Philadelphia Eagles fans threw snowballs at a substitute Santa Claus on December 15, 1968, during a game at Franklin Field.
What Happened
• The Context: The Eagles were having a terrible 2–11 season and were playing in freezing, snowy weather. Many fans were frustrated and hoped the team would lose to secure a higher draft pick.
• The Missing Santa: A heavy snowstorm prevented the scheduled halftime Santa Claus from making it to the stadium.
• The Substitute: The team's staff spotted 20-year-old fan Frank Olivo in the stands, who had come to the game wearing his own Santa suit. They asked him to step in and toss candy canes to the crowd.
• The Reaction: Cold, tired, and angry about the dismal season, fans started booing and pelting Olivo with snowballs (and some debris) as he walked the field.
• Olivo's Response: Olivo took it in stride, threw a few snowballs back, and shouted, "You're not getting anything for Christmas!"
Did we know that Foegle has surgery over the summer?
The nature of Foegele’s injury that held him out of training camp wasn’t clear at the time but he shed some light on it today. The injury wasn’t something sustained during offseason training but rather was fixing an injury sustained during the playoffs against Carolina.
As for why there was such a delay in having the procedure done, originally, the hope was that Foegele would be able to rehab the injury without surgery. However, it continued to linger and after consulting with Ottawa’s medical staff, the decision was made for him to have the procedure. While he missed the preseason, he won’t miss any regular season action.
