by Jim Montgomery | Apr 20, 2026 | Uncategorized
Presented by the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame
April 20 has delivered everything from Opening Day power displays to playoff wins. Today we look back at key moments the Phillies, Flyers, and Sixers.
Put Me in Coach
The Phillies opened the 1920 season with series in Brooklyn then the Polo Grounds against the Giants. On April 20 they were looking to take the rubber match. After 7 scoreless innings the Phillies mounted a rally with runners on first and second with 2 outs. Player/Manager Gavvy Cravath called his own number and rewarded himself with a 3-run homer to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead en route to a 3-0 win. For Cravath it was his 119th and final Major League home run. He retired as the modern-day Homerun King, until Babe Ruth broke his record the following season.
One Win Away
On this day in 1967 the Sixers beat the Warriors 122-108 in Game 3 of the NBA Finals to take a commanding 3 games to 1 lead. Hal Greer had 38 points and Wilt Chamberlain messed around and had an unofficial triple-double – 10 points, 27 rebounds and 10 blocks. Blocks wouldn’t become an official NBA start until the 1973-74 season. Wilt added 8 assists to his stat line. Rick Barry continued his monster Finals scoring a game high 43. He’d average 40.8 for the series which the Sixers would win in 6 games.
Flyers on a Roll
The Flyers won their fifth straight playoff game on this day in 1974, opening the Stanley Cup Semi-Finals with a 4-0 over the Rangers. Rick MacLeish had 2 goals and an assist, Gary Dornhoefer had 3 assists, while Bill Barber and Ross Lonsberry added their own goals. Bernie Parent blocked all 19 shots he faced for his first career playoff shutout.
Trivia – Bernie had 6 career playoff shutouts. Who holds the NHL record for career postseason shutouts? Answer below.
AI Torches the Hornets
The Sixers opened their first-round playoff series against the Hornets with a 98-90 win at the First Union Center. Allen Iverson scored a playoff career-high 55 points on 21-32 shooting including 3-5 from 3-point range. He added 10 from the free throw line. AI added 8 assists and 2 steals. The Sixers would win that series 4 games to 2 before bowing out to the Pistons 4-1 in the next round.
Stanley Cup Run Loading
After being down 1-0 after the first period the Flyers scored 4 straight goals including 2 on the Power Play by Jeff Carter. Danny Briere and Dan Carcillo scored as they beat the Devils 4-1 in Game 4 of their Quarterfinal series. Carter added an assist, Briere and Chris Pronger added two as the Flyers took a commanding 3-1 lead over New Jersey.
Trivia Answer – Martin Brodeur had 24 career shutouts in the Stanley Cup Playoffs besting Patrick Roy by one for the all-time lead.
Check back tomorrow for another look at This Day in Philly Sports History
by Jim Montgomery | Feb 16, 2026 | Uncategorized
The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame is proud to partner with the National Liberty Museum on its newest exhibition, “In the Arena: Sports and Assembly,” opening March 6 at the museum’s home at 321 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia.
Part of the larger exhibition “American Assembly at 250 – The Forgotten Freedom,” the exhibit explores how sports have become one of the most powerful and familiar forms of collective gathering in American life. From packed stadiums to neighborhood courts, sports have long served as spaces where communities unite, voices are heard, and shared identity is formed.
As the nation approaches its 250th anniversary, the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame is honored to support the National Liberty Museum in presenting an exhibit that highlights the unique role sports have played in American civic life.
As part of this collaboration, the Hall of Fame has loaned several artifacts from its collection, including the historic 1936 ATA Championship Trophy won by Germantown’s Ora Washington. Washington was a trailblazer in both tennis and basketball, and her story reflects the powerful intersection of sports, community, and social progress that this exhibit seeks to highlight.
View the artifact: https://hub.catalogit.app/philadelphia-sports-hall-of-fame/entry/1936-ata-championship-trophy-ora-washington
Preserving Philadelphia’s Sports Legacy
The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame is home to the Philadelphia Sports Heritage Collection, the largest and most comprehensive collection of Philadelphia sports artifacts and memorabilia in the world.
Available for viewing with no admission fee at the Hall of Fame’s Museum Preview Gallery, the collection allows fans to experience the rich history of Philadelphia sports up close. Among the highlights are:
- The original glass backboards from the Palestra
- World Series tickets printed for the ill-fated 1964 Phillies season
- Ray Didinger’s press pass and game notes from the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory
- A section of hockey dasher board from the Spectrum
- Ticket windows from Veterans Stadium
Current presentations feature exhibits dedicated to Philadelphia’s four Eagles championship teams, the Palestra, the Philadelphia Athletics, legendary sports writer Bill Lyon, football standout Irving Fryar, and coaching icon Herb Magee, along with a gallery honoring every Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame inductee.
A Regional Presence Through Partnerships
Beyond its Museum Preview Gallery, the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame regularly shares its collection with the broader community through partnerships across the Delaware Valley.
The Hall served as the local subject matter expert and primary exhibitor for the Smithsonian Institution’s Sports: Breaking Records, Breaking Barriers exhibition at the National Constitution Center. The collection has also been featured in baseball exhibitions at both the National Constitution Center and the Atwater Kent Museum.
Currently, items from the collection are also on display at Shibe Vintage Sports locations throughout the region, continuing the Hall’s mission to make Philadelphia’s sports history accessible to fans across the city and beyond.
Iconic Artifacts and Untold Stories
The Philadelphia Sports Heritage Collection continues to grow, preserving the moments and milestones that define the city’s sports identity. Additional items in the collection include:
- The final bat used by Dick Allen as a Phillie
- A complete set of tickets from the 1928 World Series
- A 1929 World Series program
- Willie Mosconi’s personal set of practice billiard balls
- The hockey stick used by Rick MacLeish to score the game-winning goal in Game 6 of the 1974 Stanley Cup Final
Together, these artifacts tell the story of a city where sports are more than games—they are part of the fabric of Philadelphia itself. Explore the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame Online Archives: https://hub.catalogit.app/philadelphia-sports-hall-of-fame
Opening Events and Special Guests
Prior to the public opening, the National Liberty Museum will host a VIP Preview and Reception on March 5 from 5:30–9:00 PM.
Special guests will include Ron Jaworski, Valerie Still, and Dave Schultz. Jaworski and Still are Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame inductees, while Schultz represents the legendary Flyers teams that captured back-to-back Stanley Cups in 1974 and 1975 which are also Hall of Fame Inductees.
In the Arena
“In the Arena: Sports and Assembly” is more than an exhibit—it is a reminder that sports have always been a gathering place for community, identity, and expression.
From neighborhood games to championship parades, Philadelphia has long stood at the center of that story. Through this partnership, the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame is proud to help bring that story to life as part of a national celebration of freedom, unity, and shared experience.
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