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The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Eagles joined the NFL as a 1933 expansion team. Currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League, the team has won three NFL titles and has made two Super Bowl appearances (1980, 2004).
Franchise history
The Eagles struggled over the course of their first decade, enduring repeated losing seasons. In 1943, when manpower shortages stemming from World War II made it impossible to fill the roster, the team temporarily merged with the Pittsburgh Steelers to form a team known as "the Phil-Pitt Steagles." (The merger, never intended as a permanent arrangement, was dissolved at the end of the 1943 season.) By the late 1940s, head coach Earle "Greasy" Neale and running back Steve Van Buren led the team to three consecutive NFL Championship Games, winning two of them in 1948 and 1949. Those two Championships mark the Eagles as the only NFL team ever to win back to back Championships by shutouts, defeating the Chicago Cardinals 7-0 in 1948 and the Los Angeles Rams 14-0 in 1949. The Eagles won their third NFL championship in 1960 under the leadership of future Pro Football Hall of Famers Norm Van Brocklin and Chuck Bednarik; the head coach was Buck Shaw. The 1960 Eagles, by a score of 17-13, became the only team to defeat Vince Lombardi and his Packers in the playoffs. But they would not qualify for the postseason again until 1978 when head coach Dick Vermeil and quarterback Ron Jaworski led the team to four consecutive playoff appearances, including a Super Bowl XV loss to the Oakland Raiders.
In 1999, the Eagles hired head coach Andy Reid and drafted quarterback Donovan McNabb. Since that time, the team continually improved and eventually succeeded in playing in four consecutive conference championship games between 2001 and 2004. After losing the conference championship in 2001 to the St. Louis Rams, in 2002 to the eventual Super Bowl Champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers and 2003 to the Carolina Panthers, the Eagles finally advanced to the Super Bowl, Super Bowl XXXIX, where they were defeated by the New England Patriots, 24-21. Logo and uniformsImage:Eagles 1973-1995.gif Philadelphia logo of an eagle in flight (1973-1995) Image:Eagles alternate 1973-1995.gif Eagles alternate logo 1973-1995 Image:Eagles primary.gif Eagles primary logo 1996-present. Image:Eagleslogo.gif Alternate Eagles logo (1996-present) For several decades, the Eagles' colors were Kelly green, silver, and white. Since the 1950s, the club's helmets have featured eagle wings. At first they were silver wings on a Kelly green helmet. Then in 1969, the team wore two helmet versions: Kelly green helmets with white wings for road games, and white helmets with Kelly green wings for home games. From 1970 to 1973, they wore the white helmets with Kelly green wings exclusively before switching back to Kelly green helmets with silver wings. By 1974 the silver wings took on a white outline, and this style on a Kelly green helmet became standard for over two decades. In 1969, the team introduced a stylized logo featuring an eagle carrying a football in its claws. This logo was later redrawn a few years later to be a more realistic. However, both the logo and uniforms were radically altered in 1996. The primary Kelly green color was changed to a darker shade (Hex triplet: #003b48) officially described as "midnight green"; silver was practically abandoned, as uniform pants moved to either white or the aforementioned midnight green; and the traditional helmet wings were changed to a primarily white color, with silver and black accents. The team's logo combination - the stylized eagle and club name lettering - also changed in 1996, with the eagle itself limited to a white (bald eagle) head, drawn in a less realistic, more cartoon-based style, and the lettering changing from calligraphic to block letters. Since the dramatic 1996 alterations, the team has made only minor alterations, mostly relating to jersey/pant combinations worn during specific games. For example, in 1997, against the San Fransisco 49ers, the team wore midnight green jerseys and pants for the first of only 2 times in team history. And in the first two games of the 2003 season (both home losses to Tampa Bay and New England), the Eagles wore white jerseys with white pants. However, in every game since the New England loss, when the team has worn the white jersey they have paired it with green pants. The 2003 season also saw the first, though only subtle changes to the 1996-style uniform. On both white and green jerseys, black shadows and silver trim were added to both the green and white numbering. The stripe on the pants changed; from black-green-black to black-silver-green on the white pants, and from a solid black stripe to one stripe of black, another of silver, with one small white stripe in between for the midnight green pants. The '03 season also saw the team debut black alternate jerseys, with a green (instead of black) shadow on white numbers, and silver trim. These black jerseys have been worn for two selected home games each season. In the 2003 and 2004 regular-season home finales, the team wore the green road pants with the black alternate jerseys, but lost each game. Since then, the Eagles have only worn the black jerseys with the white pants. The team also started wearing black shoes exclusively in 2004. Fight song
Eagles fans will sing after an Eagles touchdown. Fly, Eagles fly, on the road to victory! Fight, Eagles, fight, score a touchdown one-two-three! Hit 'em low, hit 'em high, And watch our Eagles fly! Fly, Eagles fly, on the road to victory! E-A-G-L-E-S, EAGLES!! [1] Eagles training campThe Eagles currently begin each season with summer training camp at the football practice facilities of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, about 50 miles north of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. Eagles' training camps routinely draw some of the largest and most enthusiastic crowds[citation needed], often as many as 10,000 fans, of any NFL training camp. The Eagles' twice-daily practices are held from mid-July to mid-August. On the first day of 2004 training camp, Over 100,000 spectators appeared to see new star Terrell Owens (who is now not currently on the team) Charitable activityEagles Fly for Leukemia, Ronald McDonald HousesIn 1971, Kim Hill, the daughter of Philadelphia Eagles tight end Fred Hill was diagnosed with leukemia. As Fred & his family dealt with the devastating blow to the family, his teammates and owner Leonard Tose pledged their emotional support. As Fred continued to research Kim's leukemia, the support of Leonard Tose and the Philadelphia Eagles continued to inspire him. The Eagles held fundraising dinners, the team made individual contributions, and Fred and Kim continued to bravely battle this disease. After Kim's successful treatment, Fred realized how powerful the spirit of solidarity that his teammates displayed truly was. Fred became committed to helping other families battle pediatric cancers. From helping them identify resources, to assisting financially, Fred & his teammates continued their fight against childhood cancers. In 1972, Philadelphia Eagles owner Leonard Tose officially recognized Eagles Fly for Leukemia as the official philanthropy of the Philadelphia Eagles Football Club. The spirit of the Eagles and Leonard Tose led to the development of the world's first Ronald McDonald House- a place for families to find shelter when their children are sick. Now, over 200 Ronald McDonald house's shelter thousands of families around the world. The spirit continued, and over the last 30 years, Eagles Fly for Leukemia has raised over $10 million towards pediatric cancer research and Family Support. In 1991, Eagles Fly for Leukemia soared higher, and established themselves as a free-standing non-profit organization, outside of the Philadelphia Eagles Football Club. However, the spirit remains, as the team continues to support and encourage Eagles Fly for Leukemia initiatives. Eagles Youth PartnershipIn 1995, in an effort to better give back to the community, Eagles Youth Partnership (EYP) was formed as a 501(c)(3) public charity in the emerging field of sports philanthropy. Eagles Youth Partnership serves over 50,000 low income children in the Greater Philadelphia region every year via two mobile units - the Eagles Eye Mobile, which gives eye examinations, and the Eagles Book Mobile, a literacy program. EYP is also known for annual playground builds in underserved neighborhoods, an annual chess tournament, and a variety of other programs and events. The Philadelphia Eagles Football Club is Eagles Youth Partnership's largest funder. The Eagles also donate free office space, staff support and other resources. Corporate, foundation and individual donors join to support Eagles Youth Partnership's efforts. Radio broadcastsEagles games are broadcast in the greater Philadelphia area on 94.1 FM WYSP, in Northeastern Pennsylvania on 97.9 FM WBSX, in Southern New Jersey on 103.7 FM WMGM, and in the Harrisburg / Lancaster / York area on 105.7 FM WQXA. Bill Campbell was the longtime radio voice of the Eagles, and broadcast their 1960 NFL Championship. Merrill Reese has been the radio voice of the Eagles since 1977. He is currently complemented by the color commentary of former five time All-Pro Eagles wide receiver Mike Quick, noted for his unique turns of phrase (e.g., "McNABB-ulous!"). Before Quick, Reese's sidekick was Stan Walters, former All-Pro Eagles offensive tackle. Reese is known for his deep voice, which rises with enthusiasm on positive Eagles' plays. Reese's fairly unique play-by-play radio coverage, combined with his extensive knowledge of the Eagles and the NFL generally, has gained deep respect among the Eagles' loyal fan base. His coverage also is often played as part of national replays of Eagles' highlights. Reese's play-by-play of the final minute of the Eagles' victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the 2004 NFC Championship Game (to send the Eagles to Super Bowl XXXIX) is a frequently replayed radio broadcast segment. Eagles in popular cultureIn John Irving's novel The World According to Garp the protagonist's sidekick is a transsexual former Eagles tight end, played in the film adaptation by John Lithgow. The 1998 film The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon stars Tony Danza as a Philadelphia sanitation worker. Because his garbage truck fails to close its payload properly, he is forced to kick it shut. As a result, his leg becomes so strong that he can kick field goals beyond 50 yards, and the Eagles sign him as their kicker. This fictional tale is similar to the true story of Vince Papale, dramatized in the 2006 film Invincible. Papale was a part-time teacher and bartender who had attended St. Joseph's University and briefly played for the World Football League's Philadelphia Bell. At age 30, he entered an open tryout for the Eagles and made the team, as wide receiver, where he played from 1976 to 1978 on special teams. In reflection of the fictional boxer, Papale was nicknamed "Rocky." The 2003 Adam Sandler film Anger Management features Jonathan Loughran portraying a Philadelphia sports fan who is a member of an anger management group, poking fun at Philadelphia's unfortunate penchant for losses and irate fans. Loughran is seen in the film wearing a #5 Donovan McNabb Eagles jersey, as well as a #6 Julius Erving Philadelphia Sixers jersey. [2][3] Books about the Eagles and their fans include:
Season-by-season recordsNote: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
* = Current Standing + = Due to a strike-shortened season in 1982, all teams were ranked by conference instead of division. Players of noteCurrent players
Pro Football Hall of Famers
Retired numbers
Eagles Honor RollIn 1987, the Eagles Honor Roll was established. Each Eagle player who had by then been elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame was among the inaugural induction class.
Despite having his number 70 retired, Al Wistert has not been inducted into the Eagles Honor Roll. Bednarik, Bell, Pihos, Van Buren, McDonald and broadcaster Bill Campbell have also been inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame. Other notable alumni
Head coaches
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