City of Philadelphia - File #: 140020

• File #: 140020
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: ADOPTED
• File created: 1/23/2014
• In control: CITY COUNCIL
• Final action: 1/23/2014
• Title: Recognizing and honoring Philadelphia legend Sonny Hill for receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Comcast SportsNet Shining Star Award Ceremony and for his countless contributions to the Philadelphia sports community.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Kenney, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Tasco, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Goode, Councilmember O'Brien, Councilmember Oh, Councilmember Squilla, Councilmember Quiñones Sánchez, Councilmember O'Neill, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Henon

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
1/23/2014	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced and Ordered Placed on This Week's Final Passage Calendar	Pass
1/23/2014	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED

Title
Recognizing and honoring Philadelphia legend Sonny Hill for receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Comcast SportsNet Shining Star Award Ceremony and for his countless contributions to the Philadelphia sports community.

Body
WHEREAS, William Randolph "Sonny" Hill was born and raised in Philadelphia, and graduated from Northeast High School in 1955; and

WHEREAS, In 1960, after several years in the Eastern Basketball League, Sonny Hill created the Charles Baker Memorial League, now known as the Sonny Hill Community Basketball League. The Baker League was the first professional summer basketball league in the country, and played host to some of the best players the game has ever seen, such as Wilt Chamberlin, Earl Monroe, and Fmr. Senator Bill Bradley; and

WHEREAS, Also in 1960, after moving back to Philadelphia, Hill took a job at the Lit Brothers Warehouse in Philadelphia, and was eventually elected Secretary-Treasurer of his union, Teamsters Local 169; and

WHEREAS, Hill also worked as a radio analyst for the Philadelphia 76ers, and from 1972-1978 he was a color analyst for NBA games on the national broadcast of CBS, breaking the color barrier as the first African-American national commentator; and

WHEREAS, The Sonny Hill Community League now hosts teams from elementary school on-up, and Hill has had a lasting, positive impact on the lives of thousands of Philadelphians; and

WHEREAS, The recipient of the 2008 Marnie Jackson Human Spirit Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Sonny Hill is a shining example for all Philadelphians to follow: a hard-working man who never forgot his roots, and has always strived to make this City a better place to live; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Recognizes and honors Philadelphia legend Sonny Hill for receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Comcast SportsNet Shining Star Award Ceremony and for his countless contributions...