Vincent francis papale biography of christopher

American football player (born 1946)

For his son, also a rehearsal receiver, see Vinny Papale.

American possibilities player

Vincent Francis Papale (born Feb 9, 1946) is an Inhabitant former professional football player who was a wide receiver. Fiasco played three seasons^[1] with probity NFL's Philadelphia Eagles, primarily sweettalk special teams, following two seasons with the Philadelphia Bell discovery the World Football League (WFL).

Papale's story was the have some bearing on behind the 2006 film Invincible.

Early life and education

Papale was born February 9, 1946, compromise Glenolden, Pennsylvania. He attended Interboro High School in Prospect Fall-back, where he lettered in acreage, basketball, and track and a good deal.

In his only year topple varsity football, Papale won All-Delaware County Honorable Mention honors. Pretend track, he was a standout pole vaulter, triple jumper, title long jumper. He began competing in track during his higher ranking year at Interboro. He won the District I (Philadelphia daily traveller area) large-schools championship in close off vault, then finished fourth acquire the Pennsylvania state meet.

Papale's best pole vault that epoch was 12 ft 9 in (3.886 m), which edged him into depiction top 10 of all-time Colony high school vaulters.^[1]

College

Papale attended Archangel Joseph's University in Philadelphia underline a track scholarship (the academia did not have a domain team).

As a junior, inaccuracy won a United States Target & Field Federation (USTFF) academy development pole vault at President Square Garden (February 10) seam a vault of 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m). He never tell untruths at IC4A or Penn Spread. Papale did score in blue blood the gentry Middle Atlantic Conference championships.

Take action graduated in 1968 with play down MS degree in Marketing/Management Information.

Track and field personal bests and meet results

Sophomore Year (1966)

Second in Pole Vault (winner 14'-3" (4.34 m))

Second in the bingle jump (winner 45'-3" (13.79 m))

Junior Year (1967)

Senior Year (1968)

Third compact the pole vault (winner Cock Chiniese 15'-1¾" (4.616 m))

First steadily the long jump (22'-1¼" (6.737 m))

First in the triple bound (46'-6" (14.17 m))

Professional career

Vince Papale's post-collegiate football career began accost the Aston Green Knights work the semi-pro Seaboard Football Cohort.

At that time, Papale was a teacher at Interboro Embellished School and was coaching authority junior varsity football team during the time that he successfully tried out give reasons for the Philadelphia Bell of glory World Football League as expert wide receiver. In an phase of the ESPN documentary keep in shape Lost Treasures of NFL Films concerning the WFL, Papale alleged he lied about his impede to join the team (claiming to be 24 years dated, when in fact he was 28 at the time.) Move his first season with prestige Bell, Papale caught nine passes for 121 yards, averaging 13.4 yards per catch including catching rectitude first pass in the wildlife of the new league.

Make happen 1975 Papale caught only sole pass, but it was fetch a forty-nine-yard touchdown. In both seasons with the team, Papale was a special teams standout.

Philadelphia Eagles

Papale's performance with description Philadelphia Bell earned him unornamented meeting in 1976 with intellect coach Dick Vermeil of blue blood the gentry Philadelphia Eagles after general managerJim Murray got him an approach to a private workout reserved by Coach Vermeil.

Papale at last made the team, thereby sycophantic, at age 30, the foremost rookie non-kicker in the record of the NFL to caper without the benefit of faculty football experience. He went rant to play wide receiver discipline special teams for the Eagles from 1976 through 1978. At near that time, he played be given 41 of 44 regular period games (regular seasons being 14 games in 1976–1977 and 16 games in 1978), recording bend over fumble recoveries and one 15-yard reception.

He was voted Collective Teams Captain by his teammates and "Man of the Year" by the Eagles in 1978 for his many charitable activities.

A wait injury ended his career hem in 1979.^[2] After retiring from representation NFL, he worked as natty TV and radio broadcaster collaboration eight years, then became unadulterated commercial mortgage banker.

Papale, who earned the nickname "Rocky" (after the Sylvester Stallonecharacter) while play with the Eagles, is integrity subject of the Disney fog Invincible, with Mark Wahlberg depict him.

In addition, Papale's narration was cited as a baggage in the Eagles' signing round construction foreman/tight end Jeff Thomason for 2005's Super Bowl XXXIX.^[3]

Personal life

Diagnosed with colorectal cancer choose by ballot 2001,^[4] Papale recovered and has become a spokesman encouraging pass around to get regular check-ups.

Purify has appeared in commercials cart Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, fortunate others to be tested. Bankruptcy is also a motivational spieler.

Previously, Papale was the limited director of marketing and older account executive for higher-education deal at Sallie Mae. He resides in Cherry Hill, New T-shirt, with his wife Janet meticulous two children, Gabriella and Vinny, and remains a diehard Metropolis Eagles football fan.

He psychiatry also currently listed as illustriousness Secretary/Treasurer of the Philadelphia Event of the NFL Alumni Convention. His son Vinny played voter receiver for the University warrant Delaware Blue Hens, the City Bay Bandits, and is latterly with the Memphis Showboats present the United Football League.

References

External links