Moses Malone – Sixers/C (1982-1986) Moses Malone was a dominant NBA rebounder earning him the nickname “Chairman of the Boards.” He was the NBA MVP, and NBA Finals MVP in 1983 helping the Sixers capture their 3rd NBA Title in franchise history. The twelve-time NBA All Star was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
On May 31st, 1987 the Flyers fell to the Edmonton Oilers 3-1 in game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Rookie goalie Ron Hextall was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the playoffs. It was the 4th time a Flyer was awarded the trophy, and 2nd time in a losing cause. It was also the 2nd time in 3 seasons that the Flyers lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup Finals.
On May 31st, 1983 Moses Malone led the Sixers to their 3rd NBA Championship in franchise history. The Sixers beat the New York Knicks 4 games to none, the Milwaukee Bucks 4 games to 1, and swept the Lakers 4 games to none to win the NBA Title. It was the 4th Finals appearance for the Sixers in 7 years, and the win gave Philadelphia its 4th Championship in ten years (Flyers 1974 and 1975, Phillies 1980). It would be 25 years before Philly tasted another championship. 
On May 30th, 1985 the 1984-85 NHL season came to a close as the Flyers were beaten 8-3 by the Edmonton Oilers losing the Stanley Cup Final 4 games to 1. The Flyers took game 1 of the series, but lost the next 4. The Flyers led the league in points that season with 113, and Pelle Lindbergh won the Vezina Trophy. Oilers Wayne Gretzky had an insane 208 points, and Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year.
Roy Halladay – Phillies/P (2010-13) Roy “Doc” Halladay was a dominant power pitcher with a penchant for going deep into games. Doc spent the last four seasons of his stellar career with the Phillies. Halladay won 203 games in his career (108th all time) and posted 2,117 KOs (69th all-time). In Halladay’s first season with the Phillies, he became the first Phillies 20-game winner in 28 years posting a 21-10 record. One of those wins was Halladay’s perfect game vs Florida Marlins on May 29th. He was NL Pitcher of the Month for July, was awarded the MLB Clutch Performer of the Year Award, MLB Heart and Hustle Award, MLB.com Starter of the Year, was MLB wins leader, 2010 NL All Star, and became one of only six MLB pitchers in history to win the Cy Young in both leagues when he was named the NL winner for 2010. On October 6th, 2010, Halladay threw the 2nd-ever postseason no-hitter in NLDS vs Cincinnati Reds in his first-ever postseason start. He became the 1st pitcher in 37 years to throw two no-hitters in same season, and the first ever to throw a no-hitter AND a perfect game in the same season. His postseason no-hitter won the 2010 MLB.com Postseason Moment of the Year Award for 2010. Halladay followed up his 2010 performance with another All Star appearance in 2011, 2nd in Cy Young voting (Clayton Kershaw), and winning a 2011 ESPY. Halladay is surely a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible in 2019. Tragically, Halladay died on 11/7/2017 when the plane he was piloting crashed into the Gulf of Mexico.
Did you know… Flyers defenseman Mark Howe was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011 joining his legendary father Gordie Howe. They were just the 4th father-son duo enshrined as players in NHL history (Bobby and Brett Hull, Lynn and Lester Patick, and Earl and Oliver Seibert).
Happy 63rd Birthday Flyers Hall of Fame defenseman Mark Howe!
Mark Howe. – Flyers/D (1982-1992). Son of hockey legend Gordie Howe, Mark was a four-time NHL All Star, a four-time Barry Ashbee Award winner, a three-time Norris Trophy finalist, and an Olympic Silver Medalist with USA Hockey at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo Japan. Howe’s 28 career shorthanded goals by a defenseman, and +87 plus/minus in 1985-86 are still NHL records. Howe’s career +400 is most-ever by a US-born defenseman. Howe had his #2 retired by the Flyers and was inducted into the Flyers HOF in 2001, the US Hockey HOF in 2003 and the Hockey HOF in 2011.
Ed Van Impe – Flyers/D (1967-68 to 1975-76). Ed Van Impe was the second captain in Flyers team history, wearing the “C” from 1968-1972. Van Impe was Calder Trophy (Rookie of the Year) runner-up (Bobby Orr) the year before the Flyers selected him from the Chicago Black Hawks in the NHL Expansion Draft. Van Impe played on both Flyers Stanley Cup championship teams. The gritty Van Impe once took a puck in the mouth, lost 6 teeth, and took 50 stitches to his lips and tongue… then finished the game. Van Impe is famous for his crushing check on Soviet Red Army winger Valeri Kharlamov during Super Series ’76 that led to the Soviets leaving the ice in protest. The three-time NHL All Star was inducted into the Flyers HOF in 1993.
Flyers defenseman Ed Van Impe was born on this date, May 27th, in 1940 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Van Impe was the Flyers 2nd team captain, and played on both Flyers Stanley Cup Championship teams. Van Impe is also remembered for his hit on Soviet Red Army forward Valeri Kharlamov in the 1976 Super Series, prompting the Soviets to leave the ice. Van Impe won his 2nd Stanley Cup on his 35th birthday! Van Impe turns 78 today! Happy Birthday Eddie!
