They said goodbye to Tom Brookshier yesterday.
A who’s who of the Philadelphia and national sports worlds showed up to pay their final respects to the former Eagle, local TV sports anchor, and NFL broadcaster.
There were teammates from the Eagles’ last championship team. Tommy McDonald was there. So was Chuck Bednarik. There aren’t many of them left.
Brookie’s running mate back in his days as part of CBS’ lead broadcast team, Pat Summerall, was one of those who eulogized Brookshier.
The NFL doesn’t make players – or personalities – like Brookshier anymore.
Simply put, “Brookie” was one of us. How many superstar athletes can you say that about today? Thought so.
It was left to his daughter Betsy to offer perhaps the best view of Brookshier. She referred to her father as “a happy warrior.”
That is especially apt, for if there was a Brookshier signature, it was that infectious, raucous laugh.
Either from the broadcast booth, delivering the nightly sports, or chatting on radio as part of the birth of sports talk radio in the region, if Brookie was in the room, that laugh was not far away.
Sports could use more guys like Tom Brookshier. They don’t make them like that anymore.
We’re all the lesser because of it.
A who’s who of the Philadelphia and national sports worlds showed up to pay their final respects to the former Eagle, local TV sports anchor, and NFL broadcaster.
There were teammates from the Eagles’ last championship team. Tommy McDonald was there. So was Chuck Bednarik. There aren’t many of them left.
Brookie’s running mate back in his days as part of CBS’ lead broadcast team, Pat Summerall, was one of those who eulogized Brookshier.
The NFL doesn’t make players – or personalities – like Brookshier anymore.
Simply put, “Brookie” was one of us. How many superstar athletes can you say that about today? Thought so.
It was left to his daughter Betsy to offer perhaps the best view of Brookshier. She referred to her father as “a happy warrior.”
That is especially apt, for if there was a Brookshier signature, it was that infectious, raucous laugh.
Either from the broadcast booth, delivering the nightly sports, or chatting on radio as part of the birth of sports talk radio in the region, if Brookie was in the room, that laugh was not far away.
Sports could use more guys like Tom Brookshier. They don’t make them like that anymore.
We’re all the lesser because of it.
Comments