Robert Earle Clarke. In Philadelphia, he is a living legend. From the streets of Flin Flon, Manitoba, Bobby Clarke set the Gold Standard of what it is to be a man growing up in Philadelphia. As the ring leader of the Broad Street Bullies, Clarke brought Lord Stanley’s Cup home twice in the mid-70's, but his greatest moment was not close to city boundaries. In the 1972 Summit Series, the Canadien National Team found itself down 3-1-1 with 3 games to play in Lenin Central Stadium in downtown Moscow. In the 2d Period, Clarke deliberately and savagely slashed and fractured Valery Kharlamov's ankle. Rendering the Russian “ineffective” for the rest of the series, and sparking Team Canada to a comeback series win, Clarke later admitted “If I hadn’t learned to lay on a two-hander once in a while, I’d never have left Flin Flon.” Remember in Rocky IV, when Ivan Drago was cut? “You see? You see? He's not a machine, he's a man, he's a man.” You know what I’m talking about. This was that moment. Later, during the 1975-76 USSR Red Army Tour, memories of Bobby Clarke and 1972 made the Russians flinch again during their visit to the south side of Pattison Ave. at Broad and 11th. This time Ed Van Impe checked “Valerie” to the ice, and the Russians, who fled the ice, were exposed as cowards in our own Hometown. When I run in Pamplona, I carry my 1972 Summit Series commemorative coin to inspire me to run bravely just like Bobby would want.



Bobby Clarke

Joe Frazier. The Philadelphia Peña and Taurino Club honors Joseph William Frazier, who went to the body like we’ve never seen. Born in 1944 in South Carolina, but raised in Philadelphia, PA, Smokin’ Joe still calls Philly home, and can be seen daily working out in his boxing gym in the North. As the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, Frazier staggered the challenger Ali, with Francis Albert taking photographs for Life magazine ringside at Madison Square Garden, in the 11th and knocked out the later self-proclaimed GOAT in the 15th. Our hearts swell with pride in recollection of that occasion (March 8, 1971). With memorably cameos in Rocky, and the third (3d) season of the Simpsons (Joe fights Barney while “Uncky Herb” invents the baby translator), our favorite is the running gag on Late Night with David Letterman (summer of 1989), where Frazier nightly advised Dave by telephone how much was left in his gas tank. Philadelphia is a fighting city, and big mouths are not celebrated. Like us, Joe had no movie star friends, joined no weird cults, and spoke with actions. Joe never hid from a challenge, and never hid behind an entourage. We often feel bad having to compare Joe to “you-know-who,” and encourage memories of what he is, not what he’s not. Joe is a regular guy who happens to be a Hall of Fame member, an Olympic Champion, and a World Champion. Joe is a hero. I once met him at a Philadelphia 76er’s game, and handshakes were free. Often charging across the ring like a toro bravo, and cutting his man off into corners, Smokin’ Joe Frazier, if he ever gets the urge to visit Pamplona, can crash in our hotel room anytime.

Jimmy Smith. Born sometime around 1925 around Norristown, PA, and schooled at Ornsteins School of Music in Philadelphia, Jimmy Smith recorded for Verve and Blue Note Records over decades. We’re now going to talk about the organ and jazz music. So wake up. It was Laurens Hammond who invented the Hammond B-3 organ in 1937, and it was Jimmy Smith that gave it its modern voice. In the 1920's, jazz recordings used organs, but the instrument gradually fell out of favor. Why? Pipe organs don’t fit into vans, and Episcopalians don’t like jazz. Jimmy started playing the Hammond B-3 organ in 1951, with no epiphany, inspiration, guiding hand or explanation. Smith recalled working a loading dock with his father, and saved enough money to buy his first organ. "I got my organ from a loan shark, had it shipped to the warehouse. I stayed in that warehouse, I would say, six months to a year. I would do just like the guys do - take my lunch, then I'd go and set down at this beast.” Wait, what was a loan shark doing with an organ? In that warehouse, Smith learned to play the triplet – bass with his feet, chords with his left hand, and solos with his right hand. Have you ever heard the story how Chet Atkins thought Les Paul was playing all those separate tracks at once? Well, Jimmy took the same route on the B-3. I



n January 1956, the legendary co-founders of Blue Note Records “discovered” Jimmy at Small’s Paradise in New York City. Francis and Alfred reported their initial concern that Smith would die that night on stage, not nearly 50 years later, and that he sweat a lot for a guy playing the organ. His albums – best listened to on vinyl – include Hobo Flats, Home Cookin', The Sermon!, House Party, Midnight Special, Prayer Meetin' , Back at the Chicken Shack, The Cat, The Boss, Root Down, Peter & The Wolf, Any Number Can Win, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Incredible..., Bashin, Got My Mojo Workin, Christmas Cookin, and Organ Grinder Swing. On Verve Records, he approached musical perfection while collaborating with guitarist Wes Montgomery, with whom he recorded two albums: The Dynamic Duo with Wes Montgomery and Further Adventures Of Jimmy and Wes. Do yourself a favor. Buy a record, spin it, and fall for this true Philadelphia institution.