vince papale biography
Vince Papale is a graduate of Interboro High School (1964), where he was a three-sport Varsity Letter winner senior year in football, basketball & track. [1]
Vince Papale was a 30-year-old high school teacher when he joined the National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles in 1976. [2]
In 1976 the Eagle’s rookie coach, Dick Vermiel, held open tryouts for players. [3]
Extra credit: Papale is sometimes compared with Jim Morris, who became a major league baseball rookie at age 35. [...] Morris’s story was told in the 2002 film The Rookie… Because he’s from Philadelphia, Papale is also sometimes compared with the fictional comeback kid Rocky Balboa… Dick Vermiel coached the Eagles to a Super Bowl loss in 1981 and then won the Super Bowl with the St. Louis Rams in 2000. [4]
In 1976, at the age of 30, Vince tried out for the Philadelphia Eagles, made the team, and became the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL. [5]
In 1976, at the age of 30, Vince tried out for the Philadelphia Eagles, made the team, and became the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL–a record which he still holds. [1]
Papale, at 6-feet 2-inches (1.88 m) and 195 pounds (88.5 kg), eventually made the team, thereby becoming, at age 30, the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL to play without the benefit of college football experience (other than kickers). [6]
Papale’s story was remarkable: he had no NFL experience and had run track, not played football, at St. Joseph’s University. [4]
Vince is a Graduate of Interboro High School (1964) - a Three- sport Varsity Letter winner senior year in football, basketball & track. [5]
Papale is sometimes compared with Jim Morris, who became a major league baseball rookie at age 35. [...] Vince Papale was a teacher at a high school and was coaching the track team when he successfully tried out for the Philadelphia Bell of the World Football League as a wide receiver. [6]
Papale was with the Eagles for four seasons as a wide receiver and was voted Special Teams Captain by his teammates. [1]
He won the District I (Philadelphia suburban area) large-schools championship in pole vault, then finished fourth in the state meet. [...] His performance with that team earned him a meeting in 1976 with head coach Dick Vermeil of the Philadelphia Eagles after general manager Jim Murray got him an invitation to a private workout held by Coach Vermeil. [6]
Sources:
[1] Vince Papale - AEI Speakers Bureau
[2] Vince Papale Biography (Football Player) ‘ Infoplease.com
[3] Vince Papale Biography (Football Player) ‘ FactMonster.com
[4] Vince Papale Biography from Who2.com
[5] Vince Papale - Book Keynote Speaker Vince Papale from Speak …
[6] Vince Papale: Biography from Answers.com