It was never about the money for Barry "The Hatchet" Vagnoni the day he stepped on the playing field at Veterans Stadium.
To win it, all he had to do was throw a football 10 yards through a hole in a board: his reward for winning “Fan of the Week” in a local contest.
The drive from Exeter Township to Philadelphia with his son behind the wheel gave Barry some time to consider his strategy. It also gave him time to ponder how he would spend the prize, a cool $1,000, if his aim was good.
He loved the Eagles all his life, and he rarely missed a game on TV at home with his family and friends.
At the stadium, now that he was a famous fan, he was rubbing shoulders with Eagles usherettes and cheerleaders. They would be watching him live along with some 70,000 or so other screaming Eagles fans.
He heard his name called over the loud speaker. A rambunctious fan hollered, “Are you gonna throw the football? You better make it or else this whole stadium will be booing you!” The cheerleaders high-fived Barry and wished him luck as he was whisked onto the cold playing field.
He couldn’t feel his hands or his feet. “My knees were knocking against one another,” says Barry, who was having a nervous fit. “I was afraid I was going to blow chunks.”
He warmed up his arm. He said a silent prayer and released the ball. A hush fell over the crowd.
“I threw a bullet — okay, it was a wobbler — right through the target,” he says. The stadium crowd cheered as Barry walked off the field. “It was thrilling,” he says. “But even more thrilling was seeing the proud look on my son’s face.”
That game was 10 years ago. Since then Barry has won other contests in the name of his Philadelphia Eagles too, including last year’s “Dunkin Donuts Philly’s Coolest Sports Fan” title. But for the most part, this Eagles fan prefers to stay low-key at home and party in his self-built locker room… his Eagles “fan cave” on game days with other diehard fans.
BCL: Why is it called the Locker Room? How big is it? It's a 2,000-square-foot room with all kinds of Eagles memorabilia like game day jerseys, helmets, footballs, players’ spikes (including Reggie White's autographed spikes), replica lockers, Eagles barstools and Eagles tables and chairs, as well as a 35-foot bar. It has stadium seats plus a 20-foot piece of AstroTurf from the former home of the Eagles: Veterans Stadium.
BCL: Tell us more about the lockers! Currently, I have four exact locker replicas of No. 51: William "Willie T" Thomas, No. 46: Jon Dorenbos, No. 58: Trent Cole and No. 25: Shady McCoy. The last two will be changed for the beginning of this year’s season because Trent and Shady are no longer on the team.
BCL: You’re really dedicated! Yeah. My dad was a huge sports fan and he loved the Eagles. Every Sunday we would first go to church and then come home to a great big dinner with Italian and PA Dutch foods. It was my favorite time of the week, sitting with Dad in front of our small Philco TV, watching our Eagles.
BCL: But you became obsessed! I really started getting into it in the late 70s with collecting Eagles memorabilia and becoming known as that Eagles maniac painting my face silver and green and wearing shoulder pads! My original locker room was in our recreation room; I started that in the early 80s when we'd have about 25 of our family and friends over for every game.
BCL: Tell us about your parents. Were both your mom and dad Eagles fans? My folks were music legends; their show business names were Dolly & Shorty Long. Back in the 50s, Dad (besides performing at different fairs, carnivals and auditoriums) had worked at RCA Victor records in New York as an artists and repertoire (A&R) man. While there he also oversaw and played piano on most of Elvis Presley's early hits such as Hound Dog, Don't Be Cruel and many more.
I can still remember the phone calls that went back and forth between Elvis and my dad. They would tease each other on who was going to win, especially when the Eagles played Elvis' favorite team, the Cleveland Browns.
BCL: What about your wife; is she as big a fan as you? My wife Dawn didn't know a football from a hockey puck [when we met], but boy has that changed big time. She can’t wait for game days. Our daughter Chevelle is an integral part of the locker room, too. I would not be able to operate without them!
BCL: Any other family members you would like to mention? Well, first I’d like to say that Dawn and I celebrated our 53rd wedding anniversary. We met in the hospital the day we were born. We have six grandchildren who are the loves of our life. Our daughter Chevelle and her husband Dr. Brian Klee have two sons, Griffin and Nick, and a daughter, Isabella. Our son Barry and his wife Maureen have three daughters named Olivia, Madeline and Katherine. My Uncle Lou Long, who I was in business with for 34 years, is like a dad to me. He never misses a game in the locker room.
BCL: OK, sorry, but we don’t believe you met your wife the same day you were born. She was born on April 5th, and I was born on April 6th, and our moms were in adjoining rooms. I knew when I saw the pink booties on her feet that there was something different about her. All kidding aside, I got to know Dawn through her mom and dad, who were music fans.
BCL: That’s sweet, but we’re getting off track. What’s it like to be in the locker room on game day? I can say without a doubt that for an Eagles fan, there is no better place to watch and cheer for the Eagles. When I designed the room I wanted it to have the WOW factor, so that when an Eagles fan walked into the room their jaw would drop in awe. I'd say, ‘Mission accomplished!’ We have friends that used to be season ticket holders, but they gave them up because it's more fun at the house.
BCL: What if someone isn’t an Eagles fan? If they aren’t Eagles fans then they are not invited or allowed entrance. We host between 75 and 125 family and friends, and each one of them has a season pass. We have a waiting list of more than 100 folks for passes. It’s the hottest ticket in town, especially when the Eagles play the Dallas Cowboys!
BCL: Do you charge for beer? We provide all the beer, sodas, bottled water and snacks – no charge. We’re not in the business of selling food and drink. Dawn and Chevelle each cook up all kinds of great food every week, and our awesome friends bring main dishes and tasty deserts to add to the food tables. It's comparable to an Italian wedding reception. We just love to entertain our friends, and it's a thrill to see them enjoying the game and having a good time!
BCL: Do you dress up on game day? I still wear my shoulder pads, but stopped wearing face paint a few years ago. Today, I wear facial temporary tattoos (from time to time), and I have a lot of different Eagles jerseys. I like to switch it up from week to week.
BCL: Do you have a favorite player? There's one who stands out. A few years ago our friend Judge Jeff Schmehl, a locker room member, told me he was going to extend an invite to one of the all-time great Eagles players, #51 Willie Thomas. Willie was always a favorite of mine, and he played football the way it's supposed to be played. He was also a Pro Bowl player with a no-holds-barred attitude. I really didn't think that a great player like Willie “T” would visit me, but one day when I was in the house and getting dressed, Dawn told me to get out in the locker room right away. I thought maybe there was a problem with a TV or something, but to my surprise, standing in my locker room was the man himself, #51 William "Willie T" Thomas. It was a thrill to meet a legend.
BCL: Do you have a favorite game and, if so, from what year? In 1980, Wilbert Montgomery scored a touchdown in the snow to beat the Cowboys in a championship game. I have the Cowboys helmet logo airbrushed in the toilets in the men’s and ladies’ restrooms to show my disdain for them.
BCL: How many TVs are in the Locker Room? There are 16 flat screens including a 16-foot by 9-foot high definition TV. There are also flat screen TVs in the restrooms so you never miss any of the action. Outside on the deck there are three more flat screen TVs for those that wish to smoke or just enjoy the outdoors.
BCL: We bet game days are unforgettable! When we are no longer here, we hope that everyone will look back and remember the fun times that were had in Barry "The Hatchet"
Vagnoni's Eagles Locker Room.
BCL: One more question. Why do they call you “The Hatchet”? I got the nickname from my younger brother Dave, who saw me take down another player on a basketball court. That name has stuck with me to this day.
Feel like your IN the Locker Room! Click here for a 360-degree view: http://sky.easypano.com/panoramic-images/Panoramic-Image-22408.html
By Marcia Weidner-Sutphen | Photos by John A. Secoges, Secoges Photographics
