Fund-raisers approaching goal for ‘White Shoes’ statue
The statue, which should grace the property of the Marcus Hook Community Center as early as this fall, is on the way toward completion.
By the looks of the models for it, sculptor Jennifer Frudakis Petry is not only putting her considerable talent to play with clay and wax models that will precede a planned seven-foot bronze work of art, but she’s also capturing the spirit of her latest subject.
When the statue is unveiled in a planned Oct. 15 ceremony, Marcus Hook’s own Billy “White Shoes” Johnson could see himself in a familiar pose: perfecting a funky touchdown dance.
Now 70, it might not be beyond him to break out into his old standard celebratory “funky chicken,” an entertaining staple of NFL highlights in the 1970s that Johnson practiced after scoring TDs as both a receiver and one of the best return men in NFL history.
“It’s in the final planning stages,” longtime local sports impresario and former Johnson high school teammate
Jim “Boog” Laird said Sunday. “We just need one more push to get it over the top.”
Laird was referring to an ongoing fund-raising effort to honor Johnson, a Chichester High and Widener legend, with the statue. The sculpture artist is Frudakis Petry, who has molded works of art of Phillies and Flyers Hall of Famers, along with Hall of Fame Delco athletes such as Emlen Tunnel and Fredia Gibbs.
Though at a different location, the Johnson statue will be the second such marker in Marcus Hook borough, the other being famous native Mickey Vernon, erected in 2003 and the centerpiece of a park that now bears his name.
Some heavy hitters have helped the fund-raising efforts near its $100,000 goal, including Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur M. Blank’s family foundation and a matching contribution by the Tennessee Titans. Johnson was a fixture during his NFL career with both the Houston Oilers — the franchise that moved to Tennessee to become the Titans — and the Falcons.
Donation have also been made by local sports figures such as former Eagles coach Dick Vermeil and Bill Manlove, who had the pleasure of coaching Johnson during the early years of his long tenure at PMC and Widener.
If the goal for construction of the statue is indeed reached, the plan is for a celebration on that mid-October Saturday, including a breakfast presentation with Johnson (where donors of $100 or more are invited) and a statue unveiling afterward.
For a perfect topper, Chichester’s homecoming game could be moved to that afternoon.
“Shoes is real happy,” Laird said of his near-lifelong friend Johnson. “He’s approved the model.”
However, that approval from the subject apparently comes with a caveat.
“It’s the magic touch,” Laird said. “A sculptor’s challenge — he wants the cleats (on the statue) to be white. They’ll set it off real well.”
Donations for the statue can be made via PayPal by clicking the link on the Delaware County Sports Museum web page at delcosportsmuseum.org.
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Delaware County residents Matthew Coor of Havertown (St. Joseph’s Prep) and Arielle Pierre of Upland (21st Century Cyber Charter) were among four Philadelphia-area students earlier this spring to earn Platt Evans Scholarships.
The awards offer full college tuition and housing grants to golf caddies. A partnership of the Western Golf Association’s Evans Scholars Foundation and the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s J. Wood Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust, the awardees excel in four areas: their records as caddies, academics, demonstrated financial need and outstanding character.
The Philadelphia selection meeting was the sixteenth of more than 20 meetings the Evans Scholars Foundation planned through the spring.
••• Swarthmore College’s Luke Mutz was named Centennial Conference Player of the Year in baseball, while six members of the Garnet baseball program garnered All-Centennial Conference recognition for this season.
Mutz was joined on the All-Centennial First Team by teammates Edward Berry, Zach Camp and Austin Burgess, while Paul Cooke received All-CC Second Team honors and Matthew Silvestre
was tabbed Honorable Mention. Andrew Olsen was named to the Centennial Conference All-Sportsmanship Team.
Mutz, a Swarthmore hometown boy and Strath Haven graduate, is the first Garnet player to earn Player of the Year status in the Centennial Conference. The third baseman led the conference in batting average (.442) and hits (68), and was ranked second in runs scored (50), triples (6), and on-base percentage (.506).
On the Garnet all-time single season list, he is currently first in triples, fourth in runs scored, sixth in batting average.