How Did This Guy Turn This Guy Into Phillys Most Popular Pitchman?
It was a pristine day — 72 degrees, a tickling breeze. Runyan was there early — it’s five minutes from his house, and he’s a member — wearing boat-size Crocs with Eagles logos on them. He posed for photos and greeted businessmen in the registration tent while he zigzagged a Sharpie marker over dozens of footballs and placards that would be given to event sponsors. Terry Harmon, a Phillies second baseman in the ’70s, autographed at a nearby table, as did Bernie Parent, the former Flyers goalie. Todd MacCulloch, the former 76ers center and current broadcaster, arrived, and Beasley Reece, a former NFL defensive back and now sports anchor on CBS-3, came in to ask MacCulloch for a brief interview about the Sixers. There was Mike Quick, the former Eagles receiver who does the team’s games on WYSP, and current Eagles Gaither, Chris Gocong, Sean Considine, Hank Baskett and Todd Herremans.
Kaplan ran around with a clipboard, matching celebrities with sponsors in foursomes the way a bride masterminds seating for a wedding reception. He paired Gocong with a bigwig from ShopRite who at an earlier charity event had introduced Kaplan to a Pepsi executive. You never know.
A 50-ish corporate guy approached Runyan and said he was a cancer survivor — and asked him to autograph two Eagles mini-helmets. Runyan could have signed things all day.
“It’s part of what I do now,” he says. “They always talk about creating a brand, you know? I’m my own brand, and that’s the thing about brand recognition: being recognizable to everybody.”
