By Matt Kite
Tales from the Museum: A Collaborative Anthology

Not long ago, I was eating lunch at a waterfront restaurant in a posh Seattle suburb when my long-time friend whispered from across the table, “Don’t make a big deal out of it, but Edgar Martinez is sitting at the next table.” I casually glanced toward the window booth to my right, and lo and behold, there was “Gar,” as his long-time fans like to call him, enjoying a meal and a glass of red wine with his family. Martinez, a beloved Seattle Mariner who played his entire Major League Baseball career in the Emerald City, had just been inducted into the Hall of Fame, and all of Seattle was breathing a sigh of relief. The city had already named a street after him, and his boosters had waged a furious campaign to get him into the hall before he became ineligible. Numbers were crunched. Stats were analyzed. And the powers-that-be voted yes. His moment—our moment—had finally arrived.

Such is the love of a community for its sports heroes. Mind you, Edgar was no hometown star. He was born in New York, lived most of his youth in Puerto Rico, and made several minor league stops in far-flung destinations like Bellingham, Wausau, and Chattanooga before arriving in Seattle. Only later, after he had established himself as one of the greatest hitters to ever play the game, did the city adopt him. Imagine if he had lived his whole life in Seattle, perfecting his swing at one of the local high schools. His name would grace more than a street sign.

When Jim Vankoski first contacted me to help polish some of the vignettes in this wonderful book, I didn’t need to ponder long whether I was interested in the project. Of course! Having spent seven years as a sports reporter in my younger days, I remain a fan of all things contested on a field, court, or track. But the first thing I did after our initial conversation was consult a map: where the heck is Delaware County, Pennsylvania? About 2,800 miles away from my home in Tacoma, Washington, it turns out.

As an outsider, I was prepared to learn all kinds of arcane details about Delco’s sports history and assumed that most of the records, anecdotes, and wee bits of trivia thrust upon me would be only mildly interesting. What I found instead was a rich tapestry of history, culture, and people, all set against the welcoming backdrop that is Delaware County. I’ve never been, but I feel like I know the communities of Chester and Middletown and Springfield.

Baseball. Basketball. Boxing. The sports are as varied as they are competitive, but they seem almost incidental to the players playing them. And here we arrive at the uncontestable truth: every community in America should celebrate the people that have transcended the local playground and taken their game to the big leagues. Emlen Tunnell, Gertie Dunn, Bo Ryan—the individuals profiled on these pages represent the best in all of us. Their work ethic. Their stamina. Their resilience in the face of adversity. Not everyone will stare down a 100-miles-per-hour fastball or negotiate a banked turn driving at ungodly speeds, but we all know that personal and communal triumphs rarely come without pain, loss, and heartache.

Sports are a metaphor for the adventures that await us all, and everyone, regardless of gumption or genetic disposition, is in the game. We see ourselves in the all-star players that wow us because we know somewhere deep inside we possess similar abilities to defy convention—and even the law of gravity on occasion.

Sports are a metaphor for the community that binds us. Win, lose, or draw, we’re all on the same team. Sure, the naysayers will boo on occasion, but what do they know about playing together or dedicating themselves to something once thought impossible? We find togetherness in the blood, sweat, and tears.

Finally, sports are a metaphor for the seasons of life. If your best days are behind you, you can still relish the memories of those glory years. And it’s never too late to transition from athlete to coach—or from fair-weather fan to champion of your community. Get involved. Volunteer your time or money to the sports museum that published this book. Organize a fun run to raise money for a good cause. Step up to spell those who have been tirelessly working behind the scenes to ensure the success of the current generation. Do your part to make sure that the history of Delco sports remains a living one, forever unfolding, steadfastly local, and perennially ready for the next season to begin.