PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Fritz Schoeninger, of Delco, has been a fan of the Flyers since the early days. His first game was Nov. 19, 1967, at the Spectrum against the St. Louis Blues — the 16th game in franchise history. Since then, he’s been a detailed student of hockey and a devoted fan of the Flyers.
That includes being a season ticketholder for more than three decades and establishing an extensive collection of memorabilia in his shrine of a basement. It includes glass showcases, game and practice-used jerseys, and more than 600 autographed pucks — and counting.
“A collection of very unusual things, let’s put it that way,” 72-year-old Schoeninger said.
“I call it a shrine to the Flyers,” said his wife, Marybeth Schoeninger.
He supports current management’s vision to rebuild the team, hoping that one day they can once again hoist the Stanley Cup — something they haven’t done in almost 50 years.
Schoeninger, a father of three children and grandfather to a newborn, has been around to see it all, and that’s what makes him an original fan.
Take a listen to his story in this week’s edition of the Philadelphia Sports Fan of the Week below: