In the summer of 1993, Tom Austin, a Wharton grad, was in the process of creating a start-up with a fellow Penn alum, Seth Berger, and a friend, Jay Coen Gilbert.
Read more Inside the hitters’ meeting that sparked the Phillies’ on-base percentage turnaround this month
The company was going named “AND1,” and Austin wanted to take edgy slogans — the kind you’d hear in a local pickup basketball game — and print them on T-shirts. Six months later, the T-shirts became a cultural phenomenon.
AND1 sold $1.6 million worth of apparel in its first year. Then came AND1’s mixtapes, which were video compilations of street ball moves, but because the first mixtape was shot at Rucker Park in Harlem, the company became known with New York basketball.
Though, at its core, AND1 was a Philadelphia brand.
Alex Coffey gives us a deep dive into how AND1 came to be, and even after the company was sold, its roots remain very much intact.
— Isabella DiAmore, @phillysport, [email protected].
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Complete the sweep
Things were looking bleak, then a funny thing happened on Sunday. The Phillies rallied from an early five-run deficit to pull ahead in the eighth inning of a 7-5 victory to complete a three-game, two-state sweep of the Twins.
It marked the second-largest comeback of the season for the Phillies. They have now inched ahead of the Diamondbacks and back into sole possession of a wild card spot.
And the infield did some shuffling on Sunday with Trea Turner out for the game. But Don Mattingly confirmed that their star shortstop avoided an injury after fouling a pitch off his leg. He could’ve started Sunday, but the interim manager didn’t want to push it.
What we’re…
👊 Reminiscing: The highlight moments from UFC 330 taking over Xfinity Mobile Arena — did you see who lost their teeth?
👏 Celebrating: Before the Women’s Lacrosse League championship, Tina Sloan Green was honored for her legacy in the sport.
🏌️ Reading: On a rainy Sunday, Jack Whaley, a 22-year-old rising senior at Florida State, won the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship.
🏀 Learning: Dawn Staley doesn’t want to coach in the WNBA, she wants ownership. Philly has yet to extend the offer.
Sean Mannion’s debut
The Eagles’ 24-7 loss to the Ravens on Saturday night didn’t reveal much, especially their new offensive scheme.
Read more Jack Whaley overcomes an early deficit to win the 126th U.S. Amateur Golf Championship
It was difficult to identify Sean Mannion’s version of the Kyle Shanahan-Sean McVay system, let alone any functioning NFL offense, but Jeff McLane writes, that’s not surprising … or all that concerning as of now.
In other news, Joshua Weru and Uar Bernard suited up for their first football game at any level. Neither player lit up the stat sheet, but they certainly showed glimpses of potential.
And while there wasn’t a whole lot to take away from the Eagles’ first preseason game, it was enough to stir some movement in our latest 53-man roster projection.
Past meets future
The Perfect Game All-American Classic brought together 60 of the top high school baseball players in the country and former major leaguers at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday.
Former Phillies manager Joe Girardi and former Phillies center fielder Shane Victorino coached Team West and East, respectively. With several other coaches involved in the event, Victorino said it’s a testament to the “Phillie way.”
Offseason grades
It looked as if the Flyers were making the biggest splash of the NHL offseason by offer-sheeting Leo Carlsson, but ultimately, Carlsson is still an Anaheim Duck — and the Flyers still don’t have a young center on the roster.
With training camp a month away, how do we assess the Flyers’ actual offseason moves? Here’s what those in the national media are saying about the 2026-27 version of the team.
Marcus Hayes’ take
More than 600 people crowded into St. Denis Catholic Church in Haverford last Wednesday for an 80-minute celebration of 56 years of life well-lived.
Chris DiJulia was a fixture at St. Joe’s basketball games. He had cerebral palsy and spent his life in a wheelchair. On July 27, he died of natural causes related to his condition. DiJulia was inspirational to all who knew him, and last Wednesday, he was the king of Philadelphia basketball, writes Marcus Hayes.
We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Marcus Hayes, Alex Coffey, Scott Lauber, Jeff Neiburg, Jeff McLane, Olivia Reiner, Ryan Novozinsky, Ariel Simpson, Gabriela Carroll, Mia Messina, Lauren Jones, and Conor Smith.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Happy Monday! Thanks for getting your morning started with me. We’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow. — Bella