Inquirer.com – Zurich DR

Author: Ariel Simpson

  • A 12-year-old Philly girl interviewed baseball’s best players at the All-Star Game: ‘It was so chaotic’

    A 12-year-old Philly girl interviewed baseball’s best players at the All-Star Game: ‘It was so chaotic’

    In the center of Ashburn Alley at Citizens Bank Park, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was surrounded by dozens of media members standing shoulder-to-shoulder, pushing their way through the crowd with mics in hand to ask the Dodgers pitcher a question.

    And standing shoulder height to the other media members, getting pushed around in the middle of it all, was 12-year-old Philadelphia native Isabella Gonzalez.

    “So, I’m actually claustrophobic, I hate tight spaces,” Gonzalez said. “But when I was over there, because of how wild it was, I started to get smushed in. Everyone slowly started closing in.

    “So, I felt someone’s shoulder go on my cheek. I didn’t want to be rude and fully shove them. Because like everyone was ahead of me, so I’m like rushing over. It was so chaotic. But I think it was easy to deal with because I can just be like, ‘Oh, excuse me.’ Or give them a light [shove].”

    Despite her fear of tight spaces, she found her way to the front of the crowd, took a deep breath, and let her voice be heard.

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    My name is Bella. Congratulations on making it to All-Stars. I’m from Philly, but my family background is from Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. I have a question for you.

    After getting out of the crowd, she let out a sigh of relief and was onto her next assignment: an interview with Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo — and this interaction would hold a special place in Gonzalez’s heart.

    Earlier this year, Luzardo filmed a video for Gonzalez informing her that she was selected to serve as a Players Exchange Student Correspondent, where she would be interviewing MLB players during All-Star media day. Since then, he’s been a favorite for the Phillies fan.

    Philadelphia student Isabella Gonzalez, 12, served as a Players Exchange Student Correspondent, interviewing MLB players during All-Star media day on Monday.Ariel Simpson

    “My favorite [interview] was Jesús Luzardo,” Gonzalez said. “Obviously, he made a video for me. So, knowing that he was the player who made me a video and that the whole class had to watch me see that video, it made me happy because I feel like I could make a few connections toward him. My dad always told me about him … He was just telling me that he’s a really good guy and be proud that’s the man who made you a video.”

    Gonzalez, a seventh-grader at Decatur Elementary School in Northeast Philly, has been part of the MLB’s Players Exchange program for a year. The program, designed for 11- to 14-year-old students, teaches collaboration, communication, and global connection through insight from MLB players.

    Ahead of media day, Gonzalez was able to prep with her own media tour — making an appearance on PHL17.

    Now, after conducting a number of her own interviews, pushing through crowds of reporters, and overcoming a fear of tight spaces, the 12-year-old is already thinking about a career in reporting.

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    “Everyone’s like, ‘You speak so fluently, you sound so good,’” Gonzalez said. “I’m like, maybe that’s going to be my future. One of my aunts messaged my mom and was like, ‘We’re going to have a reporter in our family.’ I was on the news on Friday and my mom was like, ‘I’m surprised how comfortable she was.’ How I got comfortable was I was just pacing around the green room.”

    And after a day full of interviews in the heat, Gonzalez tied her hair up, tossed on her Phillies hat, grabbed her claw clip and was ready to enjoy the rest of the All-Star Weekend experience — attending the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game.

    “What I found the most best about the whole thing was being able to learn more about the players and being able to ask any questions,” Gonzalez said. “I also like how they didn’t just give a tiny answer. They told you the reason behind the answer.”

  • Jimmy Rollins’ All-Star Weekend festivities include granting Make-A-Wish dreams and Xfinity fan giveaways

    Jimmy Rollins’ All-Star Weekend festivities include granting Make-A-Wish dreams and Xfinity fan giveaways

    Prior to his appearance in MLB’s All-Star Weekend 3-on-3 baseball event, Jimmy Rollins was giving back to the community.

    The former Phillies World Series champion made his way to the Mitchell & Ness flagship store on Saturday morning to help Make-A-Wish dreams come true. Afterward, the three-time All-Star went to Dilworth Park for an All-Star rollout with Xfinity.

    “I know a lot of us are doing things,” Rollins said. “Shane [Victorino] is going to be doing things. Chase [Utley] is doing a lot. … Ryan [Howard]. We’re the last team to win a championship for baseball here. So, it’s only right that we’re here representing the city the way we are.”

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    Rollins and Fanatics grant wishes

    Fanatics hosted a private shopping experience for five Make-A-Wish kids at the new Mitchell & Ness flagship. Their families will also attend All-Star Weekend festivities.

    Each child was given a $250 gift card and were surprised with a special appearance from Rollins, who was in charge of helping the children shop. For 11-year-old Braxton Ham, he had his eyes set on a classic Rollins Phillies jersey.

    Fanatics hosted a private shopping experience at the new Mitchell and Ness flagship for five Make-A-Wish kids and their families ahead of attending their All-Star Weekend festivities.Fanatics

    When Rollins noticed, he decided to gift Ham a separate item.

    “I got Braxton over there the store exclusive All-Star basketball warmup for baseball,” Rollins said. “You can only get it at this store. He’s the only one that went for it. It’s fire, he’s wearing it right now. He got the green Phillie Phanatic hat on. And that was courtesy of me. He spent his $250 on my jersey and I couldn’t just let him walk away with one thing.

    “So, I was like lets go through, lets get something. He was looking at me [with his] eyes big. I was like you bought my jersey, let me return the favor. He’s over there fitted. He’s going to look clean at the Home Run Derby.”

    Throughout the hourlong shopping spree, Rollins searched the racks and got to know the kids a little more. The three-time All-Star even tried to make a few important Facetime calls.

    “These events are very special,” Rollins said. “We have a chance to make an impact. … I was speaking to [one of the kids], a big Red Sox fan. Of course, I called David [Ortiz], no response. I called Pedro [Martinez], no response. But, Tuesday after the All-Star game, I told him I would be in the studio with Pedro and we’re going to Facetime him. So, little stuff that I can add on top of this experience.”

    The Fanatics Foundation serves as the official sports partner of Make-A-Wish, dating back to Oct. 2023.

    “In the last three years we have already granted 1,000 sports related wishes,” said Grace Farraj, the executive director of Fanatics Foundation. “And again today, we’ll have the honor to grant five more wishes. Our mission is to engage our network of athletes and teams and leagues to bring to bear some amazing experiences in our local communities around the globe.”

    Rollins and Xfinity’s All-Star rollout

    Nearly an hour later, Rollins greeted a number of fans at Dilworth Park. The former NL MVP climbed inside a purple Xfinity All-Star rollout truck, handing out autographs and items like iPads, baseball gloves, socks, and hats. He posed with fans in front of a purple Xfinity lowrider afterwards.

    “It’s a good event for the city,” Rollins said. “Xfinity is putting on and I’m here just to bring some smiles. I’m handing out some autographs, I’m here just to put on for the city to be honest.

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    “I’ve been here doing a lot of things. This is another activation. So, everything I got to do to bring joy to the city. It’s been 30 years since the All-Star Game was here last. I was drafted 30 years ago by this team and it’s been a fun ride growing up in this city.”

    Xfinity’s All-Star rollout truck and lowrider will continue to tour the city, making stops at FIFA Fan Fest, Spruce Street Harbor, and the Comcast Plaza. Sunday, the truck will return to Dilworth Park with an appearance from John Kruk taking place between 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

  • Zack Wheeler and Philly fans are bothered by his All-Star snub: ‘People will regret not picking him’

    Zack Wheeler and Philly fans are bothered by his All-Star snub: ‘People will regret not picking him’

    All-Star Weekend has arrived in Philadelphia and there has been nothing but love shown to the city — from neighborhood representation at MLB’s All-Star Village to new murals serving as a “love letter to Philadelphia.” The vibes have been high as the city celebrates its first All-Star Weekend in 30 years.

    “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to have the All-Star game here,” said 21-year-old Eddie Mazurkiewicz. “There’s been a lot of excitement for a while now and I feel like people are ready for it.”

    Numerous events will take place over the next four days in honor of the league’s All-Stars. And through all the festivities, there’s just one thing missing — or we should say, one person missing — Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler.

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    The right-hander has been left off the National League roster, which features six Phillies players: Brandon Marsh, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper, Christopher Sánchez, and Jesús Luzardo. The snub left many voicing their frustration, including World Series champion Jimmy Rollins.

    “I 100 percent believe he was snubbed from being an All-Star,” Rollins said. “We’ve seen the guys they want to make stars come up and have five starts and become an All-Star because they have a name for themselves. Zack Wheeler has been doing it for a while and part of being an All-Star is having a reputation of being a great starter, that he is. He’s been Cy Young second place for a number of years. The guy over in Pittsburgh [Paul Skenes] is pretty good so we understand that.

    “But for him to not be in the All-Stars, especially in this city, coming back with nine wins in the first half, that’s a pretty tough pill to swallow. And if I’m him I would be [ticked]. But I would want to make sure if I’m him, I’m taking it out on everyone who had a chance to vote me in. And we open against the Dodgers when we start the second half. So, that’s all I’m saying. I’m going to leave it at that.”

    In Wheeler’s first 14 starts of the season since returning from thoracic outlet syndrome, he posted a 2.28 ERA.

    Wheeler is currently scheduled to start on Sunday against the Detroit Tigers, making him ineligible to pitch for the midsummer classic two days later.

    Various MLB players are displayed at the All-Star Village at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Saturday, and Zack Wheeler’s face is not among them.Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    “Most over-hated player in baseball,” said 17-year-old Caleb Garbcht. “He should’ve been in over Luzardo. Should have a Cy Young to his name. Should be in the All-Star Game. I think this motivates him. I think we’re going to see him come back in the playoffs, throwing 97, 98. Honestly, he’s going to be more motivated than ever.”

    Haley Garbcht, 22, Caleb’s sibling, added: “Yeah, Philly loves an underdog. So, Wheeler will just keep getting better and finally get the recognition he deserves.”

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    Following the Phillies’ 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, which saw Wheeler tie a career-high with 14 strikeouts across seven innings, the 36 year old revealed he was bothered by the snub.

    “I feel like that’s kind of a reminder for whoever needs to be reminded,” Wheeler said after his stellar performance.

    The quote has now led to a new Garrett Stubbs T-shirt, featuring the outline of a rooster with Wheeler’s No. 45 inscribed on it, which pays homage to Wheeler’s walkout song “Rooster” by Alice in Chains.

    “Stubbs always brings the energy and does everything he can to get the guys ramped up,” said 18-year-old Brian Donahue. “[Wheeler] will just prove that he deserved it during the season and in the playoffs, and people will regret not picking him.”

  • How four families received behind-the-scenes All-Star experiences in Philadelphia

    How four families received behind-the-scenes All-Star experiences in Philadelphia

    Mastery Cramer Hill students Joshua Medina and Alyssa Negron were feeling confident about their chances in the MLB Players STEM League regional tournament last month at Drexel.

    The two 14-year-olds were competing against 24 other middle schoolers in a board game in which players use statistics to draft teams and batting lineups. MLB Players STEM League is a baseball-inspired program created by the Major League Baseball Players Association’s Players Trust that integrates the real-world game into the classroom.

    “The strategies that me and Alyssa had, nobody could take it and use it for themselves,” Medina said. “We felt [empowered] to win everything. And some of the competitors were my classmates, and they were cheering us on in the final game. It was very heartwarming.”

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    Medina and Negron finished with a 4-1 record to take home the title, win tickets to a Phillies game, and earn a behind-the-scenes look at the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby.

    “These students are two of many incredible achievers who have done great and have learned from the game,” said Amy Hever, executive director of the Players Trust. “And they are going to be seen by many. We are excited about seeing how other students and other youth are like, ‘Wow, that could be me. I could have this opportunity and also get to play this really cool, fun game. Sign me up.’”

    Although the STEM League led to an opportunity for the Negron family to attend the All-Star festivities, Alyssa’s father, Jonathan, is more proud of her growth in her first year competing.

    “She’s been more open to trying new things than before,” Jonathan said. “She never really wanted to before, but this was her last year at Mastery, so I was like, ‘Hey, let’s try whatever you want. I got your back. We’ll get through it together.’ And she tried this out, and she said her math wasn’t that good. But, hey, they both came out together and got through it.”

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    Medina and Negron met players like Brandon Marsh on the field at the Phillies game against the New York Mets that they attended. Now, they’re looking forward to meeting even more All-Stars this weekend.

    “It was really fun meeting the players,” Alyssa said. “Like, you hear about them all on TV. So to meet one in person was a good experience. I’m looking forward to meeting new players and spending time with everybody who is going. I want to meet Juan Soto, Aaron Judge, and Shohei Ohtani.”

    Joshua Medina, 14, and Alyssa Negron, 14, met the Phillies’ Brandon Marsh ahead of a game against the New York Mets last month.Players Trust

    Medina and Negron aren’t the only ones who will be treated to a behind-the-scenes All-Star experience. Through the Players Trust’s Players Exchange program, which teaches communication skills through insight from MLB players, 12-year-old Philadelphia native Isabella Gonzales will act as an interview correspondent during media day.

    Players Trust also partnered with Kyle Schwarber’s Neighborhood Heroes, which supports first responders, military personnel, and their families, to bring the family of late Central Berks Regional Police Officer Kristen Yeager for a close-up of the All-Star action.

    Yeager died in a crash as she was responding to an emergency call on May 29. She left behind three children: Tanner (9), Conner (8), and Carli (5) and her husband, Dustin.

    “It’s amazing, you know, the people that do this stuff behind the scenes,” Dustin said. “You don’t necessarily know that it’s going on until there’s an unfortunate event. But in my case, it’s just amazing that there’s people out there willing to do that work and give you and others that experience when you’re at a loss. For the kids to have that experience to see the park, to get that distraction, to let them know there’s good out there even when bad things happen. There’s still people that do amazing things and help you out.”

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    This won’t be the first time the family experiences Citizens Bank Park. A few weeks after the incident, Schwarber met with the family on the field.

    “We went down and met him, and he sat with the kids for a little bit and invited us to the Home Run Derby,” Dustin said. “I think it’s still hard for them to even grasp the whole situation like how good of a player he is, how lucky they are to be able to sit with him for half an hour and talk to him. They just asked questions like ‘How many home runs he hit?’ They were interested and happy to meet him.”

    Dustin, who works at FirstEnergy Stadium, and his family typically attend Reading Fightin’ Phils games. But the 10,000-seat minor league park is dwarfed by the 42,901-seat Citizens Bank Park.

    “It’s cool to see their eyes open up when you walk down there and see something that big on that scale,” Dustin said. “Having them be on the field again, that’s just a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the kids. Just looking forward to their reaction and even afterward, explaining to them how lucky they are to get this experience, even though it came from a tragedy.”

  • Artist bringing a new mural to South Philly ahead of MLB’s All-Star Game: ‘It’s a love letter to Philadelphia’

    Artist bringing a new mural to South Philly ahead of MLB’s All-Star Game: ‘It’s a love letter to Philadelphia’

    Paul Carpenter grew up in Northwest Philly watching the 1993 Phillies take over the city as they claimed the National League East title.

    Witnessing their success gave him inspiration for his first big project. At just 8 years old, the young artist stared at his bedroom wall, visualizing a blank canvas for his very first mural: a painting of the NL East champions.

    Now, over three decades later, Carpenter has landed his “dream job,” designing Deer Park’s limited-edition All-Star Game aluminum bottles as the midsummer classic makes its way to Philadelphia.

    “This just aligned perfectly for me,” Carpenter said. “Obviously, I’m a die-hard Philly sports fan. This being the All-Star Game, such a high-profile game, it’s just mind-blowing. A really great opportunity for me.”

    Paul Carpenter created the design on the Deer Park limited-edition 2026 MLB All-Star aluminum bottles.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    Carpenter has created art his whole life and studied illustration in college at Delaware. After years doing design work for La Vida Hospitality and Liquid, Surf, Skate, Snow in Delaware, he made his way back to Philly in 2009.

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    Despite his experience designing beer cans for Crooked Hammock Brewery, there still were challenges printing the design.

    “The scale was pretty hard to envision, and making sure that everything still’s readable, that the hierarchy of the design holds up and that the different layers of color came out correctly to make the design look exciting and make Philadelphia look great nationally,” Carpenter said. “But, basically, it’s a love letter to Philadelphia. I wanted to capture all the things that really resonate with our cultural fabric as a city.”

    The design features iconic monuments like the Liberty Bell and Ben Franklin holding a baseball bat. The city’s food culture is represented with images of cheesesteaks, crab fries, and soft pretzels. And there are plenty of Easter eggs for Philly natives — including a reference to the “Woohoo guy” and the William Penn curse.

    “This was easy,” Carpenter said. “This was all low-hanging fruit. It’s all stuff that’s in my lexicon and visual language at this point.”

    Now, Carpenter has a new challenge presented to him: recreating the design in mural form.

    Carpenter has created over 30 murals — not including the one from his childhood bedroom — many of which are in the Philadelphia area, including 11 pillars at Xfinity Mobile Arena and one at Citizens Bank Park.

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    The toughest part about this the mural? “The scale.”

    “They’re almost polar opposites,” Carpenter said. “The bottle is very small, 12 inches high, and vertically orientated. And the wall, we got is 2,700 square feet. So, basically, it was like cutting, chopping up the design, and redesigning it to a much different scale.

    “When it’s on a scale of this magnitude and you’re walking down the street, it definitely impacts you differently. All of a sudden, instead of the water ice being tiny, it’s six feet tall.”

    The design features iconic monuments like the Liberty Bell and Ben Franklin holding a baseball bat, the city’s food culture, and plenty of Easter eggs for Philly natives — including a reference to the “Woohoo guy” and the William Penn curse.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer

    It will take nearly two weeks for Carpenter to finish the mural, known as Hometown Grit, located on Oregon Avenue and South 20th Street. Throughout the process, he painted through all the elements, from thunderstorms to 100 degree heat. The finished product will be unveiled around 2 p.m. Saturday.

    “I’m really looking forward to the interaction of seeing the neighborhood come together,” Carpenter said. “We’ve been interacting with people all week, and it’s really cool because a lot of the work is bringing the local culture and community together. That’s really the big part of my work, celebrating the city, and the people, and the cultural fabric of the city. There’s so much pride in Philadelphia. It’ll be cool to see that in real time.”

  • MLB’s All-Star Village will pay homage to Philly neighborhoods. Here’s what to know before you go.

    MLB’s All-Star Village will pay homage to Philly neighborhoods. Here’s what to know before you go.

    Philadelphia is gearing up for a star-studded week with the arrival of MLB’s midsummer classic.

    As Citizens Bank Park becomes a temporary home for some of the league’s top players, the Pennsylvania Convention Center will welcome fans to MLB’s All-Star Village, a four-day baseball experience featuring classic ballpark snacks, baseball challenges, photo opportunities, special appearances and more.

    Here’s everything you need to know before you visit …

    Philly neighborhoods on display

    Taking over 500,000 square feet of real estate, the MLB All-Star Village is paying homage to five Philadelphia neighborhoods: Center City, Fishtown, South Philly, Fairmount, and Old City.

    “Every neighborhood will have a different vibe,” said Rob Field, MLB’s senior manager of global events. “We have a different look for each of the neighborhoods. You’ll get to see the hometown flavor of each neighborhood.

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    “Old City is our historical component. Center City is kind of like our town hall, town square where we’ll have an entertainment stage and a diamond. South Philly, where Citizens Bank Park is, is where a lot of our play area is. … There really is something for everyone.”

    The World’s Largest Baseball is one of the many attractions fans can find in the Center City section of the All-Star Village.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Unique baseball-themed attractions

    The convention center brings fans into each neighborhood, each with its own decorations and attractions.

    Center City features the entertainment stage, the World’s Largest Baseball, and one of three mini diamonds, the Playball Diamond, designed for youth activities such as baseball clinics, wiffle ball games, and free play. Programming is scheduled to take place every 45 minutes.

    Fishtown was decorated with several murals and artsy neon signs. Within this neighborhood, fans will find the MLB Arcade which features a virtual reality Home Run Derby and a number of gaming consoles where fans can play MLB The Show.

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    Old City takes fans into the history of the sport with an area dedicated to the Pillars of the Game.

    South Philly’s attractions include the Deer Park Diamond, batting cages, and pitching challenges. Meanwhile, Fairmount was dedicated to the children — featuring mini batting cages, balloon animals, face painting, and Home Run robber, a game that puts fans in Velcro suits to imitate outfield home run robberies.

    The All-Star Village will provide photo opportunities with the World’s Largest Baseball, a replica Liberty Bell, a collection of MLB trophies, and the Home Run Derby chain.

    A replica Liberty Bell is one of the many photo opportunities fans can experience at the All-Star Village.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Ballpark food from around the globe

    There will also be ballpark bites available to fans, featuring unique menu items from MLB ballparks across the country.

    “Whether you’re someone who is a collector and wants to see some players, you can come and do that,” Field said. “Or if you’re interested in food, you can certainly come and taste some of the MLB bites. There’s signature dishes from different teams across the league. And it’s indoors. You can certainly come here and enjoy the fresh air, AC that is.”

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    Some of the food items include: the Texas Rangers’ 9th Inning Rally Sombrero, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cookies & Cream Cold Brew, Arizona Diamondback’s Korean Pork Belly Nachos, the New York Mets’ Deli Pastrami Sandwich, Houston Astros’ Crawford Dog, Phillies’ Uncle Charlie’s Cheesesteak, Boston Red Sox’s Fenway Lobster Roll, Pittsburgh Pirates’ Manny’s Pierogies, Kansas City Royals’ Footlong Hot Dog Wellington, and Baltimore Orioles’ Banana Pudding.

    Fishtown’s section of the All-Star Village will feature a lot of art.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Programming and ticketing

    The All-Star Village will open on Saturday and feature a special appearance from Ryan Howard, who will be taking photos with fans at the Capital One booth.

    Throughout the All-Star Week, there will be appearances from former Phillies including Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, Bobby Abreu, Dave Cash, and more.

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    “Saturday is our opening ceremony,” Field said. “We’ll start at 8:45 a.m. right here at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. We’re going to kick things off, we’ll have entertainment. We’ll have mascots from various teams. … In addition to that we have our legends program. So, we invited all our former All-Stars, legends from the Philadelphia Phillies will be here to sign autographs, Q&As and be part of the clinics that we have.”

    Joanne Graham decorates an exhibit featuring vintage Phillies gear for the Fanatics booth at the MLB All-Star Village inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

    Other events taking place include an influencer Philly cheesesteak contest and a mini Home Run Derby presented by T-Mobile. The full schedule of appearances can be found online.

    The village is open from Saturday through Tuesday. On Saturday and Sunday, it’ll be open between 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., while the venue will close at 6 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday.

    Tickets can be purchased online or at the convention center.

  • Q&A: Draft picks Maksim Sokolovskii and Brek Liske share their impressions of Philly, Flyers memories, and more

    Q&A: Draft picks Maksim Sokolovskii and Brek Liske share their impressions of Philly, Flyers memories, and more

    It’s called the Giant Heart, but for Flyers’ first-round draft pick Maksim Sokolovskii, even that’s not big enough.

    The 6-foot-7 defenseman ducked as he made his way into the popular exhibit at the Franklin Institute, navigating narrow stairways and the twists and turns of the heart’s anatomy. Leading the way was Flyers’ second-round draft pick Brek Liske.

    Less than a minute later, the two players appeared at the top of the heart, waving to those watching from floor as they capped a very Philly adventure for two of the city’s newest athletes.

    It was a busy first week, which included attending Flyers development camp. And as part of the camp, all six of the team’s draft picks, alongside current players like Porter Martone and Denver Barkey, attended an autograph session at the Franklin Institute, where they met fans and took in new sights along the way.

    We caught up with Liske and Sokolovskii to discuss their time in Philly, their game-day soundtracks, and more:

    Q. What did you know about Philly before you were drafted to the Flyers?

    Sokolovskii: I just know all the Russian guys [who] played here.

    Liske: I’ve been here a few times when I was younger. Been to the practice facility. I know it’s a pretty cool city with passionate fans. That’s about it. It’s cool seeing behind the scenes.

    Q. And what’s the city been like for you so far?

    Liske: It’s been pretty cool. Even just driving through, there’s lots to take in, right? Lots of Flyers stuff everywhere. It’s awesome to see.

    Sokolovskii: Yeah, good downtown, good big city. All of the fans.

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    Q. And have you tried a cheesesteak yet?

    Liske: I did when I was younger. I’ll have to have it again. It was a good experience. Yeah, I’ll absolutely have to try.

    Sokolovskii: I’ve never had [one].

    Liske: Oh, we did [on Tuesday]. The slider thing. The roll. The cheesesteak roll.

    Sokolovskii: Oh yeah. … not bad.

    Flyers prospects Maksim Sokolovskii and Brek Liske stand in front of the Giant Heart at the Franklin Institute. Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
    Q. Brek, what was it like for you growing up as a Flyers fan in Winnipeg?

    Liske: Lots of people chirping at me, I guess. [There are] a lot of Jets fans in Winnipeg, so [I’m] happy to be actually a part of [the Flyers] now and they can’t say much anymore.

    Q. And your dad is a die-hard Flyers fan. What’s his favorite piece of Flyers memorabilia that he owns?

    Liske: I don’t know. His favorite player was [Claude] Giroux, for sure. He loved [Rod] Brind’Amour and [Rick] Tocchet as well. So, not memorabilia, but those are his favorite guys.

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    Q. Do you have a favorite Flyers memory from your past visits?

    Liske: Probably just getting the Shayne Gostisbehere signed stick. That’s pretty cool. Still have it in my room. … It’s mounted, so that’s the best thing.

    Q. And, Maksim, English isn’t your first language. What’s been a way that you’ve been trying to learn the language?

    Sokolovskii: Just talking, trying talking with everyone, and watching movies.

    Liske: He’s been good. He’s been really good.

    Maksim Sokolovskii is 6-foot-7, making the Giant Heart look just a little smaller than usual.Monica Herndon / Staff Photographer
    Q. What’s your go-to music to listen to ahead of game day?

    Sokolovskii: Drake, I listen to Drake.

    Liske: Yeah, me too. A bit of everything. Whatever I’m feeling like, but, good answer.

    Sokolovskii: I listen to Russian.

    Q. What’s been the biggest challenge for you playing hockey as such a taller guy?

    Sokolovskii: Nothing.

    Liske: I like that.

    Q. Brek, I know you’re already a Philly sports fan. But Maksim, what have you heard about Philly sports fans?

    Sokolovskii: They’re crazy, crazy fans. I like it.

    The Flyers believe they have a ‘unicorn’ in Maksim Sokolovskii: ‘He’s 6-foot-8, and he skates like he’s 5-foot-8′
  • Ring of Honor will return to the 2300 Arena, continuing Philly’s ‘great tradition of wrestling’

    Ring of Honor will return to the 2300 Arena, continuing Philly’s ‘great tradition of wrestling’

    Ring of Honor, a wrestling promotion under the AEW banner that was founded in Philadelphia, will return to the city on Aug. 21 to host its pay-per-view event, Death Before Dishonor, at the 2300 Arena for a second consecutive year.

    “There’s a great tradition of Ring of Honor wrestling in Philadelphia,” said Tony Khan, the president and CEO of All Elite Wrestling. “It’s very fitting that one of the most important shows every year in the Ring of Honor calendar, the great Death Before Dishonor event, is coming to Philadelphia.”

    Ring of Honor got its start in Philly over 20 years ago, filming shows at the 2300 Arena for most of its run in the 2000s, before Khan purchased the promotion in 2022.

    “I went to see wrestling there when I was very young, around 13 years old,” Khan said. “ … It means a lot to go back there. There’s tremendous history at the 2300 Arena for Ring of Honor. It’s just a great tradition of wrestling there.”

    Last year’s Death Before Dishonor card took place during AEW’s multiweek residency at the arena, and was headlined by matches between Athena and Mina Shirakawa, Bandido and Hechicero, and Q.T. Marshall and Emmy Award-winning actor Paul Walter Hauser.

    Athena has been the ROH Women’s World champion for more than 1,300 days.Ricky Havlik

    Khan says fans can expect another star-studded event, featuring wrestlers like Dalton Castle, The Outrunners, and more.

    “I really loved the Death Before Dishonor show we had there last year,” Khan said. “It was tremendous. So much has happened in ROH in the past year. Bandido and Athena have maintained dominant reigns and have wrestled all over the world and have shown fans why they are two of the greatest champions in the sport.

    “We’ve seen a number of great women and men emerging in ROH and I think the shows recently have been tremendous wrestling shows. So there’s a lot to be excited about in ROH as we approach Death Before Dishonor next month.”

    Fans can get tickets online starting July 16 at 10 a.m. through Etix.com. Presale tickets will be available starting July 14. And fans interested in early access presale opportunities can register on AEW’s website.

  • Fireworks come a day early for Philly fighting fans at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship’s Liberty Brawl

    Fireworks come a day early for Philly fighting fans at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship’s Liberty Brawl

    Less than 24 hours before Philadelphia Stadium (aka Lincoln Financial Field) celebrates America’s 250th birthday with the city’s final FIFA World Cup match, fighting fans made their way across the street to Xfinity Mobile Arena to celebrate a day early with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship’s Liberty Brawl.

    Liberty Brawl, a fight card dedicated to the celebration of America, gave the fans in attendance early fireworks with seven knockouts, which resulted in a big night for Philly fighters.

    Here’s everything you missed:

    Local Philly fighters star

    Eight local fighters decorated the BKFC Liberty Brawl card: Philly natives Maxiono Griffin, Johnny Garbarino, Cody Russell, Zedekiah Montanez, Matthew Turnbull, and Pat Sullivan, Levittown native Lex Ludlow, and Chester native Anthony Pagan.

    “I’m a big Lex Ludlow guy,” said 37-year-old New Jersey native Michael Barbour. “He’s a good dude. He’s got a good story. We came to support Lex.

    “I’m from Jersey, but I appreciate the energy at any event. So when the local guys come out, like Lex, [Johnny] Garbarino, seeing the crowd go wild, it’s awesome. Say what you want about Philly, they love their sports. They love their local guys, and they really support them. So, as a fight fan, I really appreciate that.”

    All eight of the local fighters walked out victorious, including fan favorites Garbarino and Ludlow. Garbarino remained undefeated after defeating Mike Richman by unanimous decision, which led to some boos from the crowd.

    Afterward, Garbarino revealed he couldn’t get the knockout after injuring his right hand.

    Meanwhile, Ludlow stole the show — finishing his opponent in nine seconds before cutting a wrestling-inspired promo calling out Mike Perry and Darren Till.

    USA represents with help from the Sixers Stixers

    On the precipice of Independence Day, Livi Pack, 16, and Maddox Hoefler, 16, wandered through the concourse in American flag overalls with their faces painted in stars and stripes.

    “We wanted to do something that shows our pride in our country,” Hoefler said. “So, we decided to … paint our faces. Obviously, we’re not artists but we had a fun time doing it. We just love our country.”

    Pack added: “It’s America’s 250th birthday. So we got to do our big one. I’m very American. I love to show my pride, even if politics are a mess right now. I’m still true to who I am. So I just wanted to do the most.”

    The Sixers Stixers bring more than just the team’s gameday beat

    For the country’s 250th birthday, it was only fitting that the card’s main event featured a USA vs. the United Kingdom matchup. Austin Trout, a Texas native and former World Boxing Association light middleweight champion, faced the U.K.’s Ben Bonner.

    To get the crowd going, Trout made quite the entrance with a walkout inspired by Apollo’s entrance in Rocky IV. But he had some help from the Sixers Stixers and the tune of James Brown’s “Living in America,” before ultimately suffering a similar fate — getting knocked out in the second round.

    Philly fans prepare for a summer of combat sports

    Liberty Brawl was the promotion’s third event at Xfinity Mobile Arena — it made its debut at the stadium in January 2025 with KnuckleMania V, where it set a local modern day combat sports record with 17,762 people in attendance. Since then, it’s continued to bring Philly fight fans more action.

    “I’ve been a fan of BKFC for a couple years now,” Pack said. “I went to Knucklemania last year, so I had to come back to Philly because everybody’s here. We got to support Cannoli. We got to support Brit. … I think the BKFC is absolutely amazing. I think it can be bigger than the UFC, no doubt. Dave Feldman, keep doing what you do. Thank you for putting on these amazing shows for us.”

    The action in Philly continues next month when the UFC makes its highly anticipated return to the city for its first major championship event in the city in 15 years.

    “The [UFC and BKFC] crowds are a little different. UFC fans are very hardcore,” Barbour said. “Bare knuckle people, people of Philly streets, will come here, and they’ll just fight people in the stands while they’re watching these fights. So that’s a big difference. UFC has some good fans, but there’s different types of caliber fans for Bare knuckle.”

    Philly Muay Thai fighter and artist Gianna Vadino has a new medium

    Two title fights already have been announced — Islam Makhachev will defend his welterweight title against Ian Machado Garry, and Mackenzie Dern will defend her women’s strawweight title for the first time against Gillian Robertson.

    The last time the UFC was in town, there wasn’t a local fighter on the card, despite the city’s deep roster of talent, although Philly fighter-turned-broadcaster Paul Felder was in the booth. This time around, Eddie Alvarez, a former UFC champion and Kensington native, hopes it will be different.

    “We need our hometown guys,” Alvarez said. “We need Sean Brady. We need Joe Pyfer. We need Pat Sabatini. We need Philadelphia’s best, Philadelphia’s own on those UFC cards. And, sadly they’re not. I don’t know why they do it that way, but they’re not. I don’t know if anybody Philadelphia homegrown is on that Aug. 15 card.”

    West Philly native Jeremiah Wells, a standout wrestler at Overbrook, currently is scheduled to face Myktybek Orolbai.

    One-round war debuts

    BKFC made history on Friday night, hosting the promotion’s first one-round war, in which two fighters battle it out in one two-minute round. Chester’s Pagan walked out victorious over Zach Pannell.

  • A year ago, Matt Turnbull was watching BKFC from the crowd. Now, he’s ready to bring ‘controlled chaos’ into the ring.

    A year ago, Matt Turnbull was watching BKFC from the crowd. Now, he’s ready to bring ‘controlled chaos’ into the ring.

    In January 2025, Matthew Turnbull sat in the crowd as a fan to watch as Eddie Alvarez headlined KnuckleMania V at Xfinity Mobile Arena, then known as the Wells Fargo Center. Despite a tough loss in his hometown, Alvarez, a Kensington native and former UFC champion, received a hero’s welcome from the crowd.

    “It was one of the craziest sporting events I’ve ever been to live,” Turnbull, a Northeast Philly native, said. “The energy in the building, especially for the main event when Eddie was fighting, I never experienced anything like it. I mean, there’s no one bigger than Eddie. I already saw the best come out of the area. So I’m just going to follow his footsteps.”

    Philly Muay Thai fighter and artist Gianna Vadino has a new medium: Kicking butt

    Over a year later, with a ring set up in the middle of Stateside Live! for open workouts, Turnbull hit mitts with Alvarez as he prepared for his own Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut Friday at the same venue.

    “Bare Knuckle was never on my radar, but then I saw the Eddie Alvarez main event and I was like, ‘This is incredible,’” Turnbull said. “And then they hit me up, and I was like, ‘Why not?’ … There’s no lies. You can do the talking and all the fun aspects of getting eyes on you, but when you get into there, it’s nothing but the truth. And I’m a big fan of the truth.”

    Matt Turnbull (left) working out with Eddie Alvarez at BKFC open workouts at Stateside Live!BKFC

    Turnbull describes his fighting style as “controlled chaos.” He got his start after he was kicked off Franklin Towne Charter’s high school wrestling team. Afterward, his coach recommended training in jujitsu, which led to him competing in the Philly area-based MMA promotion Art of War Cage Fighting. Three months ago, Turnbull successfully defended his featherweight championship with a submission win against Ryan Yapsam.

    Now, he’s focused on bare-knuckle fighting, which comes with a different training regimen.

    “We’re just using our hands and trying to get used to conditioning our hands for bare knuckles without hurting them in the process,” Turnbull said. “So training with hand wraps as opposed to gloves and doing hand strengthening techniques that I wouldn’t do when I’m going to have a pair of gloves on my hands when I fight. But the discipline is still there. It’s just a little bit different of a path than I’m used to.”

    Turnbull has been training with Alvarez out of his gym, Underground Kings MMA in Newtown.

    Eddie Alvarez has been an inspiration for Matt Turnbull’s fighting career.BKFC

    “In order to do this sport, one of the leading things you need is toughness,” Alvarez said. “You need to be able to take a shot and take damage and keep going. There’s guys who are very technical boxers who don’t do well here. You’re going to take damage. You’re going to get hurt. You got to be able to overcome. You got to be able to keep going in the face of adversity.

    “Matt Turnbull is that guy. He’s that guy that keeps going, no matter what is going on. He’s built for it. For him, it’s just about honing his skills in boxing. Over the last two months, I’ve never seen a guy grow so much in one sport. So I’m excited to see his showing on July 3.”

    Johnny ‘Cannoli’ Garbarino to headline BKFC’s ‘Liberty Brawl’

    Turnbull originally was scheduled to compete against fellow Philly native Pat Sullivan, who recently pulled out of the fight. The two share some bad blood, including an altercation at open workouts that resulted in Sullivan allegedly biting Turnbull in the back of the head.

    “We’re not going to talk about [someone] who pulls out from a fight because he realized he bit off more than he can chew,” Turnbull said. “Now, I’m fighting Brandon Honsvick. … He’s not as big as a name because he’s not a clown like that. So he doesn’t have a bunch of eyeballs on him and stuff like that. But he’s a much more skilled fighter and someone more deserving of being in the ring with me.”

    Matt Turnbull posted a photo of a scar on the back of his head, following his altercation with Pat Sullivan at BKFC’s open workouts at Stateside Live!via thephillyfighter on Instagram

    Sullivan still will compete on the card against a new opponent, Colin Reeser. Meanwhile, Turnbull is set to make his debut against Honsvick on the night before Independence Day in the birthplace of America at Xfinity Mobile Arena.

    “If you’re from Philly, you dream of fighting in that arena,” Turnbull said. “That’s what the goal is. And to be able to do it, especially after people like Eddie, it’s a lot of pressure. So it’s an exciting thing for me.

    “I think I embody what it is to be a Philly fighter. My Instagram name is thephillyfighter. So I try to embody the rawness of it, the intensity, the leave it all in the cage or in the ring mentality, not turning down opportunities or opponents, believe in yourself, and keep fighting until the end.”