Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
Home of the cheese steak, the movie Rocky, Independence
Hall, TastyCakes and the Mummers.
It is a city of distinctive neighborhoods. The biggest, most
interesting and colorful is South Philadelphia—where Dick
Sheeran grew up.
Little did Dick know that one day he would be so lucky to see his by-line in the Philadelphia newspapers for eight years, hear his voice on Philly radio for five years, and see his face on television in the City of Brotherly Love every day for 30 years—all in his hometown.
What a lucky, what an exciting ride it’s been
Preface 9
Chapter 1 11
How the “Terminator” became my driver;
Cheese Subs at the White House: TV Land
Chapter 2 36
Covering Frank Rizzo, Richard Nixon, Dolly Parton
and other large personalities: On the Radio
Chapter 3 45
A Kid at the Daily News: Ink Stained Wretch
Chapter 4 55
Hicks Street: Growing up in South Philly: What’s for Dinner?
Chapter 5 61
Why Cut a Ball in Half?: Street Life
Chapter 6 70
Patsy the Milk Horse, She knew the route: Traveling Salesmen
Chapter 7 74
Dish night at the Movies: That’s Entertainment
Chapter 8 82
Hollywood comes to Vare Junior High: School Days
Chapter 9 88
When only sailors got tattoos: Hicks Street values
Chapter 10 92
Where everybody is your uncle: The Train to Paradise
Chapter 11 96
“Friends for Life”: Chadmoore
Chapter 12 100
Backyard banana trees: In the Navy
Chapter 13 112
Goodbye Miss America, Hello Slots: Atlantic City
Epilogue 120
Photos 125
Dick Sheeran spent 43 years as a news reporter, editor and TV anchor in his hometown of Philadelphia, Pa. He began his career as a reporter for the Philadelphia Daily News, left the paper as night city editor moving on to KYW Newsradio and eventually to 30 years on KYW-TV3, the CBS station. He writes about the characters and stories covered over a long career and about growing up in South Philadelphia just after Word War Two. Since retirement Sheeran has taught Journalism as an adjunct instructor at Temple University. He lives in Atlantic City with his wife of 50 years, Katherine.