Join the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association as they hand out awards to local athletes and teams during their 108th annual banquet.

"Let's go eat!"

Among the winners is Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence, the recipient of this years “Good Guy Award.” The Philadelphia Phillies were named “Team of the Year” for their 102-win season and playoff berth. The Phillies will be honored as the Team of the Year, and both Phillies manager Charlie Manuel and Flyers coach Peter Laviolette will be in attendance.

Comedian Joe Conklin will also perform at the dinner, the oldest continuing sports awards banquet in the nation.

The public is welcome at the dinner. Tickets are $95 apiece, and are available by clicking here!

Doors to the banquet open at 5 p.m.. with the dinner starting promptly at 6:30 p.m.

Click here to signup and enter to win the calendar.

Give our Reader Hotline a call at (267) 702-0097 and the best message will win a free Phillies poster.

Additional messages that are selected for our next episode of Phillies Nation TV will all win free PHILS stickers. Just be sure to leave your name and location in the message.  Please try to keep it under 30 seconds and the obscenities to a minimum.

Check out our second batch of submissions in the Phillies Nation Pet Photo Contest:

Send in a photo of your pet decked out in its favorite Phillies attire by Thursday at 5pm and you’ll be entered to win a free Phillies pet gift!

Thanks for your interest but this free promotion has expired. Please check back soon for more free giveaways.

Check out our first round of submissions in the Phillies Nation Pet Photo Contest:

Send in a photo of your pet decked out in its favorite Phillies attire by next Thursday at 5pm and you’ll be entered to win a free Phillies pet gift!

Thanks for your interest but this free promotion has expired. Please check back soon for more free giveaways.

Do you have a dog named Chase or cat named Nails? If so, then you probably have some Phillies gear for your special friend. Send in a photo of your pet decked out in its favorite Phillies attire and you’ll be entered to win a free Phillies pet gift – woof!

Thanks for your interest but this free promotion has expired. Please check back soon for more free giveaways.

-Go to the BQ Basement Systems Facebook page and give them a “LIKE.”

-After giving BQ a “like,” all you have to do is open up your wallet for a great cause. Just donate $5 (or more, if you’re feeling generous) to a wonderful charity, Give2TheTroops. BQ is giving 100 percent of the proceeds of this giveaway to this worthy cause.

-So, give BQ Basement Systems a LIKE, and donate $5 or more to Give2TheTroops and that’s it! You’ll be automatically entered to win the tickets.

(A random drawing will take place on Thursday, September 15 at 7 pm. You’ll be notified through facebook, so keep an eye open to see if you’ve won!)

Good luck, from Phillies Nation!

Want to see him make his return? Want to be able to cheer him or boo him, whichever you prefer? Well Phillies Nation can help! With the help of our ticket partner, TiqIQ, we’re giving away two tickets to Phillies/Nationals on May 3rd for his return. All you have to do is register on facebook, and here’s how:

Step 1: Go to facebook and give a “like” to our NEW “PHILLIES NATION TICKETS” PAGE. We’ve put this page together to keep you informed of all the best possible prices for Phils tickets so that you can see a game on your terms and at your price.

Step 2: Answer the question below on the Phillies Nation Tickets facebook page only!:

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE JAYSON WERTH MOMENT WITH THE PHILLIES?

Make sure you’re argument is solid and well thought out, but please keep it short and to the point (under 250 words, please!). We will carefully consider them all! Only one per person!

Step 3: Wait for your name to be called!

-The contest begins Friday, April 29 at Noon and will end Monday, May 2 at Noon. You have a full weekend to come up with the best argument!

REGISTER NOW AT THE NEW “PHILLIES NATION TICKETS” PAGE!!

San Francisco's AT&T Park.

Wanna win a free trip to San Francisco to watch an NLCS rematch between the Phillies and Giants? Of course you do, and it’s so simple. All you have to do is sign up at 973ESPN.com, listen for your name, and you’re entered! Seriously, that’s it.

Our partner radio station, 97.3 ESPN FM, invites you into the VIP Club for a chance to score the 97.3 ESPN Road Trip to see the Phillies and Giants live in San Fran!

If you’re in South Jersey, just tune to 97.3 ESPN FM on the radio. But if you can’t get to a radio, listen online anywhere at 973ESPN.com. You can also download the ESPN Radio iPhone app available now!

Sign up now - register below and listen for us to call your name weekday afternoons at 2:20, 3:20, 4:20 and 5:20!
If you hear your name call us within 30 minutes to instantly qualify for the 97.3 ESPN Road Trip to San Fran which includes:
Airfare, Hotel at the Westin San Francisco Market Street, Tickets for two games to see the Phils and Giants on August 6th and 7th at AT & T Park with sweeping views of the City and Bay.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE VIP CLUB!

The Philadelphia Phillies have become our Boys of Fall.

In 2007, they stormed their way past the Mets for a spot in the playoffs. In 2008, Cole Hamels led the charge head on into the early-winter winds of November, helping bring home the Phillies first title since 1980. The following season brought on more autumnal artistry by the team, although they fell short of the ultimate goal. Last season, the Phillies gave us a great ride to the NLCS, but were knocked out by the Giants.

Kenny Kline was one of the Boys of Fall himself. A former football and baseball player at Northeast High School in Philadelphia, and a one-time employee of Citizens Bank Park in the “Phun Zone,” the Phillies were a big part of Kenny’s upbringing, as they are for so many here in the region. In many of his pictures, you’ll see him rocking a red Phillies shirt, supporting his boys.

During the Phillies championship-winning season of ’08, Kenny’s Rhawnhurst Recreation club played in their own championship game at Citizens Bank Park. I was lucky enough to witness the game with Kenny’s oldest sister, Jennifer, and our good friend Jeff. He was able to celebrate with a victory on the same field the big guys did. Thrilling.

Kenny was also on his way to becoming a police officer. He was in the process of taking classes and readying himself for the Philadelphia Police Academy.

Kenny Kline, someone I am, and will always be, honored to call a friend, died Sunday following a motorcycle accident on Saturday in Philadelphia. He was 18-years old. The Kline family decided to use his healthy body to help others, so they donated his organs to prolong the lives of many people throughout region.

That’s what Kenny was all about, anyway – constantly helping others. Whether it was overseeing the kids in the Phun Zone at CBP, pushing his football mates to be better players, or in the afterlife as an organ donor, Kenny touched so many lives, and did it with a smile. His father, Ken Sr., told me on Monday that in his 18-years on earth Kenny touched more lives than he had in 50. That says something.

The “Boys of Fall” is not only a term now stamped on our boys from Pattison Ave., but was the moniker by which Kenny Kline and his football-playing buddies went by. The nickname comes from a song by country music performer Kenny Chesney, a favorite of our just-passed friend. On Kenny’s shoulder, a tattoo is present with the words “Boys of Fall” and each of their jersey numbers from their days at Northeast High.

After his passing, many of Kenny’s friends purchased fitted Phillies caps with the initials “K.K.” etched on the side.

Friends of the Kline family have set up a Facebook page and fund in his honor. The goal of the Facebook page is to grab the attention of Chesney. The “Kenny 4 Kenny” project has garnered attention throughout the region, so much so that 92.5 WXTU in Philadelphia played music all day Tuesday in his honor. Shelly Easton, the program director and on-air personality at ‘XTU is one of the people trying to help. She has contacted Chesney’s record label and hopes it will lead to something positive. CBS 3 Eyewitness News also taped a package with the Kline family on Wednesday.

Kenny with his oldest sister, Jennifer, outside of CBP following the championship win.

What’s encouraging is the outpouring of support. The Facebook page was made at 3 pm. Monday afternoon. By 3pm. Wednesday afternoon, there were 7,000-plus people on board, sharing thoughts, stories, photos, and love. If you read the comments on the Kenny 4 Kenny Facebook page, you’ll realize Kenny Kline was all about optimism.

What the Kenny 4 Kenny project is looking for is to have “Boys of Fall” dedicated to Kenny Kline during the Chesney concert on June 18 at Lincoln Financial Field. It appears, with the help of friends and family, and even some people who have never met Kenny Kline, that it’s a real possibility.

So, as our newly-anointed Boys of Fall trot back out there this spring down in South Philadelphia, hopefully on their way to another World Series title, our “Boy of Fall” Kenny Kline will be smiling down upon them, watching as he often did. And you know he’ll be humming that tune.

• -Show your support by joining his Facebook group “Kenny 4 Kenny”.
• -You can also follow along on twitter – @Kenny4Kenny
• -A website has been set up in Kenny’s name, as well. Donations are welcome

———————

OPENING DAY PHILLIES TICKETS — FOR A GREAT CAUSE!

You can help the Kline family by purchasing tickets for Phillies Opening Day. In the comments section below, the bidding will start for 2 tickets to Opening Day, Friday, April 1 at 1:05. All proceeds of the tickets will go to the family.

Bidding will start at $100 for both tickets. Please leave your name and bid in the comments section below. ONLY SERIOUS BIDDERS PLEASE!!! Bidding on 2 Opening Day Tickets in the 400 level will end at 8pm on Thursday night.

Open up those wallets and hearts for a good cause! Thank you so much for your support.

Up until we give the tickets away on April 1st, listen in to the Sports Bash with Mike Gill from 3-7 Monday through Friday on 97.3 ESPN FM or 973ESPN.com. Mike will ask Phillies trivia questions to callers at a specific time in the show (listen in, he’ll tell you when), and if you answer the question correctly, you’ll be entered to win the two spots on the DC Bus trip.

For readers of the site, here’s the added bonus:  Below are the questions we will be asking today.  Each day we will ask a new set of 10 questions and they will be posted here on Phillies Nation.  Be sure to listen in and give yourself a chance to hang with hundreds of Phillies fans as Roy Halladay takes the mound for the first time in DC.

Good luck and remember, the only way to win is to tune into 97.3 ESPN FM or 973ESPN.com from 3-7 today up until the giveaway on April 1st!

Today’s 10 Phillies Trivia Questions:

DAY 5:

• Name 3 of the 4 Phillies who have been named NLCS MVP:
• This former Phillie is the oldest player in MLB history to hit a home run.
• This TOP 20 Phillie of all-time has led the team in stolen bases in a season more times than any other player in franchise history?
• Who were the last 2 Phillies to lead off a game with back-to-back home runs.  Hint: they still play together:
• Name the only 2 Phillies to hit for the Cycle since 1980:
• In the 2007 NLDS in which the Phillies were swept by the Rockies, the Phils only managed to score 8 runs.  Who was the only Phillie to cross the plate more than once in that series?
• Name 2 of the 3 former Phillies that played on the Florida Marlins 1997 World Series team:
• In the epic NLCS Game 4 comeback last season (the one in which J-Roll hit a 2-run double to win it off Jon Broxton) who was the pinch runner that scored the tying run in the 9^th before Carlos Ruiz came around to score the winning run?
• Name 3 of the 5 players in the infamous 5-for-1 deal that brought Von Hayes to Philadelphia.
• In 1997, this huge free agent signing managed just 7 at-bats before missing the season after fouling a ball off his foot and breaking it. He had over 200 career home runs before his time in Philly, but couldn’t manage a hit during his quick stint here.   Who was this masher ?

I was born and raised in West Philly. I am a die-hard Phillies fan.

Since I moved to North Carolina, my love for the Phillies has not changed.

I still attend a half dozen or so games. I even got a personalized North Carolina plate to support the team.

Phillies pride is here to stay.

That’s how and part of the reason why I married my husband. We even had a Phillies-themed wedding.

The best story about my insane Phillies obsession comes from when I was 13 years old. I just had spinal surgery and was being watched closely in recovery by the nurses. The Phillies were playing the Dodgers in LA and Carlton was pitching. Even in my pain, I was listening to the game. I had a little ear piece attached to a small radio. No one could hear except for me. It was around 11 p.m. and pretty quiet on the girl’s ward. All of a sudden, Lefty hit a grand slam, and I started screaming! Well, all of the nurses came running and even called the doctor on call. Needless to say, they were not very happy when they realized my screams were caused by the Phillies! From then on, I was allowed to watch on a TV by the nurses’ desk so that they would know why I was screaming!

When I was released from the hospital, I had a full body cast, but my sister was able to draw Tug’s jersey on the back.

I have found that rooting for the Phillies is a wonderful way to unite people and a city that might otherwise have nothing in common. It is a great game, and the Phillies are not just someone to root for, they are a way of life.

Let’s Go Phillies!!

The 1980 World Championship means so much to me that I’m able to forgive Tug McGraw not only for playing for the Mets, but for fathering Tim McGraw. In fact, I’d likely forgive him for Pearl Harbor and the Irish Potato Blight. I have dressed as the Phanatic every Halloween since 1989. When a friend pointed out that it was getting a little small on me I called the CIA and had him arrested for being a terrorist. I once started a bar fight with Daryl Strawberry just because. As a teenager I attempted to break into the Vatican and repaint the saints on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the image of the Phillies championship team. I was discovered and kicked out of the Vatican before I was halfway through.

I used to be an astronaut, but I got kicked out of the space program when NASA discovered my plan to plant a Phillies pennant on Mars. Betsy Ross originally intended the U.S. flag to be beige, teal, and salmon, but I built a time machine, traveled back to 1777, and kicked her in the stomach until she saw reason and changed it to Phillies Red, White, and Blue.

I have devoted my life to the Phillies and I have only one regret; not selling my left kidney for World Series Tickets when I had the chance. Please Phillies Nation, help me keep my organs and fulfill my dream by voting me the biggest Phillies fan.

I believe I qualify as a great Phillies fan, because from 2000 to 2007, I lived in Texas, and I guarantee that I was the only Phillies fan in that great state! I could not listen to the games, of course, but I subscribed to MLB.com and I watched every single game that was not blacked out for me (Houston games). The Sisters all knew when I was having my “holy hour.”

My office here at the University is decorated with Phillies photos, bobble heads, and everything else that my co-workers, who know how much I love the Phillies, have brought in for me. I have my red shirt ready to wear during the World Series games, and my rally towel to wave. I have to add that I really do storm heaven for them during their games!

By the end of July I began cracking jokes to the crazy people who worked there, like “Oh my I love him!! Can I have him?” The crazy people just looked at me like I was insane. They probably just did not understand me. Finally, after begging for my Cole the cashier gave in and told me that on Tuesday morning, he was giving Cole away to the first customer that came. Well, I was determined to be that first customer, so that Tuesday morning my boyfriend and I woke up at 4:30am and drove down to the Dunkin Donuts. As soon as we walked in the cashiers began laughing and slapping their heads and told us, “AHHH! We left it in the truck at home! Come back later today I will have it.” I was so mad. So then I stopped by around 11:00am that same morning and there was a new cashier who I began to tell my story to and she did not understand anything I was saying so she called her dad and handed me the phone. He said for me to come back again the next morning so I agreed and my boyfriend and I woke up again at 4:30am and drove down to Dunkin Donuts for the second time.

So we got there and they played us for fools AGAIN! They told us to come back in a few days because Cole was at another Dunkin Donuts that the same manager owned. This really pissed me off, but I thought of Cole so I agreed to stop in and try again for Cole’s sake. The day that the guy told us to come back was the morning my boyfriend and I were leaving for the shore so it was now or never. As we drove there it was pouring rain and we were so fired up and were determined to leave with Cole because be fought for him and we deserved him.

As soon as we walked in the Dunkin Donuts guys were laughing and acting weird so we were positive that we got punk’d again. That is until Cole came out we went crazy and thanked everyone so much. This was definitely one of my favorite Phillies memories. Since then, whenever we are watching the Phillies we always have Cole by our side. He is like a good luck charm and everybody loves him.

My zeal for the Phillies was so great, that I committed my only crime at the age of 6. My dad kept a collection of silver dollars in the same drawer in his bedroom chest in which a calendar picture of Marilyn Monroe lay temptingly under some undershirts. Not sure how many dollars I took, but it was enough to buy a whole box of cards- the entire series of Topps baseball cards, circa 1952.

Proudly, the next day, I showed off all the Whiz Kids cards to my Glenview street stick and step ball buddies. But my glee was short lived. I guess the druggist snitched, for my mother called me inside and scared me with a fake call to the Philadelphia police to get me to confess my crime. I returned all of the cards. Ironically I spent many years as a public defender for juveniles. She kept the deed quiet from my dad. His only concern was who was looking at the Marilyn Monroe calendar portrait.

The Phils’ fortunes have bookmarked each day since. No matter where I’ve been, I’ve known before sleep what they had done that day.

I’m not as bitter about 1964 as many fans became over the collapse. Great movie, sad ending. I can remember leaving for Penn State the day Bunning beat the Dodgers to give the Phils a 6 1/2 game lead with just 12 to play. I could barely hear the radio feed up there in Happy Valley, but the Pittsburgh fans that filled West Halls sure let me know the results of those fateful 10 games. I just attended a reunion party with friends from Marple-Newtown’s class of that year, and there was substantial reminiscing about that team and the year of hope turned sour.

When I went to Ft. Bragg, North Carolina in ’69 I listened to static filled accounts on 1210 radio when the sun went down to assuage my homesickness. In 1980 I staged a one man drunken soiree through the streets of Raleigh after McGraw sealed the long awaited title deal.

Last week, 56 years and 500 miles removed from those days on Glenview St, this haggard attorney slumped into Court with the glow of the Phillies pennant somehow blanketing the gloom our current economic troubles. I reflected upon those early days during lulls and doodled lineups from the 50′s on my notepad. Go Phillies. An unbroken umbilical chord to my hometown.