Philadelphia through and through, Vince Papale is a true local hero. His story - that you should never give up and always continue to pursue your dreams - embodies the spirit of Philadelphia and serves to empower anyone who has ever been told they can’t achieve their goals.
A 1964 graduate of Interboro High School, Vince was a three sport varsity letter winner his senior year in football, basketball and track and still holds the outdoor pole vault record.
He received a full athletic scholarship for track & field to St. Joseph's College and graduated with a MS Degree in marketing/management in 1968. While at St. Joe’s he captained the track team and was recipient of the Most Outstanding Senior Athlete in 1968. He still holds the school’s indoor pole vault record.
Upon graduation, Vince taught middle school business education for seven years in the Interboro School District. He also served as high school head coach for track & field and assistant football coach.
Vince left Interboro in the spring of 1974 to try out for the Philadelphia Bell of the WFL. He made the team as a receiver and played two seasons before the league folded in 1975.
In 1976, at the age of 30, Vince tried out for the Philadelphia Eagles, made the team, and became the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL. He still holds that record! He was with the Eagles for four seasons as a wide receiver before a shoulder injury ended his career in 1979. While active, he was voted special teams captain by his teammates and in 2007 he was voted the most outstanding special teams player in the 75-year history of the Eagles. Vince also was voted "Man of the Year" by the Eagles in 1978 for his many charitable activities.
After retiring with the Eagles following the 1979 season, he was a television and radio broadcaster for eight years. Following that, Vince entered the world of commercial mortgage banking which led to his current position as a marketing executive and special projects director for Sallie Mae, the nation's #1 student financial aid company.
Vince is married to the former Janet Cantwell. They reside in Cherry Hill, NJ, with their two children, Gabriella and Vincent. Janet is a former member of the USA World Gymnastics team and has coached and taught gymnastics all over the world. They are the only married couple to have been inducted individually into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2006, Disney released a movie about Vince called Invincible that opened to rave reviews finishing #1 at the box office two weeks in a row. It features Mark Wahlberg as Vince; Greg Kinnear as former Eagles coach Dick Vermeil; and Elizabeth Banks as Janet.
