By: Libby Slaughter

I moved to Philadelphia two years ago from Charlottesville, Virginia. Since moving, one of the biggest differences I have come across is the lack of nature in Philadelphia compared to Charlottesville. While attending Temple University, I have realized that there is notably little green space in North Philly. My first few months of living in Philadelphia this became a really difficult adjustment. What reminded me most of home and helped improve my mental health was suddenly really difficult to find. Suddenly, what became my own search for nature in Philadelphia led to a discovery of the lack of green spaces, an issue that has long lasting effects on the residents and living conditions of the city.

Parks and Squares

The first park I discovered was the Philadelphia Rail Park. My friend Matthew and I took the subway to the High Line inspired park on Noble Street. We began our walk and took in the freshly planted trees and fresh air that surrounded us. Finally the calm and serenity of nature gave me a part of home. Sadly, this feeling did not last long. About five minutes into the walk, it ended. Matthew and I were met with a large sign that said “Want more? Donate!” We turned around and walked toward Center City, defeated.

Afterwards, Matthew and I checked out all the squares and small parks in Philadelphia. We saw Rittenhouse, Washington Park, and Logan Square. These squares were perfect places to picnic, people watch, or read a book alone. Each great little pockets of peace in the busy city.

Source: Flickr. Rittenhouse Square.

Wissahickon Valley Park

Later in the summer, my friends and I visited Wissahickon, a forest near the city. We spent the day hiking to the water and enjoying the fresh air. Once we reached the water, my friends and I lined up to swing along the rope swing off a nearby ledge. When it was my friend Savanna’s turn, she leaped from the ledge and fell in shallow water, breaking her ankle. After dialing 911, ENT’s came to pull her out. When they arrived, the first thing we were told was that the water was chemically dangerous, and that we should not have been swimming there in the first place.

Source: Adobe Stock. Wissahickon Valley Park.

Contaminated Water

After the Wissahickon incident, I found out that 90% of the water in the Wissahickon is treated sewage water. Run-off carries contaminants from the park that contain waste from pets visiting the park. In 2006, Merk, a pharmaceutical company in Chestnut Hill leaked potassium thiocyanate. This killed over a thousand fish in the Wissahickon and shut off drinking water in the city. The repercussions of this leak still affect the water at this park to this day and makes this water unsafe to swim in. Similarly, the Delaware River is also unswimmable due to city debris and construction materials along the waterfront.

Climate Change

Currently, climate scientists predict that by 2050, area waters in Philadelphia could rise by 19 inches, and possibly rise 4 feet by 2100. These climate changes affect low-income communities and communities of color more than others, specifically when it comes to flooding. Another major issue is the Urban Heat Island effect. This is when temperatures are significantly higher due the concrete infrastructure and lack of green space. This can lead to an increase in heat related illnesses. To reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect, trees and other vegetation need to be planted.

Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Schuylkill River and Manayunk Canal flooding after rain from Hurricane Ida. Photographer: Alejandro A. Alvarez

How This Problem Started

The history of the lack of green spaces in Philadelphia stems from redlining. In the 19th century, cities invested their money into white, high income neighborhoods. This included parks. According to the Trust for Public Land, white neighborhoods have 44 percent more parks than neighborhoods of color. The absence of these parks can lead to a 22 degree increase on hot days. This is detrimental to these communities because of the air pollution and making it a miserable environment to live in and socialize outside in.

What is Being Done to Help

In March of 2023, the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department hired Philadalphia’s first forester to plan projects, build budgets, and oversee land. The department has planned to plant over 300,000 trees by 2025, titled the Philly Tree Plan. Philadelphia is working to implement the Green City, Clean Waters Act. This is a 25 year old plan that uses green infrastructure to help lower the volume of stormwater entering sewers around the city.

Green Spaces and Gentrification

While there are many benefits to adding green spaces to Philadelphia, there is also the fear and real possibility that this can lead to gentrification. Adding parks and greenery could lead to new residents choosing to live in low income areas because of the lower rent prices compared to other parts of the city. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is trying to make conscious efforts to add green spaces to neighborhoods that are not currently being developed. There is a way that the PHS is able to track where development will be in the following years, so that way they can work to add green spaces where residents don’t have to worry about rent prices increasing.

Introduction to the Uptown

2240 North Broad Street is home to one of Philadelphia’s most notable theaters from the 1900’s. The Uptown Theater was a major music hub in the city that attracted music artists, comedians, and more. From names like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Red Foxx, the Uptown Theatre was a hot commodity for Philadelphians and those in surrounding areas. The Theater has major historical significance. Hosting live music shows for African American audiences, hosting freedom shows to raise awareness for the Civil Rights movement, the Uptown theatre impacted the music scene in Philadelphia as well as operated as an outlet for locals during the civil rights movement. As years went on, the Uptown theatre began to decline. Now all that stands there today is a damaged, fragile building full of history. Despite the theatre being vacant today, its importance within music history and beyond has impacted Philadelphia’s history. 

Who was Georgie Woods? 

Georgie Woods, also known as “the guy with the goods” produced exceptional shows at the Uptown theater from 1958 through the 1970’s, and he was one of the main factors to the Uptowns success. The Philadelphia music community knew of Georgie Woods and his desire to create entertaining shows for all. Georgie Woods was deeply involved with the civil rights movement and was a major activist, helping organize events. 

The Uptowns role in Philadelphia music history 

They were infamous for hosting R&B and soul music performances, especially during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. It impacted music in Philadelphia because it acted as a hub for showcasing local Philadelphia talent. Acts like The O’Jays, Patti LaBelle, and The Stylistics, among others, got their start or gained exposure at the Uptown Theatre, and later became influential names in the music industry. These artists helped define Uptown Theatre’s legacy as a premier venue for R&B, soul, and gospel music. From that point on, Philadelphia was the blueprint for soul sounds. Shows happened frequently, “Acts would come in for several days, sometimes more than a week, playing as many shows as the clock would allow: 50-cent weekday matinee shows for teenagers after school, an evening show (or two), and a midnight show. More shows were added on weekends” (Crimmins). Because of the large audience the Uptown attracted, shows were happening every day and artists were fighting for a spot on the set list.

The Uptown during the Civil Rights movement 

Because the Uptown had such a large audience due to its performers and well put together shows, they decided to raise awareness around the civil rights movements by hosting freedom shows. Freedom shows were a series of performances hosted by Georgie Woods to Promote integration and equal rights, and they featured prominent African American artists. Woods Hosted his first freedom show in March of 1964 to raise money for the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund and the Opportunities Industrialization Center. This show included performances by Sam Cooke, Jerry Butler, the Shirelles, Martha and the Vandellas, and comedian Jackie “Moms.” That concert accumulated around $30,000 in fundraising donations and the Tribune estimated that fourteen thousand people filled the hall, with another five thousand waiting outside. Wood’s efforts to bring awareness to the civil rights movement did not go unnoticed, as the Philadelphia Tribune praised his accomplishments by naming him “a true champion of the civil rights offensive in Philadelphia.”

Final moments at the Uptown Theatre

Georgie Woods produced his last show at the theater in 1972, yet the theatre stayed open until 1978. By 1978, the Uptown was too small for the major acts, in an area with high crime. There were many other reasons that led to the decline of the venue besides drugs and violence becoming a prominent issue in the surrounding area. Black artists now had the opportunity to travel to venues to perform in cities such as Atlantic City and Las Vegas. Musicians playing in those cities could perform at larger venues and make more profit to progress their careers. 

True Light Fellowship church purchased the property in 1989, and it remained as a church until 1991 when a major storm damaged the roof, and the property became abandoned. 

The Uptown Theatre today

As the building now sits vacant and vandalized, the residents of North Philadelphia are actively trying to revive the building because there was so much legacy and impact within it. Linda Richardson was at the forefront of trying to revitalize the theater. In 2017, Uptown Radio, a low-power station at WJYN 98.5, began broadcasting from the UEDC’s conference center, providing North Philadelphia residents with news, music and other programming tailored specifically to the North Philadelphian community. As a Philadelphia native herself and a lover of the arts, she quickly got to work. “Richardson got a grant from the Governor’s Commission on African American Affairs to do a study, to see if the community would support her plans for the venue. Once that was confirmed, she formed the UEDC, which purchased the Uptown in 2001” (Clay-Murray).

In November of 2020, Richardson died as she was still collecting funds for the revival of the theater. Although Richardson is gone, the ambition to save the theater continues. The UEDC set a goal of creating 200 new jobs through the redevelopment of the Uptown building and they have created a job bank for construction work and cleaning opportunities for the people of Philadelphia. They also launched the Uptown Youth Got Talent program which teaches young people audio/video production and performing arts and offers a paid summer internship program. Today, UEDC continues to soldier on in saving the theatre.  

The Uptown Theater was far more than just a music venue. It was a place to gather, stand up for yourself, and have your voice be heard. As we anticipate the revival of the theatre, we can only hope that the amount of history and impact will not be forgotten. 

Written By: August McBride

“Nobody Likes Us, We Don’t Care!”

While it was initially used as a sort of catchphrase for the English Millwall Football Club, Philadelphians have wholeheartedly adopted it after it was quoted during Jason Kelce’s now-famous victory speech following The Eagles’ victory at the 2018 Superbowl

(Image Source: The Philadelphia Inquirer)

If I were tasked with advising somebody from outside the northeast coast of America on the state of contemporary Philadelphia and the overall nature of its citizens, I would almost certainly posit the above statement as a central guiding principle for their understanding. This is largely due to the fact that anyone staying in the city for more than a day or so will likely encounter it at some point.

It is no secret that Philadelphia sports fans have earned a nationwide reputation for being passionate to a fault. Bluntly, they are often disliked and mocked even by those who live in different parts of Pennsylvania, so the perpetuation of this catchphrase could be explained away as a response to criticism and a desire to take pride in the community despite it.

Similar to the reputation of its sports fanatics, many from both in and outside Philadelphia feel as though safety and the general standard of living within it is in steep decline. It often seems the only coverage the city receives is that which spells doom for the very stability of its foundation. Former president Donald Trump was quoted saying that “bad things happen in Philadelphia”, and there was a period of several months where I could not watch more than two or three YouTube videos without seeing a pro-conservative advertisement claiming that “radical democrats” have ruined the city. With all this bad press, it is no wonder why so many are intimidated by the prospect of living there or even visiting.

I have noticed, however, a strange conflict of interest in the most vocal detractors. The sense of danger associated with the city is both off-putting and intoxicating to outsiders, and they may often find themselves in an awkward position of projecting hate in order to conform while taking quiet enjoyment in the very things that they mock. It is an odd case of people selectively wringing out their experiences to find and display whatever suits them best, and the sports scene offers no better lens through which to observe this phenomenon.

The truth is that there are plenty of reasons to visit Philadelphia, but the sports fans who are shown rioting in the streets on nationwide news broadcasts help to create a perceived sense of danger around the city that eclipses its true offerings.

Ironically, or perhaps expectedly, those who practice these extreme forms of fandom are only encouraged by this criticism, hence the catchphrase. In their antics, they tend to lean into the persona of wild disruptors of peace, continuing to outdo themselves with a sort of performative chaos. I distinctly remember the exhilarating energy coursing throughout the entire city as The Eagles neared the Superbowl earlier this year. Nobody was necessarily condoning the car flipping or monument scaling that followed each win, but there was a certain excitement in wondering what would happen next, or how long The Eagles could keep winning and prolong the circus.

Assorted chaos spurned by the 2023 Superbowl

(Image Sources: New York Post, NewsOne, Daily Mail)

The negative attention that these people received became a sort of dare meant to challenge them to top themselves night after night. This is where the lines between fabricated hysteria and tangible danger begin to blur, as revelers often catch a taste for defacement and destruction. By fully embracing the sentiment that they would be frowned upon no matter the outcome, these groups of people unwittingly gave credence to the topics of previously unfair criticism.

Similarly, while the wider Philadelphia community could have voiced disapproval for the actions of these excitable sports fans, many have decided to embrace it fully. The fact that Philadelphians now have something so eye-catching to rally around not only means that there are more sports fans than ever, but that city-wide pride has spiked. In response to increasing negative attention, inward encouragement must also increase, and the nature of what is being encouraged means that actions of public disturbance and perceived obnoxiousness will intensify and extend to spaces outside of sports.

In a strange way, outsiders responded in kind. There is a certain high that comes with associating oneself with something that is perceived to be dangerous or risky without truly understanding or fully experiencing it, and there are plenty of people who embody this principle in relation to Philadelphian “citizenship”. The same suburban families who proudly refer to the city as “Filthadephia” will cheer for every one of its teams, identifying with their passion while scorning their outbursts, depending on the convenience of the situation.

(Image Source: Amazon)

The most interesting thing, however, is that Philadelphians will accept whatever is thrown at them. They are happy to have more people on their side, but more detractors ultimately means more encouragement to defy them. It is a self-sustaining cycle in which most everyone is empowered and emboldened by the ruckus caused by one small group, with everyone having the choice of how they act upon their perceptions. Both “teams”, so to speak, will always win in the end. Hypocritical or not, it is easy, and I am sure that most people are happy that it has thus far remained so.

The Walnut Street Theatre, the oldest theater in America, has built a lasting impression on the theatrical arts in Philadelphia and around the world. With 214 years of history packed into the building, there are a great number of firsts to do with the Walnut. Between the innovations of technology, notable alumni, and architectural changes, there is quite a bit of charm to the building over on the corner of South Ninth and Walnut Street. The Walnut Street Theatre’s historical and cultural significance has impacted the theater industry in America and has built the foundation for many modern standards in the theatre world as a whole.

Origins

Founded in 1809, the Walnut Street Theatre started as an equestrian circus known as the New Circus. In 1812, the equestrian ring was replaced with a stage and the building was transformed into a legitimate theater. In 1837, the Walnut was the first theater to install gas footlights. The very first performance at the theater was a production of Brisnley Sheridan’s The Rivals (1775). Former president Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de Lafayette were in attendance.

Actors and Historical Figures

Throughout the rest of the 19th century, other prominent figures would grace the presence of the historic theater, including the most renowned actors of the time.  Most prominent American actors of the 19th century performed at the Walnut Street Theatre, including:

• Charlotte Cushman
• Dan Rice
•  Laura Keane 
• Dion Bioucicault 
• Edwin Booth
•  Lionel Barrymore 

In the 20th century, the Walnut’s stage saw even more familiar faces, including:

• Charles S. Gilpin (first African-American actor to lead a play produced by a white company)
• Helen Hayes 
• Katharine Hepburn

The now common practice across the country and the world of taking a bow after a performance would not exist in the United States if not for the Walnut Street Theatre. Edmund Kean, a 19th-century English actor brought the curtain call to America at the Walnut Street Theatre. This time-honored tradition of actors coming back to the stage after the show to bow became customary following Kean’s appearances at the Walnut in 1820.

The State Theater of Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives designated the Walnut St Theatre as the state theater of Pennsylvania on June 8th, 1999. This was decided based on the theater’s standing as the oldest theater in America, and its reflection of the culture of American theatre. The national notoriety and historical significance of the theater alone gave the House of Representatives every reason they needed to dub the Walnut as the State Theater of Pennsylvania, but what counted even more was the theater’s commitment to recognizing those who brought its success so far.

The Edwin Forrest Award

The Edwin Forrest Award was established in 1990 by the Walnut Street Theatre to recognize the contributions to American theatre by organizations and individuals. The name of the award comes from the 19th-century actor, Philadelphian, and Walnut alumni, Edwin Forrest himself. His impact on the Walnut allowed the theater to impact the rest of the country.

Architecture

In 2023, the Walnut Street Theatre looks remarkably similar to its appearance in the 19th century. The first major renovation to the theater came in 1811 when the equestrian circus was done away with in favor of the traditional stage and pit. John Haviland, the most impactful architect of the time and the designer of landmarks like the Eastern State Penitentiary and the Franklin Institute, remodeled the entire facade and interior

. 

Haviland’s exterior design remains to this day, 195 years later. Before the turn of the century, the theater would go on to install gas footlights, then electric, and even a new stage. In 1998, the lighting and sound systems were upgraded and improvements were made to make the theater much more accessible to audiences. There have been changes to the interior and exterior throughout the years, but it largely still resembles its 200-year-old self. Some of its technical elements have not changed at all throughout the years. The theater still uses its original grid, rope, pulley, and sandbag system. The original fire curtain still hangs above the stage, painted with a reproduction of The Liberty Bell’s First Note (1753) by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris. Aside from the painting’s $10,000 restoration in 1975, the painting and curtain remain remarkably unchanged.

The Future of the Walnut

There is no sign of the Walnut Street Theatre slowing down any time soon. The theater’s seasons are packed with plays and musicals that draw audiences from Philadelphia and beyond.  The current season includes Elvis: A Musical Revolution, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, GROUCHO: A Life in Revue, and Beautiful – The Carole King Musical. The next season will be announced next September, so there is really no telling where the Walnut will be in just a year’s time. 

Education and Outreach

The Walnut Street Theatre School was founded in 1984, starting a legacy of theatre education in Philadelphia. Now, the school hosts over 1,200 students every year in both youth and adult classes. All of the classes are open to people of all abilities, making art readily available to everyone in the city. They serve the city that gave American theatre the chance to grow by giving back to the community in the ways that they can, through education reform in Philadelphia’s public schools. The Walnut’s commitment to sharing the arts with the community is improving the relationship between the venue and the city that it lives in.

The Walnut’s Impact

The Walnut Street Theatre is a home for theatre history, education, and development that completely changed the course of the American performing arts. There would be no theatre as we know it today without the Walnut, and surely not in America. The building is enriched with history, artistry, and creativity.  Artists past and present who performed in the Walnut changed theatre performance forever, in Philadelphia and around the world. It takes a lot for something to last 214 years; through renovations, leadership changes, and economic struggles, the passion for preservation and innovation continues at the Walnut Street Theatre.

I have a gap between my two classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, during which I like to eat lunch. One particular September afternoon, coming out of the Student Center, I caught a glimpse of a flier taped to a light pole. Moving closer, I saw that it was actually for a music/pro wrestling hybrid show called “Wreckage at the Warehouse,” taking place on Oxford Street. As a wrestling fan, I wanted to attend. Unfortunately I couldn’t, because I don’t live on or around campus, and Septa Regional Rail’s schedule is the ultimate heel (wrestling term for a villain).

I’ve been watching pro wrestling for as long as I can remember. If I had to guess, I would say that my first wrestling show I watched was WWE’s Friday Night Smackdown on either the CW or MyNetworkTv between the timespan of 2007-2009. I like to think that my first solid feud was the critically acclaimed CM Punk vs Jeff Hardy, but I fear it may have actually been Hornswoggle vs the Great Khali.

Pro wrestling seems to get a bad rap for its “fake” nature, when really just another form of entertainment. In a way, wrestling is real in its unreality. It’s “fake” in that it’s a work of fiction. It’s real in that many of its performers sustain long term damage. It’s fake in that match results are predetermined and agreed to ahead of time. It’s real in that some performers develop egos and want to protect their spots on the card, putting that predetermination in danger. It’s fake in that everyone in some way is playing a character that you can be invested in. It’s real in that performers put their heart and soul into their craft. Pro wrestling is a strange industry that can breed both unparalleled creativity and toxicity. And no company occupied both sides of that coin quite like Philadelphia based Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).

ECW in its most famous iteration technically only ran from 1994-2001, but it left quite a mark on the wrestling landscape. True to its name, ECW made its name off extreme, or as they and now others like to say, “hardcore wrestling.” Matches between performers were violent, and frequently made use of weapons such as chairs, kendo sticks, tables, barbed wire, and fire. But ECW was also known for aspects outside of hardcore, namely the creative output of CEO and head booker Paul Heyman, the passion and character work of the wrestlers, its showcase of Mexican and Japanese performers, and an equally hardcore fanbase.

Founder Tod Gordon described ECW as “The Little Engine that Could,” and by the late 90s, this violent little engine was the 3rd biggest U.S. wrestling company, behind the giants in WCW and the WWF (now WWE). Unfortunately, due to poor finances and an inability to secure a TV deal, ECW folded in 2001. Its assets were eventually purchased by WWE in 2003.

Many wrestlers and wrestling companies today cite ECW as a big influence. It was an underground underdog that created many memorable moments while also cultivating a cult-like following. Unfortunately, the underground was the only possible place for something like it. ECW was too controversial, while also occupying a very specific niche in the cultural zeitgeist. Ultimately, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) could not survive outside of the context of the 1990s and Philadelphia.

The Arena

First and foremost, ECW likely would not be successful without the 2300 Arena (referred to at the time as the ECW Arena). While ECW did hold the occasional live event outside of Philly (as we’ll see later), the majority of its tv tapings were shot at 2300, a large abandoned warehouse on South Swanson Street, just under I95. In his book “Tod is God,” Tod Gordon describes how the arena was almost always in a state of disrepair. There was a leak in the roof that miraculously never led to a slip and fall, and Gordon admits that they were “busting something up” fairly frequently. The a/c system was also broken, so at full 800 person capacity, it felt like an oven. South Swanson wasn’t any less dingy, with wrestling journalist John Lister describing it as a “vandalised, drug-filled, bleak urban jungle”. It’s good to be bad, and right away you have a perfectly bad physical environment. Combine a menacing city street with a poorly ventilated, low capacity building that looks like it could fall apart at any moment. Now throw a show in there, where the performers are actively hurting and making each other bleed with weapons. You get something that feels downright criminal, something you shouldn’t be watching.

The Network

Now, the best criminal is the one that doesn’t get caught. Until it landed a TV deal with TNN in 1999, ECW Hardcore TV (ECW’s weekly show) basically aired on Philly Public Access TV, which allowed them to slip through the FCC’s radar. ECW Hardcore TV started out on local cable channel SportsChannel Philadelphia on Tuesdays at 6 pm. In 1996, it was upgraded to an 11 pm slot, with a Friday 2 am replay. SportsChannel Philadelphia eventually went out of business, and ECW moved to WPPX-TV 61 (now ION TV) at a Wednesday 9 pm timeslot, and then to WGTW 48 (now owned by TBN) sometime very late on Friday or Saturday nights. Apparently, FCC oversight was not present that late at night and on that obscure of networks. This allowed ECW to get away with its graphic violence, blood, harsh language, adult presentation and use of copyrighted music without the proper licensing fees.

The Vibe

Unlicensed copyrighted music was also a big part of ECW’s identity. Many of its most famous performers came out to mainstream songs that fit their characters.

The Sandman, who was basically trailer park trash that beat on opponents (and occasionally and unfortunately, also their female partners) with a Singapore cane, came out to “Enter Sandman” by Metallica.

Tommy Dreamer, a glutton for punishment and ECW’s closest equivalent to the everyman archetype, came out to “Man in the Box” by Alice in Chains.

Raven, who was basically Kurt Cobain if Kurt Cobain was a cult leader and also liked quoting the one line from Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven, came out to “Come Out and Play” by The Offspring.

The list goes on. The FCC is much stronger these days, and people are much more aware of copyright law, so the company would be sued to oblivion if they tried this today.

The Crowd

“If you pleased them, if you gave them what they were looking for, if you satiated their appetite for satisfaction in a product, the Philly fans would reward you by publicizing and singing your virtues to the masses because Philly accepted you as their home team and they wanted the bragging rights of saying, ‘This happened here in Philadelphia.”

– Paul Heyman in a 2013 interview with the Philadelphia inquierer

An anything-goes, dilapidated warehouse playing sick music is cool and all, but what worked most in ECW’s favor was the passion of those living in Philadelphia for all things Philadelphia. They had this thing that was theirs, and they showed it the utmost reverence (or at least as much reverence that a mass of drunk, testosterone-fueled, hygienically deficient dudes can show).

Bringing it All Together

Let’s bring back the criminal analogy from earlier, and let’s introduce an angsty teenager. Let’s say that you’re an angsty teenager in the U.S. in the 90s.

The Soviet Union has just collapsed. For all you know, Clinton’s policies have contributed to domestic tranquility. There is no major political turmoil that you know of. You feel the need to rebel, but is there really anything to rebel against? You were a big fan of wrestling growing up in the 80s, being a mark for guys like Hulk Hogan, Macho Man, and Andre the Giant, who were all larger than life. But now this material feels cartoonish. You’ve tried getting back into wrestling, but the content that WCW and WWF are putting out right now feels weak and geared towards pandering to children (for f’s sake, they got a guy playing the character of a trash collector).

You’re bored, channel surfing late at night when you come across something interesting: ECW Hardcore TV. You’ve vaguely heard of it before. At school, you saw a group of kids in South Park and Jackass shirts negotiating and trading tapes of footage. You think you’ll give this show a try. Immediately, you hear the music: Metallica, Alice in Chains, The Offspring, AC/DC, Dr. Dre and Ice Cube. You see these performers, looking intense and ready to kill. You see a match, that’s more of a fight to the death than it is a typical sporting contest. You see guys getting hit with chairs to the head, getting put through tables on fire, getting mangled and cut open with barbed wire. Most importantly, you hear the rowdy crowd.

The building looks packed, and the people seem to cheer and boo for every little thing. It’s clear that they appreciate the violent show that’s being put on for them. You decide that you have to check this out. You hear at the end commentator Joey Styles mentioning the ECW Arena. As it turns out, the ECW Arena is in Philadelphia. Conveniently, you live in Philadelphia! You buy tickets and go down there with your friends. You feel unsafe on the street walking to the arena, even in a group. The ECW Arena itself doesn’t look like much. The inside is worse. It’s hot and it stinks of the body odor of 800+ men packed into a tiny space. But the crowd is loud, louder than what you heard on TV. It maintains that energy throughout the night, and you eventually join in. You wonder if everyone else has the same story as you. Did they stumble on to this madness watching TV late at night? Are they from a city outside of Philadelphia and were they drawn to this show via a tape that was traded to them? It doesn’t matter. You are all the spectators of this violent spectacle. This is hardcore. This is ECW.

The point I’m trying to make is that obscurity bred a hardcore fanbase that fed into its own energy to create more fans. Local Philadelphia public access TV brought in viewers while hiding what was going on from the TV authorities. 90s tape trading could’ve possibly expanded viewership. Finally, the vibe of 2300 fit the product. This could not work today with social media. Stronger word of mouth would spread what ECW was doing to more people, and so the fanbase wouldn’t be as tight and as loyal. In fact, if social media was around in the 90s, ECW would’ve been destroyed from a legal standpoint.

The Incidents

There were multiple “incidents” during ECW’s time that the company got away with because they were so small. There was the chair throwing incident, in which Cactus Jack and Terry Funk asking an audience member to throw a chair to them results in a domino effect of the entire arena throwing chairs into the ring, burying the Public Enemy tag team.

There was the arena fire, in which through a miscommunication the wrong guy (Terry Funk) was set on fire, leading to him freaking out and running into the audience, causing a stampede (no publicly available footage of this, although WWE may have it in their tape library).

There was that time Raven crucified the Sandman without the prior knowledge of anyone backstage, and then was made to go out and apologize to the fans (the WWF would copy this and do their own crucifixion stunt a few years later).

There was the Heatwave Incident at a live event in Dayton, Ohio, in which Bubba Ray Dudley goes a tad bit too far during a promo and arguably very nearly incites a riot.

But the biggest one of all has to be the Mass Transit incident. In 1996, at a non-televised live event in Revere, Massachusetts, a 17 year old fan by the name of Erich Kulas convinced Paul Heyman that he was actually a trained 21 year old wrestler by the name of Mass Transit. Kulas ended up getting booked in a tag match with D-Von Dudley against The Gangstas (New Jack and Mustafa Saed). During the match, Kulas convinces New Jack to cut him open with a scalpel so as to “get some color.” New Jack obliges, but ends up cutting a little too deep, very nearly killing Kulas in the process. Kulas’s family sued New Jack for assault a few months later, but the case was ruled in New Jack’s favor, as Kulas was found to have falsified his age and training. I’m not a legal expert by any means, but I think in this day and age an incident like this would have ended ECW. Paul Heyman and the rest of the company would be sued for criminal negligence, with the case being dragged out for quite a while. More importantly, the scrutiny on social media would be intense, and there would definitely be calls to cancel ECW (perhaps rightfully so).

In Conclusion

The most famous iteration of Extreme Championship Wrestling is remembered fondly by wrestlers and wrestling fans alike, but this is because that version isn’t happening today. ECW came at the right time and place (the 1990s and Philadelphia), and it belongs in that time and place.

While ECW could not have survived, other companies in and around Philadelphia have in its wake, namely CZW and ROH. Combat Zone Wrestling (CZW) was founded by John Zandig in 1998, and filled the extreme niche after the collapse of ECW (CZW refers to its brand of extreme wrestling as “ultraviolent wrestling”). Many alumni from CZW currently wrestle for bigger companies and prominent independent brands in WWE, AEW, Impact Wrestling, and GCW.

Ring of Honor was launched in 2002. RF Video’s Ron Feinstein was making big sales on ECW, and needed something to fill that void. After failing to negotiate a deal with CZW, he co-founded Ring of Honor with Paul Heyman’s protege Gabe Sapolsky. ROH presented technical wrestling with a more realistic presentation, but still essentially followed the same diy idea as ECW. It has run shows throughout the years at the 2300 Arena, and was purchased by AEW after going bankrupt during the pandemic. Similar to CZW, many of its alumni can also be found all over the modern wrestling scene.

Perhaps most importantly, the 2300 Arena still runs wrestling and other combat sports related shows.

ECW would not work today, but it has cultivated a thriving wrestling scene in Philadelphia. After all, why would “Wreckage at the Warehouse” be put together if the promoters thought it wouldn’t bring people in? The title itself seems to evoke the extreme.

My Introduction to Philly

As a little girl, I had limited understanding of Philadelphia. I was formally introduced to the city by my father who worked in a government building titled General Services Agency. When I was around eleven years old, he brought my brothers and I to Bring Your Child to Work Day, a day that made me fall in love with Philadelphia. As time went on, I knew that I wanted to attend Temple University. Knowing I had to attend an in-state school, Temple seemed the ideal option, or so I thought. My initial feelings for Temple fell short of my expectations, leaving me discontent. However, everything changed when I gained a different perspective of Philadelphia in an unexpected way. 

Maintaining money as a college student has always been at the top of my priority list. One day when discussing my financial situation with my friend Anna, she suggested that I apply to Xfinity Live in South Philadelphia. I’ll never forget my first day. Being amazed at the vastness of the place. How did I not know about one of Philadelphia’s most popular bars? Boy was I in for a treat. “Popular” is an understatement.

Xfinity Live Taught Me What It Means to Be a True Philadelphian

 My first day training was the Phillies home opener in April of 2022. The crowd came rushing in, yelling at the television, and demanding another round whenever one of the players hit a home run. Although I was working, I could feel the excitement surging through my veins. “So this is what it’s like to be a true Phillies fan,” I thought. From that day forward I understood the enthusiasm surrounding baseball. Xfinity Live taught me what it means to be a true Philadelphian, being an aggressive sports fan. 

Via Locusta Exposed Me to an Unfamiliar Lifestyle

Although I grew a deep fondness of Xfinity Live, it was dead during the off seasons. After talking to one of my old coworkers, she suggested I give a restaurant in Rittenhouse Square a try. To Via Locusta I go. To my dismay I quickly learned that I had very little appreciation for Vinny, my Italian manager, and the Via Locusta atmosphere. I can’t say that Via Locusta was all bad. What Via Locusta did was expose me to not only a different part of the city, but a lifestyle that I wasn’t familiar with. The Rittenhouse restaurant also taught me that you’re not a quitter for leaving a place that causes discontentment. 

Liberty Point Gave Me the Confidence to Find Calm in the Chaos

By the time the second semester of my junior year conceded, I had heard of a summertime restaurant on the waterfront at Penn’s Landing. Liberty Point enters stage right. My two roommates and I planned on living in the city for the summer and decided it could be fun to work together on the waterfront. Our instincts were correct. “Fun” is one of the many words I would use to describe Liberty Point. Throughout my time here, I worked with very interesting people. I worked with my best friends. The clientele was full of variety. You had corporate happy hours, families, and people who came in just to complain, lick their plates clean, and leave without paying. Liberty Point exhibited to me the beauty of Penn’s Landing. It taught me that you should not swim in the Delaware River. It gave me the confidence that I can find calm amongst the chaos, a tool I’ll carry in my arsenal for life. Liberty Point wasn’t that serious, mostly lighthearted and fun; that’s what I’ll always appreciate about it and something I’ll look for in other jobs. I fully enjoyed my time at the Penn’s Landing restaurant.

I Learned to Love Temple

Each restaurant taught me something different about myself and the city. I had to adapt to each climate, forcing me to grow as a young woman. Working at various restaurants exposed me to various parts of the city, each being unique in their own way. This growing familiarity allowed me to appreciate Temple as more than just a university, but an integral component of the city, something that I had not fully realized. The restaurant industry in Philadelphia taught me how to love it again, and in turn how to love Temple. Working in the city has allowed me to feel comfortable in a place that initially overwhelmed me. It reinvigorated the love I once had as a little girl, now a young woman.  I may not stay in the city of brotherly love forever, but I’ll always be a Philly girl at heart. 

This is the first post on our Writing Workshop Fall 2023 website. This is where we will be posting the web versions of your Philadelphia Story.