Fink’s hoagies, 4633 Princeton Ave., recently brought more attention to a longtime customer’s recent honor.
Owner Dennis Fink was happy that retired Philadelphia Daily News sports writer Mike Kern last month was inducted into the Big 5 Hall of Fame.
Kern was recognized at halftime of the St. Joe’s vs. Temple men’s basketball game on Dec. 2 at the Wells Fargo Center. He and the other inductees were given plaques, but not treated to a dinner and speaking program like past honorees.
So, Fink invited Kern to his shop to take pictures to share on social media to highlight his 38-year career at the Daily News, much of it spent covering college basketball.
Kern is a lifelong Northeast resident, growing up in Holmesburg and now living in Torresdale. He is a 1975 graduate of Abraham Lincoln and a ‘79 grad of Temple.
In addition to covering college basketball, he was a longtime golf and college football writer. He’s a former president of the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association and recipient of the 2003 Pennsylvania Sportswriter of the Year award.
Others inducted along with Kern were fellow former Daily News writer Dick Jerardi; recently retired longtime Temple and St. Joe’s basketball communications professional Larry Dougherty; and former players Dionne Anthon (Penn), DeAndre’ Bembry (St. Joe’s), Tyreek Duren (La Salle) and Fran O’Hanlon (Villanova).
Kern retired in 2017. Today, he enjoys playing golf and still works some. He and Jerardi co-host Here, There & Everywhere – a sports gambling-themed show on iHeartRadio – every Saturday from 9-11 a.m. at Parx Casino’s sportsbook. In the fall, during college football season, he writes a “Fraud Five” column – which he originated in the Daily News – on PhillyCollegeSports.com, a website run by Glenn Papazian.
The inaugural Big 5 Classic started with Drexel upsetting Villanova, followed by La Salle hitting a half-court shot at the buzzer in overtime to beat Penn and St. Joe’s topping Temple for the title. ••
