Alex Coffey
@byalexcoffey.bsky.social
Sports features for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Second-generation sportswriter. Proud sister of an Olympic gold medalist. ✉️: [email protected]
Hibbard, a lifelong Phillies fan, enjoyed it all.
"I tried to take the fandom out. But every once in a while the heart would beat a little faster.
“And I thought ‘Don’t show this on your face. This is normal.’ But it never did feel normal, I don’t think” www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
"I tried to take the fandom out. But every once in a while the heart would beat a little faster.
“And I thought ‘Don’t show this on your face. This is normal.’ But it never did feel normal, I don’t think” www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
He’d never preached before. But in 1990, Jack Hibbard became the Phillies chaplain.
Jack Hibbard, a Burlington County native, was the club’s chaplain from 1990 to 2000. It was a dream job full of colorful moments, especially in 1993.
www.inquirer.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Hibbard, a lifelong Phillies fan, enjoyed it all.
"I tried to take the fandom out. But every once in a while the heart would beat a little faster.
“And I thought ‘Don’t show this on your face. This is normal.’ But it never did feel normal, I don’t think” www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
"I tried to take the fandom out. But every once in a while the heart would beat a little faster.
“And I thought ‘Don’t show this on your face. This is normal.’ But it never did feel normal, I don’t think” www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
Mason said going to chapel gave him stability.
When he pitched in Game 6 of the 93 World Series, he started getting nervous.
So, he leaned on what he knew.
“I started going over these Bible stories in my head, just to get myself centered."
It helped: www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
When he pitched in Game 6 of the 93 World Series, he started getting nervous.
So, he leaned on what he knew.
“I started going over these Bible stories in my head, just to get myself centered."
It helped: www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
November 7, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Mason said going to chapel gave him stability.
When he pitched in Game 6 of the 93 World Series, he started getting nervous.
So, he leaned on what he knew.
“I started going over these Bible stories in my head, just to get myself centered."
It helped: www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
When he pitched in Game 6 of the 93 World Series, he started getting nervous.
So, he leaned on what he knew.
“I started going over these Bible stories in my head, just to get myself centered."
It helped: www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
Mason, who was traded to the Phillies in July 93, was the team's chapel leader.
It gave him some cred around MLB.
One time, an ump gave Mason a warning about pitching inside.
Darren Daulton turned around.
"Him? Are you kidding? He's our chapel leader!" www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
It gave him some cred around MLB.
One time, an ump gave Mason a warning about pitching inside.
Darren Daulton turned around.
"Him? Are you kidding? He's our chapel leader!" www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
November 7, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Mason, who was traded to the Phillies in July 93, was the team's chapel leader.
It gave him some cred around MLB.
One time, an ump gave Mason a warning about pitching inside.
Darren Daulton turned around.
"Him? Are you kidding? He's our chapel leader!" www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
It gave him some cred around MLB.
One time, an ump gave Mason a warning about pitching inside.
Darren Daulton turned around.
"Him? Are you kidding? He's our chapel leader!" www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
This was especially true in 1993.
Hibbard endured some taunts, but didn't mind.
And even on the Macho Row Phillies, he still found regular church-goers: Mason, Schilling, Jackson, Stocker, Thompson.
Even "Wild Thing" Mitch Williams went to chapel: www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
Hibbard endured some taunts, but didn't mind.
And even on the Macho Row Phillies, he still found regular church-goers: Mason, Schilling, Jackson, Stocker, Thompson.
Even "Wild Thing" Mitch Williams went to chapel: www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
November 7, 2025 at 7:44 PM
This was especially true in 1993.
Hibbard endured some taunts, but didn't mind.
And even on the Macho Row Phillies, he still found regular church-goers: Mason, Schilling, Jackson, Stocker, Thompson.
Even "Wild Thing" Mitch Williams went to chapel: www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
Hibbard endured some taunts, but didn't mind.
And even on the Macho Row Phillies, he still found regular church-goers: Mason, Schilling, Jackson, Stocker, Thompson.
Even "Wild Thing" Mitch Williams went to chapel: www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
Hibbard was the son of a pastor, John Hibbard, who worked at a church in Pemberton.
When the Phillies hired him in 1990, he was 29, with no preaching experience outside of teaching the occasional Sunday school.
It was a dream job (also a colorful job) www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
When the Phillies hired him in 1990, he was 29, with no preaching experience outside of teaching the occasional Sunday school.
It was a dream job (also a colorful job) www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
November 7, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Hibbard was the son of a pastor, John Hibbard, who worked at a church in Pemberton.
When the Phillies hired him in 1990, he was 29, with no preaching experience outside of teaching the occasional Sunday school.
It was a dream job (also a colorful job) www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
When the Phillies hired him in 1990, he was 29, with no preaching experience outside of teaching the occasional Sunday school.
It was a dream job (also a colorful job) www.inquirer.com/phillies/phi...
Now, they'd like have the van serve as a tribute to the late DJ.
Tornetta and Drummond recently approached WMMR about adding a portrait of Robert to Minerva.
The details are still hazy, but the station is excited about the idea.
"I think he'd dig that" www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
Tornetta and Drummond recently approached WMMR about adding a portrait of Robert to Minerva.
The details are still hazy, but the station is excited about the idea.
"I think he'd dig that" www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
These locals once restored Pierre Robert’s VW van, Minerva. Now, they want it to serve as a tribute to the late DJ.
In 2013, a local, family-owned company, with auto-body repair shops, and an artist partnered together to help rebuild Robert’s beloved Minerva. The van replicates who the longtime WMMR host was.
www.inquirer.com
November 6, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Now, they'd like have the van serve as a tribute to the late DJ.
Tornetta and Drummond recently approached WMMR about adding a portrait of Robert to Minerva.
The details are still hazy, but the station is excited about the idea.
"I think he'd dig that" www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
Tornetta and Drummond recently approached WMMR about adding a portrait of Robert to Minerva.
The details are still hazy, but the station is excited about the idea.
"I think he'd dig that" www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
The new Minerva was revealed at the Philadelphia Home Show in 2013.
Tornetta said it was an "emotional event."
“It was like [Minerva] was a part of his life that had been missing. I believe it just restored a spirit in him, that dated back to years ago.” www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
Tornetta said it was an "emotional event."
“It was like [Minerva] was a part of his life that had been missing. I believe it just restored a spirit in him, that dated back to years ago.” www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
November 6, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The new Minerva was revealed at the Philadelphia Home Show in 2013.
Tornetta said it was an "emotional event."
“It was like [Minerva] was a part of his life that had been missing. I believe it just restored a spirit in him, that dated back to years ago.” www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
Tornetta said it was an "emotional event."
“It was like [Minerva] was a part of his life that had been missing. I believe it just restored a spirit in him, that dated back to years ago.” www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
Robert developed a friendship with Drummond and the CollisionMax employees.
He'd stop by the shop to meet the guys who were working on Minerva.
"The more we got to know him, it was, forget the marketing. It became about him. We just came to love him.” www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
He'd stop by the shop to meet the guys who were working on Minerva.
"The more we got to know him, it was, forget the marketing. It became about him. We just came to love him.” www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
November 6, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Robert developed a friendship with Drummond and the CollisionMax employees.
He'd stop by the shop to meet the guys who were working on Minerva.
"The more we got to know him, it was, forget the marketing. It became about him. We just came to love him.” www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
He'd stop by the shop to meet the guys who were working on Minerva.
"The more we got to know him, it was, forget the marketing. It became about him. We just came to love him.” www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
A local company, CollisionMax, stepped in. After buying ads with WMMR, they offered to fix Minerva ($100,000 worth of work).
They hired a local artist, Franny Drummond, to paint the outside.
"I hope Franny’s not messing up my bus right now," Robert would joke: www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
They hired a local artist, Franny Drummond, to paint the outside.
"I hope Franny’s not messing up my bus right now," Robert would joke: www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
November 6, 2025 at 5:28 PM
A local company, CollisionMax, stepped in. After buying ads with WMMR, they offered to fix Minerva ($100,000 worth of work).
They hired a local artist, Franny Drummond, to paint the outside.
"I hope Franny’s not messing up my bus right now," Robert would joke: www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
They hired a local artist, Franny Drummond, to paint the outside.
"I hope Franny’s not messing up my bus right now," Robert would joke: www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
WMMR gave Robert a new van, Minerva 2, for his 20th anniversary in 2001, but that was also in bad shape.
It quickly fell into disrepair. A family of mice and wasps moved in. There was a hole on the floor of the driver's side, where you could see the road: www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
It quickly fell into disrepair. A family of mice and wasps moved in. There was a hole on the floor of the driver's side, where you could see the road: www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
November 6, 2025 at 5:18 PM
WMMR gave Robert a new van, Minerva 2, for his 20th anniversary in 2001, but that was also in bad shape.
It quickly fell into disrepair. A family of mice and wasps moved in. There was a hole on the floor of the driver's side, where you could see the road: www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
It quickly fell into disrepair. A family of mice and wasps moved in. There was a hole on the floor of the driver's side, where you could see the road: www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
Robert drove Minerva from CA to PA in 1981.
He named her after an eccentric woman with a penchant for chain-smoking.
He referred to the van as a companion, not a vehicle and was devastated when she was taken by the PPA (after many unpaid parking tickets) www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
He named her after an eccentric woman with a penchant for chain-smoking.
He referred to the van as a companion, not a vehicle and was devastated when she was taken by the PPA (after many unpaid parking tickets) www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
November 6, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Robert drove Minerva from CA to PA in 1981.
He named her after an eccentric woman with a penchant for chain-smoking.
He referred to the van as a companion, not a vehicle and was devastated when she was taken by the PPA (after many unpaid parking tickets) www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
He named her after an eccentric woman with a penchant for chain-smoking.
He referred to the van as a companion, not a vehicle and was devastated when she was taken by the PPA (after many unpaid parking tickets) www.inquirer.com/entertainmen...
To each their own :)
November 2, 2025 at 5:55 AM
To each their own :)