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Roundup Last living Pottsville NFL team alum dies at 101Posted: Thursday July 03, 2003 5:34 PMUpdated: Thursday July 03, 2003 10:37 PM POTTSVILLE, Pa. (AP) -- Joseph C. "Duke" Marhefka, the last-known surviving player from the Pottsville NFL team, has died at age 101. Marhefka died in Easton on Monday, said his wife, Gladys. Marhefka spent only the 1924 season as running back with Pottsville. The following year the team adopted the nickname "Maroons" and beat the Chicago Cardinals in what was billed as the NFL title game. But the NFL rescinded the title a week later -- and took away Pottsville's franchise -- because the Maroons violated league rules by playing Notre Dame on the Philadelphia home field of a rival, the Frankford Yellow Jackets. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said in May the league would "reassess" what team deserves to be called the 1925 champions. After leaving Pottsville, Marhefka went on to play for the Philadelphia Quakers. "He loved the Pottsville Maroons," Gladys said. "He's got all this literature here, pictures of his team when he played up there and everything." Pottsville Maroons Memorial Committee chairman Nick Barbetta said the few other remaining Maroon veterans died in the 1980s.
Former Eagle Giannelli diesCHELSEA, Mass. (AP) -- Mario "Yo-Yo" Giannelli, who played on two NFL championship teams with the Philadelphia Eagles and is a member of the Boston College Sports Hall of Fame, is dead at 82. He died Sunday at the Chelsea Soldier's Home. Giannelli played on BC's 1942 Orange Bowl team against Alabama. His college football career was interrupted by World War II, when he took part in the invasion of Okinawa. He also was an Army boxing champion. He was back at Boston College in 1948 and played selected to play in the college All-Star game against the NFL champion Chicago Cardinals. Drafted by the NFL's Boston Yanks, he was traded to Philadelphia, where he was a two-way lineman from 1948 to 1951. In 1967, Giannelli was honored by his hometown as one of 10 outstanding athletes who brought the name "City of Champions" to Everett. After his playing days he was in the liquor business and worked for 10 years at the Massachusetts State Racing Commission. Giannelli is survived by his wife, Pauline; a daughter, Ann; sons Richard and Mark; a sister and a brother. He was buried Thursday in Melrose.
Phenix arrested on theft, weapons chargesFRANKLIN, Tenn. (AP) -- Perry Phenix, a former safety for the Tennessee Titans and other NFL teams, faces theft and weapons charges after he was arrested early Thursday during a routine traffic stop in Williamson County, authorities said. Phenix, 28, was pulled over by an officer with the Williamson County Sheriff's Department near Thompson's Station at about 3:30 a.m. CDT driving a stolen SUV, WKRN-TV reported. He also was driving with a suspended license stemming from a North Carolina traffic violation, and he did not have a permit for a handgun he was carrying. Signed in 1998 by the Titans as an undrafted free agent from Southern Miss, Phenix started four games in three seasons. He was traded to the Carolina Panthers in 2001 and also played with Cleveland that year. He was released by the Atlanta Falcons in 2002. Phenix was charged with theft of over $10,000 but under $60,000 -- a Class C felony; and unlawful possession of a weapon, driving on a suspended license and speeding, all misdemeanors, authorities said. Phenix was released on a $5,000 bond. He is scheduled for a court appearance July 17.
Patriots sign ex-Bill ConatyFOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- Free-agent center Bill Conaty signed with the New England Patriots on Thursday. Conaty, 30, spent six seasons with the Bills. He started 18 of 67 games in Buffalo. Conaty earned all-conference honors as a senior at Virginia Tech, but he wasn't drafted after he finished school in 1997. He started every game in 2001, but none last year.
Kraft eyes expansion of Gillette Stadium parkingFOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft wants to increase the parking capacity at Gillette Stadium by nearly 3,000 spaces. Kraft is planning to purchase a nearly 40-acre lot across Route 1 from the 68,000-seat stadium, The Sun Chronicle of Attleboro reported. Kraft, who has owned the team since 1994, wants to expand the lot in two phases, increasing its capacity to 4,000 spaces. It now holds a little more than 1,000. Foxboro Town Planner Marc Resnick said that if Kraft receives the necessary local and state approvals, he wants to begin the work this fall. Most of the lot would be covered with gravel, but the main access roadway would be paved. Kraft needs state and local approvals to expand because there are wetlands on the site. An estimated 22,666 parking spaces are needed for a sellout event at Gillette Stadium, which is licensed to park 14,511 cars on site. Satellite parking lots along Route 1 handle the extra cars. Independent lot owners pay the town $6 per space per year for a parking license. They also pay the state $50 per space as an annual fee included in the 1999 legislation that allowed construction of the stadium.
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