in the video, you can hear her son telling her, "You helped us!"
"The whole season, she just was like, almost like a player,” Wilmore said.
“She wasn't actually, like, on the field or anything like that, but as far as the spirit she was putting out. Even sometimes when she got chance to meet players, just the things she was telling them, encouragement. And how she just was dedicated every Sunday or Monday whenever they played -- front row or front of that TV, or wherever … we're at the game, just coaching them on."
Wilmore said it took "all of us" for the Eagles to win the Super Bowl, and he wanted to let his mother know that she won as well with the hard work she put in throughout the season.
On Dash's websites he captioned her reaction video, "Mom! We Did It!!!" as a tribute to her late mother, Charlotte L. Dash, who died in 2010.
During Dash's conversation with KYW Newsradio's Dave Uram, she became emotional talking about her mother, who encouraged her to continue being the authentic, passionate fan that "EagleShirley" is, and contributed to her family sports memories by cooking on game days.
Dash's emotion about her mother mirrored her emotion when it comes to sports -- real and authentic. As authentic as her "E-A-G-L-E-S-EAGLES!" cheer is loud.
It's what adds to her being, as her son put it, "One of One."
If you want to submit your story, or someone you know, to be highlighted as KYW's Philadelphia Sports Fan of the Week, click here.
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