Scheuer, Philly sports media denizen for decades, dies at 88

PHILADELPHIA » Jack Scheuer, the go- to guy at courtside, on the field and in the press box, who covered Philadelphia sports fromthe days ofWilt Chamberlain to Bryce Harper for The Associated Press and other outlets, died Friday. He was 88.

His son Bob said his father died in hospice care from kidney and cancer complications.

“A Philly legend,” twotime champion Villanova basketball coach JayWright tweeted this week.

“Philly’s finest! A true gentleman,” former Saint Joseph’s coach Phil Martelli posted.

Scheuer worked as a freelance sports stringer

for the AP for 46 years after starting out with the Philadelphia Bulletin. During a retirement tribute at Citizens Bank Park on the final day of the 2019 season, it was estimated that he had covered 3,500 Phillies games and 3,600 basketball games.

While Scheuer worked at Connie Mack Stadium, the Spectrum, Veterans Stadium and more — greeting everyone with a smile, a tip and a trivia question — his second home for decades seemed to be the Palestra.

The jewel of a basketball arena opened in 1927 on Penn’s campus, and he played for his high school team in a city championship game on that court in 1949. Scheuer was later elected to the Big 5 Hall of Fame, following Penn, Temple, Villanova, La Salle and Saint Joseph’s while always in search of “good hoops,” as he liked to say.

“Jack Scheuer — Palestra — Saturday — soft pretzel— another game tonight — The perfect day,” Martelli tweeted in January.

But Scheuer did more than record the baskets. He shot them, too.

For nearly 40 years, Scheuer ranaweeklymedia game on the Palestra court, with the likes of NBA star and coach Doug Collins, then- Philliesmanager Terry Francona and former Sixers generalmanager John Nash sometimes taking part.

Known for a spoton, two- handed set shot, Scheuer more than held his own, playing pickup ball until he was 85. After all those years of four- onfour, half- court games up to seven or nine, he jokingly referred to himself as “the all- time leading scorer in Palestra history.”

DAVID MAIALETTI — THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER VIA AP Jack Scheuer, who ran Wednesday pickup games at the Palestra for four decades, waits to start a game in 2015. Scheuer, the go- to guy at courtside and in the press box, died on Friday. He was 88.