Friendly Encounters

This is a weekly feature highlighting friends who have met celebs.

A while back, while researching for an online piece for Global Traveler, I came across "Evil Pete" (not to be confused with Evil Zebra). Pete is the founder of 505, a social network in the Lancaster (PA) area. The piece can still be found here, if you want to read more of Pete's story or to just check out my GT work).
Pete had a handful of great old school pictures of him as a youngster with various Philadelphia Eagles. He graciously allowed me to run the photos and his story.
Pete is pictured with Wade Key, a former guard and tackle with the Eagles in the 1970's. Key's entire career was with the Eagles and spanned all ten seasons of the 70's. Key was a solid player and one of the first football cards I ever had. Yes, that first card did feature Key in the very posed traditional guard stance. I love those old cards and this old photo.

Wade Key and Pete in West Chester, PA-Summer 1975.

Friendly Encounters

This is another in a series of meetings of my friends and celebs.

The Bears just the lost to the Philadelphia Eagles. Keeping with the Eagles theme, I am featuring Pete Ruggieri in another of his old school pictures. This time, Pete is with Harold Carmichael, the featured star from yesterday).
While I missed standing next to the tall Carmichael (see yesterday's post), Ruggieri was able to get a height shot. The fact that Ruggieri is only about 10 here really emphasizes Carmichael's height.
Ruggieri (aka Evil Pete) is the founder of 505, a social network based out of the Lancaster (PA) area. He also was the subject of an online piece I did for Global Traveler magazine.

Thanks again to Pete for sharing his great pictures.

Harold Carmichael and Pete Ruggieri in West Chester, PA-Summer 1975.

Friendly Encounters

This is another in a series of meetings of my friends and celebs.

Several weeks ago, I featured Pete Ruggieri (aka Evil Pete) founder of 505, a social network based out of the Lancaster (PA) area. Ruggieri let me run a photo of him and former Philadelphia Eagles QB Mike Boryla. It was a great picture from 1975, very nostalgic and featuring one of my favorite players from when I was a kid.
While communicating with Ruggieri for an online piece for Global Traveler magazine, he mentioned having a few other photos from the same time. Of course, I jumped all over that and asked who he had and if he would share them as well.
One of the other players was kicker Horst Muhlmann. Muhlmann had an interesting career, definitely of the old school variety.
Born in Dortmund, Germany, Muhlmann played several years in various soccer leagues after high school. In 1969, at the age of 29, Muhlmann made his NFL debut with the Cincinnati Bengals. After 5 years with the Bengals, Muhlmann finished his career by playing 3 seasons with the Eagles.
Muhlmann always had a reputation as being one of the best long kickers. He is one of only 4 kickers to have kicked 50+ yard field goals in 3 consecutive games. Muhlmann still holds or shares several kicking records for the Bengals.

Pete Ruggieri and Horst Muhlmann in West Chester, PA-Summer 1975.

Friendly Encounters

This is another in a series of meetings of my friends and celebs.

I came across Pete Ruggieri (aka Evil Pete) while doing research for an online piece for Global Traveler magazine. Ruggieri is the founder of 505, a social network in the Lancaster (PA) area. As the 505 site states, "Done work at 5, at the bar by 5:05."
The Lancaster 505 Happy Hour Club is about socializing and networking. There is no pressure, no dues, no rigid rules. While they are concerned with having fun and updates on the world of bacon and other shenanigans, the business benefits are undeniable. At 505, the business end just happens naturally, a nice byproduct of developing friendships and associations through the casual meetings and events.
More pertinent to this blog is Ruggieri's encounter with Mike Boryla, a former Quarterback with the Philadelphia Eagles. Ruggieri met Boryla at the Eagles Training camp in 1975, right about the time that I got my first football card of the former Stanford star. Little did Ruggieri or I realize how 30+ years later, this would all fit together.

Mike Boryla and Pete Ruggieri in West Chester, PA-Summer 1975.