Overview

Philadelphia is the birthplace of this country, the place where founding fathers chose to gather in order to form the values and standards of our nation. Since that day the city has become an epicenter of American Culture pushing the country into becoming the global superpower that it is today. The first hospital, university, art museum, zoo, and computer in American history were all founded in this city. This adventurous mindset created a sense of companionship within the city giving it the nickname as the “city of brotherly love.”  The brotherly loved formed into these tight knit neighborhoods that would go on to define the culture of this city.

Today, if you talk to anyone from Philadelphia or the greater Philadelphia area there is sure to be one thing that they all share in common and that is their love for the professional sports teams. Philadelphia is known for having one the strongest sports cultures in the entire country, where fans are supportive every year in every sport. That is what this interview is all about, My Grandfather has lived in the Philadelphia area for his whole life and has seen the sports culture here grow and foster into the cult like fanbase it is known for being today. The interview discusses some of the major ionic moments within the city’s history and his/ the city’s perspective on it. In the time that my grandfather has been alive the social demographic of the city has changed with many of the core aspects of the city where he grew up in no longer being there. The interview discusses how the enduring values and culture has remained the same despite so much else being different.

Biography

Born April 7th of 1942 in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, my grandfather has been a fan of Philadelphia sports his whole life. He has seen these teams through the brightest and darkest of times. He is a perfect example of the loyal, determined and hard working fans that have become synonymous with the culture of Philadelphia. He was born the youngest of 3 children in an Italian/Polish family.  He would grow up in Kensington and ended doing some factory work there. This is where he would discover is passion for making things. This would eventually lead him into a career as a roofing contractor. This is where he would end up making lots of connection and would to a fulfilling. Outside of work he would take up woodworking, where he would make many Christmas presents for his grandchildren. His other passion being Philadelphia sports, something he shares in common with his entire family.

Research

While going back over this interview that there are aspects I assume the audience would just comprehend. However I failed to realize that I also share this passion with my Grandfather so I understand why he is feeling the way he is. I will try to explain the reasoning behind this mindset and how it came to be.

The first aspect I will talk about will be the area. My Grand grew up in Kensington Philadelphia. A neighborhood that has seen a lot of change since the time of my grandfather living there. If you have heard about Kensington now it has been regarded as “hell on earth at times.” This is due to heavy drug problem that has plagued the neighborhood, with it being national for the open use of drugs such as Heroin, Fentanyl and Xylazine. However it was not always like this, the neighborhood used be a safer place. With lots of families and low crime. However deindustrialization of the neighborhood in the 1960’s took a lot of economic opportunity out of the neighborhood leading to many of the problems we see today.

There many reasons on why Philadelphia has these types of fans, the first being longevity. Philadelphia has long history and deep connection with the teams that play there. The Eagles (1933), Phillies (1884), Flyers (1967) and the Sixers (1963) have all been in city of Philadelphia for a long time. Unlike many other major cities, who have had a least 1 of the 4 major sports teams leave/ switch. This type of longevity has produced extreme loyalty from the fans. This extended time has also allowed the teams to form a deep interconnected bond with the surrounding area. In addition to this the long amount time means that generations get pass down their for the team down. Thus, creating a more intimidate level where friends and families will bond over these teams.

What this blue collar mindset means due to the jobs that were offered in the city. These jobs were usually construction based which often were part of labor unions. The unions would support family oriented neighborhoods and emphasize hard working value. This blue-collar work culture was then later adopted by many of the sports teams in the city. This added a deeper level of connection with the fans. This was also around the time when Philadelphia fans developed their reputation for being “mean” stemming from an incident where the fans booed and threw snowballs at Santa following a frustrating 1969 season. Around this time the Flyers were added to become the new hockey team of Philadelphia. The team devolved a reputation for having tough and physical players. Hockey is already a very physical sport, but the Flyers in the 1970s played at a new extreme level of violence. Even going as far using fighting a big hits as part of their strategy. This tough style of play was enjoyed by the fans so much they gave the nickname “Broad Street Bullies.” Around this time the widely successful movie called Rocky was released. Detailing the story of boxer who embodied everything Philadelphians identified with. A counted-out man, who manages to prove everyone wrong by his sheer will his power, hard work, and determination. Rocky was a underdog in every sense and the people of Philadelphia were instantly connected to that. The movie became an instant cult classic, and the movie became forever embedded in the culture of the city. These events created the underdog mentality.

Bibliography

Megan Myers, Jon Raasch. “CRISIS in KENSINGTON: This Philadelphia Area Went from a Safe Haven to “Hell on Earth.”” Fox News, 16 Aug. 2023, www.foxnews.com/us/crisis-kensington-philadelphia-area-safe-haven-hell-earth.

Gelston • •, Dan. “Eagles Fans Have Long Turned the Page on Snowball Fiasco. “No One Was Trying to Hurt Santa Claus.”” NBC10 Philadelphia, 25 Dec. 2023, www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/sports/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/eagles-fans-santa-snowballs/3729526/.

“Broad Street Bullies.” Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/broad-street-bullies/.

Rory Krajewski 0:00- Okay, this is my oral history interview, and I will be interviewing my grandfather.

 

Rory Krajewski (me) 0:11- Okay Grandpop, we’ll start out with just state where you were born.

 

Ralph Krajewski (Grandfather) 0:15- I was born in Philadelphia.

 

Rory Krajewski 0:17- Philadelphia, and what neighborhood in Philadelphia were you born in?

 

Ralph Krajewski 0:21- Kensington?

 

Rory Krajewski 0:24- Kensington. Do you think that like where someone was born in Philadelphia around that time had like a big impact on like, you know, the types of things they would see like within the city?

 

Ralph Krajewski 0:34- I think so.

 

Rory Krajewski 0:36- Like growing up, like, you know, what would, what would be like an average day like, what would you and your friends do for fun?

 

Ralph Krajewski 0:45- Well, we did a couple of playgrounds that were closer, we could go there and play baseball. We didn’t join any. One year we did have a lake. But generally speaking, on the street, you played the I guess what they call half ball back then.

 

Rory Krajewski 0:59- So it was like a-

 

Ralph Krajewski 1:01- What are you take with pickle ball, I’m familiar with him. He cut them in half turn them inside out. If you get a broomstick at the end of the broom off, and you use the stick and you stand on one side of the street, on the curb, and somebody stands in the middle, and they pitch it over to you like I like flying saucers, and you hit it, and it makes it to the curb on the other sides a single, if it hits the wall as a double. I can’t remember all the memories. If you’re higher than the window, it’s a triple. And because when the roof is a homerun. Then somebody will always be the one at some point but climb up on the roof and collect all the balls.

Ralph Krajewski 1:44- That’s what we did.

Rory Krajewski 1:45- you say like around that time would you say probably like baseball would be like the most popular sport?

Ralph Krajewski 1:51- Yeah, baseball, I’m pretty sure was where we live. We had what they call porches. And in the evenings, people come home from dinner. They sit out on the porch, and they would play the the Phillies on the radio. And remember, you’re on TV a lot, probably not. But you could sit on the porch, and it would echo the street like it was stereo. And people yelled back and forth across the street during the game was going on.

Rory Krajewski 2:23- Would you ever go to like would you ever go see like the Phillies (the baseball team in philadelphia) play and stuff like that?

Ralph Krajewski 2:27- I didn’t really go to as well. I went to see the Phillies play. When I was in grade school. I guess Junior School. I really didn’t go see him much until I pretty much graduated. paid my own way for the most part.

Rory Krajewski 2:45 -Then then would you go see Would you go see like other sports like would you see like what I like after around that time? Would you like around after when you graduated? Would you see like basketball and other sports like that?

Ralph Krajewski 2:54 Well, mostly baseball. Okay. When in high school a fair amount of Eagles games. There was no hockey at the time. And there was hockey to call the Ramblers. But they weren’t professional, I don’t think. And yeah, we went to went to see the Sixers. They used to play down and Convention Center. I went down and saw them playing championship games. That’s where I saw Chamberlian (Wilt Chamberlian, a very famous basketball player) play

Rory Krajewski 3:26- like what did was Chamberlain like? Was he going like insane to see like,

 

Ralph Krajewski 3:34- oh, yeah, it was a big deal.

 

Rory Krajewski 3:38- When were you seeing him playing? Could you just tell he was just like better than everyone else.

 

Ralph Krajewski 3:39- Yea it was pretty obvious. He was he was very he was well known. And like I said there is a hospital where the convention center. And they had like a, like a stage really a ballroom. And they had the stadium down in there. And I remember when I went to see him play. I think I saw him in two championships.

Rory Krajewski 4:04- Oh, really? The big games?

Ralph Krajewski  4:07- We went. My brother Bill was working. I guess I was in high school. And we decided to go go see the basketball game. Back then there was no internet.  The only way to get tickets, you had to go down and buy the ticket. And the tickets were sold at the Sheraton Hotel on JFK Boulevard. And the fact that I was not working, he worked. I went down to buy the ticket and the thing I can remember there was all ice on the ground. And he stood in this long line by the time I got to my ticket. My feet were frozen. And we were like all these people we got to the game. We sat on one of the upper decks and we get it and sit down. As I’m sitting down, people are saying “hello hi”, we’re talking to each other Uncle Bill. “How you know these people” well we all stood in line together. Yeah, so that’s yeah, I was a big basketball fan. And if they weren’t on TV either, yeah, but there was a local candy store where I used to hang out sometime. And the guy who owned the store was a big whatever warrior Fan. And I would go up to his game store. And we would just listen to the game together.

Rory Krajewski 5:39- But then everyone would you say like everyone has like a pretty, pretty positive opinion about Wilt?

Ralph Krajewski 5:45- Oh, yeah, he was a hero. They all don’t forget. He came from West Philly. I think he played southwest. He was a Hero. And you talk about how things have changed and you mentioned is that he played three years and went to college. He played three years in college. And he didn’t play his fourth year. But back then you were not allowed to join the NBA until your graduating class graduated. So he had to stay out for one year. He went he played with the Globetrotters.

Rory Krajewski 6:25- I don’t even know that.

Ralph Krajewski 6:29- Yeah, he played for the Harlem Globetrotters for a year and it was it was pretty good. It’s pretty funny. Then after his class graduated, and then he came in again.

Rory Krajewski 6:32- went to the Warriors. Yeah, but when the Warriors when the Warriors moved to San Francisco, he stayed in any play for the Sixers. Right?

Ralph Krajewski  6:42- For a short time.

Rory Krajewski 6:44- He played for the Sixers for a little bit right?

 

Ralph Krajewski 6:46- That’s why it’s confusing when you look up his record. You know, he’s got Warriors Sixers, and then played for the lakers.

 

Rory Krajewski 6:53- This is like a little bit of a it’ll all connects but this is like I remember you were telling me this earlier, but you can kind of reinstate it was your first job?

 

Ralph Krajewski 7:07- First real job. I guess you’re saying right. Well, yeah, I got paid for 40 hours.

 

Rory Krajewski 7:15- Like, though, like your first one that you were actually like working full time you’d say.

 

Ralph Krajewski 7:19- I went to PICO (Philadelphia Electric Company) for a short time. I was training to be a lineman. But I got injured. And that was the end of that. Then I got my first full time job, working for a company called Ford Philco. The Philco was a made TVs electrical appliances in Ford owned them and I went there working on the assembly line.

Rory Krajewski 7:45- Around that time did you consider like college? Was that like an option for you or not? It was not an option for you.

Ralph Krajewski 7:53-I’d think about it. But no I didn’t go. It was never talked about that much.

Rory Krajewski 8:04

Yeah, no, I I’ve heard a lot about that in that time

Ralph Krajewski 8:08- Yeah, and then it’s a graduated high school. I decided to go in the evenings. Because I was working with the electronic stuff. I thought I would take electronics and I went down to Temple (Temple University is a school in North Philadelphia) when I applied down there. One semester that and I didn’t like it because I didn’t like electronics at all. And then I always had a flair for construction.

Rory Krajewski 8:32- So that’s what my next question is like, how did you eventually decide on you know, you did roofing and how did you eventually decided like, like that’s what you wanted to do?

Ralph Krajewski  8:42- Well, I always kind of liked drafting and drawing things of that nature. And I didn’t know really what I wanted to do. And actually my sister and we had a long talk one time would have been your aunt she kind of knew I liked construction she had talked me into it and so I went down there in the evenings and took up construction yeah and that’s where it all started. And then ever since.

Rory Krajewski  9:13- Around like around that time like Philadelphia kind of got like a nickname as kind of like a like a blue-collar town would you say like around like the types of like the people you knew and the jobs that you were working would you say like that that like name was accurate like as far as like a blue collar town?

Ralph Krajewski 9:29- Based on where I live very definitely people referred themselves to a blue-collar neighborhood where I lived was a lot of factories and shops and that nature and everybody worked in that my father did too.

Rory Krajewski 9:45- And then do you think like that that because you think like that like attitude and kind of culture that developed around there. Do you think that kind of like stuck around when it came to like fan like the fan supporting it like Do you think I’m like the blue-collar kind of created like that, like, grit that like the Philly fans are kind of known for it. Do you think those are kind of coincided a little bit?

Ralph Krajewski 10:08- I really think the teams picked it up more off of the fans. I mean, fans have a reputation for being loyal to them and they were back then so yeah, I think that that was just the mentality of the city, it was then and it is today.

Rory Krajewski 10:25- Because it was like I don’t know the first like I went in my research right I was kind of like thinking about like, how did this and the first major thing I can think of was the Eagles fan booing Santa Claus. Right after the Eagles had they had a bad season. I think it was like in the late 60s, they had a bad season. And Santa was out there, and they were they’re out there throwing snowballs at Santa and things like that. Like that’s probably the earliest thing when I think.

Ralph Krajewski 10:52- Yeah, that did happen. You know, it was the fan always said it was the owner’s fault because they never cleaned the snow. (Laughter) They gave them the opportunity, and if you give people opportunity, they’re gonna take it and I remember Santa was walking down the front lawn outside the field and start throwing snowballs at him. (Laughter) Criticize Be the bad thing everybody says it’s a bad thing. But if you talk to somebody from Philly, I think it’s pretty funny. And that that’s their role really. Yeah, I think that’s typical in most blue-collar type cities.

Rory Krajewski 11:32- I wouldn’t say so too. And then do you also have things like around like probably a little later down the line? Probably the mid-70s you had like obviously you had like movies like Rocky and things like that. Do you think like do you think like Rocky kind of inspired because you see the rocky statues now like in front of the art museum and things like that and that movie has become like a kind of like symbol of Philadelphia Do you think like like being in like the city around that time? Was it like did rocky make up a lot of things and like kind of add it or was a rocky like a pretty accurate representation of kind of what the city was like?

Ralph Krajewski 12:05- As strange as you may think I think it was pretty much like. It was like you know all the same reason their typical Philadelphia. As far as Rocky given Philadelphia its reputation. I don’t think that’s true. I think it came more from Philly. I remember, Joe Frazier fought in Philadelphia and his training building isn’t far from where I lived. So, everybody knew Frazier, so it was already known as a big boxing town. I lived down right now in Kensington there was a boxing ring right in the back and after school who back there and watch the amateurs. Fighting was it was popular by that time. And cause yeah, he made a lot more dramatic. But yeah, he did with it carried a little extra. I mean, but you go down you go down. Yeah, there’s statues of him downtown. People think it was real.

 

Rory Krajewski 13:07- That’s what I’m saying. Because like, you know, a lot of other things like, you know, that’s not many cities have like a like a fictional character like that.

 

Ralph Krajewski 13:15- It’s hilarious.

 

Rory Krajewski 13:16- But it’s more about like, I would say, kind of like about how he kind of embodied was like this, you know, about like, what people thought when people in the city felt around that time?

 

Ralph Krajewski 13:24- Well yeah, it gave him an opportunity to act that way. They loved it. You know, kind of and then to the point where I mean how many years it was now the Rocky was made. But just this past summer they set up a shop down by the art museum, where they sell just -I saw he was down there (Laughter).

Rory Krajewski 13:48- Kind of like also around that time, right? Yeah. Because I remember you said hockey was around that time, like around this time. This is when like, the flyers started to get really big and they got like, the whole, like Broad Street Bullies type of thing, right? Because like back then like hockey was always like a pretty violent sport, or like the way and like I was doing my research about it. And the way they described it, it was like this was like a whole another level of like, like, like physical play that the hockey that the flyers players were playing with. Like, do you think that I kind of added to that like mindset with them playing like so rough in a way that no one has ever seen before?

 

Ralph Krajewski 14:22- Yea they get a reputation for being the Broad Street Bullies. And yeah, the city took to them right away. Because they were one of the first expansion teams I think to go as far as they did. And they won those two Stanley Cups. I thought they wo a third, didn’t do it. But that team was an incredible team. And back in those days, they didn’t play with helmets, they had no helmets on, and you know, different ones. I supported them intentionally. had different hairdos. And you could just watch him skate and watch or you know, who was where, when they skate and they were Yeah, to date there was a couple guys who were particularly tough this guy Kelly yeah, I mean there’s no question No, but he went out there just to do one thing. To go out there and knock people over.

 

Rory Krajewski 15:15- Yeah because I remember seeing things to about how like those guys to like you like you would see them in like the bars and stuff in Philly like after the game and stuff like that like they you know they not only were they like you know type of guys that would be like representing the city but they were also like in the city like that too and they were you know, they would be around the fans and stuff like that and they seem to take a liking to the city like you know as far as like representing them if that makes any sense.

Ralph Krajewski 15:39- Yeah, they mingled pretty well most of them lived in Jersey, but they did to fans talk to them right away because of that hard toughness. The fans took them right away. Now we used to vacation in Sea Isle City all the time and the flyers would come down there and a couple times that when we were there, and they would play I don’t know who they played the local police or somebody. There they came down and demonstrated and they loved them. That’s what they did you know they just mingled.

Rory Krajewski 16:14- How would you say like being like a like a fan of like sports was like a lot different like back then than it is now because obviously sports is so big now like we have like on the channel we have like three or four TV stations that all they do all day is cover sports and like their sports betting and fantasy sports and so much stuff like when you were just like you just liked the team and went to the games like is a lot was it a lot different like being a fan than it is like you know nowadays>

Ralph Krajewski 16:43- Is different there was no betting like there was there was betting but not like you know it was all bookie type stuff. But it’s not open like it is today, there are still a lot of things probably more fans now than ever then there’s more exposures more teams. But as far as those who had the passion for the team that’s still the same yeah, there’s a certain group that are the same as now they were then.

 

Rory Krajewski 17:10- When like you know, you’ve gotten the games recently too and stuff like that and like comparing like how fans acted like it would just say like a Phillies game you know, like, you know going like a Phillies game back then. And going like a Phillies game now do you like you can say no, but like, Do you Do you think people act differently? Or do you think people pretty much are kind of kind of the same?

Ralph Krajewski 17:28- I don’t remember much controversy at the Phillies game. You know, they all seem to be an okay quiet group. But it was different going to games back then. Because they smoked people. You would smoking always get stuck to somebody with a cigar (Laughter).

 

Rory Krajewski 17:48- Maybe we were like Eagles game for people always like you were that way no matter what were they always yelling at the yelling at the field?

Ralph Krajewski 17:55- Yea the Eagles crowd has a big reputation. They were defined by the yellow seats, the yellow seats  was the upper ring. And that’s where the cheaper seats were. And that’s where the rallies. They are in the yellow seats. Yeah, but yeah, well, there was a period of time, not too many years ago when it got a little rowdier than most. And they really had to do something about it. Yeah, that’s when they were arresting people right into the field. That they shut that down. I don’t think there’s a lot of that now.

 

Rory Krajewski  18:27- No I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t really, I mean, I’m a fan. They are they boo and they yell but they I don’t think

 

Ralph Krajewski  18:33- They boo and yell. Yeah, I don’t think it’s too much physical nonsense going on.

 

Rory Krajewski 18:37- No, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t. I mean, like I said, I went to a game over the over the summer or this past year and like, you know, they lost too. So, people weren’t happy. But it wasn’t like people weren’t putting their hands on anybody or anything like that. And then we got the last question. And it’s what is your favorite memory connected to Philadelphia sports. Doesn’t have to be them winning anything just like a memory that you have?

 

Ralph Krajewski 19:07- I guess. Growing up and watching Phillies. The thing I always wanted to do, of course, was to go to a World Series. And I never thought I never thought they’d make a World Series (Laughter). And then when they finally did, I was fortunate enough to have enough contacts to go to the games. And I went to most of the games. What year is this? There was this Oh, boy, which one was that? Ed? Oh, he 83? Or no 08.

 

Rory Krajewski 19:46- Was 2008 the year that they Won. Or 1980, They won in 1980 and they Won 2008. You went to okay, you went to the 1980 (The Phillies ended winning the championship in 1980 and 2008 however it was in 1983 when the made it championship and lost is when my Grandfather went.)

 

Ralph Krajewski 19:57- That was the first World Series that they won. Mm. Yeah No it wasn’t that that game that they won but you were at like those games down there.

 

Rory Krajewski 20:05- That’s cool seeing like seeing that’s cool because like-

 

Ralph Krajewski 20:09- I’d good seats too

 

Rory Krajewski 20:12- Because after being after being a fan for like that long right and like finally seeing them like being the person that’s that was fun.

Ralph Krajewski  20:17- That had to be I guess a highlight I don’t know about a moment wasn’t the moment it was just yeah just like I was able to go to go to the World Series. Seeing Chamberlain play was big. I was a big fan and seeing him play.

 

Rory Krajewski 20:34- Cause I would say like Chamberlain like the way people talk about him now, right? They talk about him like he’s like a myth, right? They like they’ll say like stuff like he used to, like, be able to, like grab a quarter off the top of the backboard or he could he outran Jim Brown and a race like, like, it’s just interesting to hear about the stuff that people say about Wilt Chamberlain because they say like he wasn’t he wasn’t even like human. That’s how like crazy. He was.

 

Ralph Krajewski  20:58- Well, they talked about being a different time. And rules were different than but he was who he was. He was one of the biggest, strongest basketball players ever. And I think if we’re looking at the time he played time in the game, he probably played more minutes and a game than anybody. And they talk about guys scoring 50 points a game. I mean, he did so often they don’t even talk about it.

 

Rory Krajewski 21:25- Do you remember like Do you remember I went in to see a game and he would score like?

 

Ralph Krajewski 21:29- I don’t remember that.

 

Rory Krajewski 21:33- He was probably scoring. Oh, no, we’re all average was it was it was someone else something crazy.

 

Ralph Krajewski 21:36- I don’t know what is overall average was.

Rory Krajewski 21:37- I mean, yeah, he had one year he was averaging like almost 50 or something like that. I was looking at the stats. And it’s like, it’s like,

 

Ralph Krajewski 21:46- Yeah, is incredible. It was fun to watch.

 

Rory Krajewski 21:49- It’s because they are especially a lot of those basketball games, too. Like they don’t really have a lot of tape of him.

 

Ralph Krajewski  21:54- Well, know that a lot of those games weren’t even televised. That’s why I say go up to that store and we listen to it on the radio. I mean, the game where he scored 100 points. It’s such a shame. That was never

 

Rory Krajewski 22:08- Because it wasn’t it wasn’t Hershey?

 

Ralph Krajewski  22:11-Yeah, what happened then The NBA was trying to promote basketball in other parts of the state. So they were playing the New York team, right? The New York team will go out to Hershey and the play out there and promote the game and they went there and much as they’re trying to promote the game. The Press never came out. You know, it was just the local Campbell I think it was the only guy who covered the game. There was no real records. That’s when the game was over. Just they somebody picked up a camera picked up a piece of paper route 100 and gave it to him to hold which everybody sees today. That’s why somebody asks did that really happen. Yeah, but no,

 

Rory Krajewski 22:55- I mean, I mean, he was scoring points like that’s not It’s not like it’s not like he was not scoring points like that before, and he never got that high again.

 

Ralph Krajewski 23:02- well, they admit guys who played for him in that game admitted as the game went on, they were feeding. They were they were feeding.

 

Rory Krajewski 23:17- that makes sense. Alright. That’s it.