Bob Vetrone Sr.

Lost contact with Bob Vetrone since about 2003. He was a guest on my TV show in Allentown Penna. along with Al Meltzer for quite a few years in the 90's. He was a great guy. Sorry he is no longer with us...

There's not much to add about Bob's character that hasn't been stated. Bob was a friend to all, especially to those who sought knowledge about Philadelphia's sports scene. As a young SID at Villanova in the mid-70s, I admired Bob's generosity of spirit. Though he knew more than most, it was his passion to share his wisdom with everyone. I am most grateful for the guidance he gave me to nominate one of Villanova's finest athletes, Paul Arizin, into the Basketball Hall of Fame. It had never...

I was privileged to know Bob in my very early career(and life)years. We both worked at The Bulletin. I was in the advertising department but a sports junkie. I hooked up with Bob and we became fast friends. Bob got me into part-time caption writing jobs for the Bulletin's famous 'machine gun camera' used at major sporting events, stat crew and spotter jobs with local sports radio and most importantly, we became pals and hung around a lot. What a guy. Beef knew everybody and everybody knew and...

My pal Buck... I'm still upset and I know I won't do your passing justice in this brief message. I'm just like the countless others who could say it was an honor to be considered a friend of Bob Vetrone. Whether Buck was spending time with a Hall of Famer or with a guy like me, a simple volleyball coach, his amazing personality was always on display. I can't envision meeting a more genuine person than Buck. Bob was more than a Philadelphia sports legend, he was a wonderful man.

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I want to speak for a large group of Bob's friends, the former roommates. Beef bunked in with Teddy Beitchman and me in the Plaza around 1971 in one of those times when he was between permanent domiciles. That was, of course, before the Big Five opened its office at the Palestra and he moved in.
Beef stayed with us a few weeks. It might have been longer but it was only a one-bedroom apartment. One day I came home to find the living room dark because Bob was sleeping on the couch. I...