#80: Jerry Sisemore
Offensive Tackle/Guard, Philadelphia Eagles (1973-1984)
- Played in Super Bowl XV
- Two time Pro Bowler (1979, 1981)
- Member of Eagles Hall of Fame (1191)
- Missed one start in NFL career
Look, it's a good offensive lineman! All jokes aside, when the Eagles drafted Jerry Sisemore with the third overall pick back in 1973, they knew that they were getting a good player, but they didn't know that they would be getting one of the best offensive linemen in franchise history. Sisemore was a rock on the offensive line for 11 seasons and helped the Eagles rise from the depths of the NFC to the Super Bowl in his eighth season. Like all the best linemen, Sisemore was a picture of health and sold play on the field, missing just one start in 156 games in his career.
There have been a few Eagles from the Super Bowl XV team already on this list, and there's going to be a few more. Two of them are Wilbert Montgomery and Ron Jaworski. Without Sisemore blocking for the two of them, they might not have even made this list. That's how big of an impact Sisemore had on the Eagles throughout his career. His induction into the team's Hall of Fame in 1991 cemented him as one of the best that ever put on an Eagles uniform.
#79: Greg Luzinski
Left Field, Philadelphia Phillies (1970-1980)
- Won 1980 World Series
- .281 batting average, 223 home runs, 811 RBI, 1,299 hits with Phillies
- Four time All Star (1975-1978)
Before Pat Burrell struck fear into the hearts of pitchers as the left fielder of the Phillies, there was Greg Luzinski. Nicknamed "The Bull," Luzinski was built like a longhorn and was a terrific compliment to Mike Schmidt in a potent Phillies lineup. Luzinski could pile up the strikeouts, but he could hit for average as well as power, breaking the .300 mark for batting average three years in a row. His solid play placed him in the discussion for National League MVP for years, and he finished second in MVP voting in both 1975 and 1977 behind just Joe Morgan and Dave Parker.
Known more by some current fans for having a BBQ place at Citizens Bank Park, Luzinski was a fixture in left field for a decade with the Phillies, and he closed his time out in Philadelphia with a World Series win, the first in team history. If you're going to go out, that's the way to do it. Like I said at the start of this listing, Luzinski was Pat Burrell before Pat Burrell even knew who he was.
#78: Bobby Walston
Wide Receiver/Kicker, Philadelphia Eagles (1951-1962)
- Member of 1960 NFL Championship team
- 311 catches, 5,363 yards, 46 TDs with Eagles
- Named to 1950s NFL All Decade Team
I don't believe it! A second kicker made the list! To be fair though, Bobby Walston was a much better receiver than he was a kicker, but he did attempt at least one field goal each season that he was with the Eagles, so it counts as a position for him. Despite his somewhat official title of kicker, Walston was a solid receiver for 12 seasons with the Eagles as they went through the lows of the 1950s into the high of winning the 1960 NFL Championship. It didn't seem to matter who was under center for the Eagles, Walston was able to get open and make plays for a team that spent more time looking up at teams like Baltimore and New York than doing anything else.
By the time the 1960 season arrived, Walston was nearing the end of his career, but he still managed to make 70% of his field goals and catch 30 passes for 563 yards and four touchdowns. The effort was good enough for Walston to get named to his first Pro Bowl. To make things even better, the Eagles reached the NFL Championship game against Vince Lombardi's Green Bay Packers and won, 17-13. Walston caught three passes for 38 yards, kicked two extra points and had a 15 yard field goal to help contribute to the last NFL championship the city of Philadelphia has seen. Walston would make the Pro Bowl again in 1961 and retire after the 1962 season. The Eagles have had better kickers and better receivers, but none that could do the job of the other nearly as well as Bobby Walston did.
#77: Jeremy Roenick
Center, Philadelphia Flyers (2001-2005)
- Three time All Star (2002-2004)
- Two 20 goal seasons (2001-02, 2002-03)
- 67 goals, 106 assists, 173 points with Flyers
Even though he was only with the Flyers for three seasons, Jeremy Roenick was a big part of the team staying competitive in the pre-last lockout seasons. Brought in as a free agent signing before the 2001-02 season, Roenick was a force on offense in all three seasons in Philadelphia as he led the Flyers in points in his first two seasons with the team. Quickly becoming a fan favorite, Roenick led the Flyers to the playoffs his first two years, but the Flyers were unable to get past the Ottawa Senators in either season.
In his third and eventually final season with the Flyers, Roenick was having another solid year before being hit in the face by a puck in mid-February. The impact broke his jaw in 19 places, knocked him unconscious and gave Roenick his ninth concussion. Somehow, he missed just a little over a month of action and returned with just a few weeks left in the regular season. His most memorable work would come in the second round of the playoffs against Toronto, when he scored the series winning goal in overtime of Game Six. The goal put the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals, where they came up one win short of the Stanley Cup Finals. Following the lockout, the Flyers signed Peter Forsberg, and Roenick was traded to Los Angeles. Roenick's time in Philadelphia was short, but his leadership and solid overall play earned him a spot in Philadelphia fan's hearts, and that's something not everyone can say they earned.
#76: Bob Boone
Catcher, Philadelphia Phillies (1972-1981)
- Won 1980 World Series
- Three time All Star with Phillies (1976, 1978, 1979)
- Two time Gold Glove winner with Phillies (1978, 1979)
Arguably the best defensive catcher that the Phillies have ever had, Bob Boone was a central point of the 1980 World Series winning team and was a contributor to the Phillies becoming the class of the National League East in the middle part of the 1970s. Boone never put up the best offensive numbers, but his defense was second to none. In 1977, he committed just eight errors and was charged with only three passed balls, but he didn't win his first Gold Glove with the Phillies until the 1978 season.
After helping the Phillies win the 1980 World Series, Boone played just one more year in Philadelphia before being traded to the California Angels. Even though Boone played through the 1990 season, most people remember him as a member of the Phillies than the Angels or Royals. Boone was a rare example of a member of a famous baseball family that the Phillies got right, unlike Mike Maddux, Ken Brett or Jeremy Giambi. His defensive ability was second to none, and even a great pitcher like Steve Carlton needed a catcher to throw to. There haven't been many better in Philadelphia than Bob Boone.
#75: Bob Brown
Offensive Tackle, Philadelphia Eagles (1964-1968)
- Three time Pro Bowler with Eagles (1964, 1965, 1968)
- Three time All Pro with Eagles (1965, 1966, 1968)
- Named to 1960s NFL All Decade Team
- 2004 Pro Football Hall of Famer
Another highly touted offensive lineman that was drafted by the Eagles back in 1964, Bob Brown ruled the offensive line for the Eagles for five seasons. A three time Pro Bowl tackle with the Eagles, Brown was one of the best offensive linemen of his era and helped start a tradition of excellent tackle play that the Eagles are still trying to live up to, even in this current season.
Brown was dominant with the Eagles, but he was never part of a winning team in his time in Philadelphia. The three time All Pro asked for, and was given a trade to the Los Angeles Rams before the 1969 season, and he finished his career with the Oakland Raiders in 1973. Though he never did get to be a part of a Super Bowl winning team, Brown's excellence on the field helped him to be named a member of the All Decade Team of the 1960s and in 2004, Brown was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It was a long overdue honor for one of the best linemen of the 1960s, and one of the best linemen to ever play for the Philadelphia Eagles.
#74: Bobby Abreu
Right Field, Philadelphia Phillies (1998-2006)
- Two time All Star (2004, 2005)
- Two 30-30 seasons (2001, 2004)
- .303 batting average, 195 home runs, 814 RBI, 254 stolen bases, 1,474 hits with the Phillies
Not too bad for a player that was traded straight up for Kevin Stocker, is it? Even though he'll always have his doubters in Philadelphia, there's no doubt in my mind that Bobby Abreu was one of the best players in baseball during his time with the Philadelphia Phillies. An excellent batter with great plate patience, Abreu hit over .300 in his time with the Phillies and had two seasons with 30 or more home runs and 30 or more stolen bases, becoming the first Phillies player to ever do that in a single season.
His defense was never that great, but Abreu did win a Gold Glove Award in 2005 and is the major league leader for active players in outfield assists with 134 in his career. Abreu was best known for his bat, and he was a great piece for the Phillies during some rough seasons. Even with other players not performing well, Abreu was always consistent and near the top of the National League in batting average and on base percentage. He did have some power, too, hitting 30 or more home runs twice with the Phillies and became the first Phillies outfielder since Greg Luzinski to hit 20 or more home runs in back to back seasons and he also won the 2005 Home Run Derby. Abreu's time with the Phillies ended in 2006, when he was traded to the Yankees for a bag of spare parts, but his prime was with the Phillies. He may not have been the most popular player with the Phillies, but his skills at the plate were excellent and deserving of a spot on this list.
#73: Pete Retzlaff
Tight End, Philadelphia Eagles (1956-1966)
- Won 1960 NFL Championship
- Five time Pro Bowler (1958, 1960, 1963, 1964, 1965)
- Caught 412 passes for 7,412 yards and 47 touchdowns with Eagles
Tight ends like Pete Retzlaff don't grow on trees, but the Eagles were lucky enough to have him sold to them by the Detroit Lions before the 1956 season. After two average seasons, Retzlaff led the NFL in receptions in 1958 with 56, and an all time great tight end had come into his own. Over the next eight seasons, Retzlaff was one of the best tight ends in the NFL and helped to modernize the position into more of what it is today.
Pete had no less than 650 yards just once from 1958 through the end of his career in 1966, and peaked with a career high 1,190 and ten touchdowns on 66 catches in the 1965 season. He was a part of the 1960 NFL Championship team. In the championship game, Retzlaff caught just one pass, but it was for 41 yards and helped to set up a field goal late in the first half that gave the Eagles a 10-6 lead. Retzlaff retired following the 1966 season and had his number 44 jersey retired by the Eagles, an honor reserved for only the best of the best that played for the franchise. For all of the years that Eagles fans have spent begging for a good tight end, Retzlaff would have made their day time and time again.
#72: Keith Primeau
Center, Philadelphia Flyers (2000-2006)
- 2004 All Star
- 87 goals, 126 assists, 213 points with Flyers
- Ended the longest game in modern NHL history
When Keith Primeau fired a puck past Ron Tugnutt on May 5, 2000, the longest game in modern day NHL history finally came to an end, and Flyers fans had a moment that they would remember forever. Just five months prior, Primeau had been traded by the Carolina Hurricanes to Philadelphia, and had very quickly earned a special spot in Philadelphia sports history. His first full season with the Flyers led to career highs in goals with 34 and points with 73, and he was named captain of the Flyers following the season.
Two more solid seasons followed before injuries began to limit Primeau's playing time in the 2003-04 season. However, when the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs started, Primeau went on a run that very few players had ever gone on before. In helping lead the Flyers to the Eastern Conference Finals, Primeau scored nine goals and added 7 assists for 16 points, giving him a playoff career high in points. His game tying goal in Game Six of the conference finals helped push the Tampa Bay Lightning to a deciding Game Seven, and though the Flyers came up short, Primeau's show of guts and will gave him another moment in Flyers history.
Following the lockout, Primeau returned for the 2005-06 season only to be shelved with a concussion. The post-concussion symptoms refused to clear, and Primeau retired. Even though he never achieved the ultimate goal of a Stanley Cup in Philadelphia, Primeau's leadership and overall ability made him a loved figure with the Flyers. Beating the Penguins in a fifth overtime didn't hurt, either.
#71: Seth Joyner
Linebacker, Philadelphia Eagles (1986-1993)
- Two time Pro Bowler with the Eagles (1991, 1993)
- Sports Illustrated's 1991 NFL Player of the Year
- 875 tackles, 37 sacks & 17 interceptions with the Eagles
An eighth round pick in the 1986 NFL Draft, Seth Joyner was actually cut by the Eagles in training camp and brought back later on during the season. The choice to bring him back was a wise one, as Joyner became the heart of the Philadelphia linebacking corps for the next six seasons. In his time with the Eagles, Joyner flourished under Buddy Ryan's defensive schemes, piling up 875 tackles as well as 37 sacks and 17 interceptions.
An underrated player in my mind, Joyner was a linebacker that you could build a defense around. Joyner is one of only a handful of linebackers with 20 or more sacks and interceptions in a career, and most of them came while he was with the Eagles. In 1991, Joyner had his best season, recording 110 tackles to go along with 6.5 sacks, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries for touchdowns. The effort was good enough for him to be named Sports Illustrated's NFL Player of the Year that season. Joyner left the Eagles following the 1993 season and split time between the Cardinals, Packers and Broncos, finishing his career with a win in Super Bowl XXXIII. I would have loved to see him win a ring here with the Eagles, but I was happy to see him at least win a title somewhere.
That puts a lid on this portion of the list. I'll be back hopefully sooner than this time with numbers 70-61. We've got a few people who, tragically, are no longer with us, and we get our next Sixer on the list. Thanks for reading!
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