WHEREAS, The 1960 Philadelphia Eagles had an extraordinary season winning nine consecutive games, clinching the Eastern Conference title and capturing the NFL title; and
WHEREAS, The 1960 Eagles head coach, Buck Shaw was in his 39th year of coaching when he led his team to win the world championship. The day after the title game, Shaw announced his retirement saying, “I can’t think of a better time to bow out. I can’t soar any higher than being head coach of a world championship professional football team. It was a distinct pleasure coaching the Eagles, and I can’t pay too high a tribute to this 1960 team. It was a team of tremendous desire, a team that just would not accept defeat”; and
WHEREAS, The 1960, season was quarterback Norm Van Brocklin’s finest. He passed for 24 touchdowns, a career high, and he averaged 8.7 yards per attempt. Van Brocklin announced his retirement immediately after the championship game; and
WHEREAS, The 35
year-old Chuck Bednarik became a legend after the 1960 season, playing center on offense and linebacker on defense. He played 58 minutes in the championship game against Green Bay, and it was his tackle of fullback Jim Taylor in the closing seconds that saved the Eagles’ victory; and
WHEREAS, The Eagles’ nine consecutive wins was a franchise record that would not be equaled until the 2003 season; and
WHEREAS, On November 6, 1960, the Eagles beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 34-7 before 58,324
fans, their largest home crown in ten years; and
WHEREAS, The Eagles came from behind to beat the Green Bay Packers, 17-13, for the NFL title before a crowd of 67,325 at Franklin Field; and
WHEREAS, The induction ceremony will be held on April 6, 2006 at the Society Hill Sheraton; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council does hereby congratulate the 1960 Philadelphia Eagles on their induction into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the 1960 Philadelphia Eagles as a token of evidence of this legislative body’s sincere appreciation for their contributions to the City.
End