PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid,  basketball hall of famer Billy Cunningham and a number of other local sports figures joined Magee Rehabilitation Hospital to raise an event-record $161,000 for the hospital’s wheelchair sports programs at its Fifth Annual Night of Champions recently. 

Magee Rehabilitation Hospital is the Philadelphia region’s top sponsor of wheelchair sports programs. The hospital has teamed with professional sports franchises to form the Magee Sixers Spokesmen wheelchair basketball team, the Magee Eagles wheelchair rugby team, the Magee Phillies wheelchair softball team and the Magee Freedoms wheelchair tennis team. More than 40 athletes participate in Magee’s wheelchair sports programs. 

“The Night of Champions was extremely successful and the proceeds will allow Magee to continue providing wheelchair sports opportunities to those in the community with a disability who have a desire to compete,” says Magee’s director of major gifts, Night of Champions chair and member of the Magee Freedoms wheelchair tennis team Mark Chilutti of Northeast Philadelphia.
 
Cunningham, a Magee board member and longtime supporter, and WPVI-TV 6 sports anchor Scott Palmer received Champion in the Community Awards for their respective efforts on behalf of Magee and individuals with disabilities. Palmer also served as event emcee.

Others attending the event included former NBA player Doug Overton, Sixers executive advisor Sonny Hill, Eagles coaches John Harbaugh and Brad Childress, Phillies senior advisor Dallas Green, LaSalle University basketball coach John Giannini, St. Joseph’s assistant basketball coach Monte Ross, former Eagle Mike Mamula, Steve Coates from the Philadelphia Flyers and WIP’s Howard Eskin. 

CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AT THE 2004 NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS