Aaron Nola – Phillies/P (2015-present) Nola was selected 7^th overall by the Phillies in the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft. He made his MLB debut just 406 days after signing with the Phils. Nola had an RBI single in his 1st big league win, an 11-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs on July 26th, 2015.  Nola was 24-22 going into the 2018 season. He was named the Phillies opening day starter by first-year Phillies Manager Gabe Kapler. 

Joe Watson – Flyers/D (1967-68 to 1977-78) Joe Watson was a member of the Flyers Broad Street Bullies teams that won back to back Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975. Watson was the second skater selected by the Flyers in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft. Joe and his younger brother Jim were the second of five brother combos to play for the Flyers spending five years together in the orange and black (1973-78).  Watson, not known as a goal-scoring defenseman, scored just 38 goals in 11 seasons for the Flyers. However, during the famous 1976 game against the vaunted Soviet team, Watson scored a short-handed goal against legendary Russian netminder Vladislav Tretiak. Flyers coach Fred Shero commented afterwards that Watson’s goal “set Russian hockey back 25 years.”

On this Date, June 28^th, in 1931, in New York City, Eugene Charles Hart was born. Gene Hart was the legendary voice of the Flyers from the team’s inception, through the end of the 1994-95 season.  Flyers fan enjoyed 29 years of one of the NHL’s greatest announcers. Gene Hart called over 2,000 NHL games, 6 Stanley Cup Finals including the 1974 and 1975 Cup winners, and 5 NHL All Star Games. Hart carried us through the highs (winning two Cups, beating the Russians, getting Eric Lindros); and helped us through the lows, (losing Barry Ashbee, and losing Pelle Lindbergh). He taught the game of hockey to a sports-crazed town, and the incredible turnout for the Flyers Stanley Cup parade in the Spring of 1974 was doubtlessly due in part to the passion Hart had for the Flyers, and how legions of fans fed off that passion.

Gene Hart was  inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame in 1992, the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997. Not bad for a Jersey high school history teacher.  Did you know… Gene’s daughter, the very talented Lauren Hart not only sings the National Anthem or God Bless America before every Flyers home game, but wears a Flyers jersey with the #68 to honor her Dad who died at the age of 68.  Gene Hart, Philly loved you as much as you loved Philly. Your Stanley Cup-winning call still gives us chills. To one of the greatest ever… Good Night, Good Hockey!

Joel Embiid – Sixers/C (2014-present) Foot issues caused Embiid to sit out his first two seasons. Embiid was limited to 31 games during his third season and he was still named 1^st Team All-Rookie. The Cameroonian showed in 2017-2018 that he was well worth the wait. Embiid was selected for his first NBA All Star game and led the Sixers back to the postseason. His season was cut short when he collided with teammate Markelle Fultz, breaking his orbital bone and requiring surgery. Embiid finished 3^rd in voting for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award for 2017-18. The Process was also named 2nd team All-Defensive, and 2nd team All-NBA for 2017-18. JoJo is on the cover of EA Sports NBA Live 19!

Did you know… Joel Embiid is fluent in three languages (English, French, and Basaa), and his middle name is Hans.