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Frank Bertucci, man about Philly sports, dies at 68.

Frank Bertucci was a Penn Relays staple. He worked on newspapers and colleges; he loved his family and friends — it was mutual.

Frank Bertucci.
Frank Bertucci.Read more

NOBODY HAS ever had a better time at the Penn Relays than Frank Bertucci.

Officially, Bertucci wrote advance stories and oversaw a staff of young journalism students who compiled results and quotes for use by the media.

Unofficially, he held court.

Bertucci worked the event for more than 40 years, so if you had questions, he had the answers.

Sadly, this year was his last at the track and field carnival. Bertucci, 68, died of a heart attack at his South Philadelphia home on Friday, just one week after the 121st running of the prestigious event.

"As quiet as he was and as surly as he appeared, he just liked to be around people," his sister, Mary Lou Bertucci Rooney, said yesterday. "I can't tell you the number of kids who would come up to him and say, 'Thank you Mr. Bertucci for that letter of recommendation.' He loved being around young people."

Bertucci worked at various times as a writer and editor for the Daily News, the Inquirer and Bulletin. He also worked at Penn and La Salle and was the head of public relations for the Firebirds when they won the Lockhart Cup in 1976.

"Frank was a tremendous asset to the Daily News," said Pat McLoone, the paper's managing editor. "He had an incredible knowledge of Philly sports and local and international soccer and knew everyone at all the Big 5 schools. More importantly, he kept everyone laughing and reminded us all not to take ourselves too seriously."

Ray Didinger and Dick Weiss, both former Daily News staffers, attended Temple with Bertucci.

"We met in September of 1964 as incoming freshmen in the journalism school," Didinger said. "Frank and I had classes together and we sort of bonded over hockey.

"I remember in October of 1967 they had a 'Meet the Flyers Day' at the Spectrum. It was an open practice at 2 o'clock. We cut our afternoon classes and took the subway. The whole way down we were talking about how many people would be there. Frank said he thought they're would be about 10,000. So we got there early and there were 20 people, and half of them were ushers.

"Frank turned to me and said, 'This just may not work out in Philadelphia.' "

Didinger said that he and Frank purchased Flyers season tickets in Section 17, where they enjoyed many games, including the last hockey game ever played at the arena in April 2009.

"The Phantoms were playing and Frank called. We went down and sat in the same seats that we used to watch the Flyers from in Section 17," Didinger said, savoring the memory. "Frank was really a good friend. I'll miss him."

Weiss, better known in the Philly basketball world as "Hoops," said he and Bertucci hit it off right away.

"We met at Temple," Weiss said. "The first day of English class I saw a guy with a Daily News under his arm, and I had a Daily News under my arm. We've been friends ever since.

"He just loved the Penn Relays. I thought it was so great that he got to do the Relays [this year]. You always expected to see Frank there. People are going to miss him."

Indeed, Bertucci was held in high regard there. In 2013, he received a watch as the recipient of the Jesse Abramson Award, which is given to a media member who has "consistently demonstrated a devotion" to the event.

Bertucci's other love was soccer.

He attended several World Cups, and even covered the event for the Daily News.

"That was his game," said Daily News sports writer Mike Kern. "I remember him dragging me to a pub once to watch a World Cup game at like 9 in the morning. It was great.

"Frank could be an acquired taste, but once you got to know him he was as good a friend as anyone could ever hope to have."

Drew McQuade, the newspaper's assistant sports editor, agreed.

"Frank spoke the truth and worked on friendship more than any other person I ever met," McQuade said. "And he had an incredibly kind nature. The Christmas cards my family sends out each year are bought from Project Home with a portion going to the homeless organization. The card does not ask for a donation, yet Frank sees the fine print on the card and donates to the organization. That's a special person."

Jim DeStefano, an editor on the sports copy desk, said he enjoyed working with Bertucci.

"Frank worked with us three nights a week, and it was always a better place to be on those nights. He was a hard worker and fun to be around."

Bertucci's sister said he always loved track, a sport he participated in at Bishop Neumann High School. But, she noted, he had a wide variety of other interests.

"He loved Shakespeare," she said. "In fact, we have two tickets to see an all-day festival in Brooklyn. I was so looking forward to it. Now, I can't stand the thought of it."

Austin Rooney, Bertucci's nephew and godson, said he has fond memories of summer trips with his uncle.

"They were just a lot of fun," he said. "He treated me like a little brother. We went to Cooperstown [Baseball Hall of Fame], to Canton, Ohio [Pro Football Hall] and to the College Football Hall of Fame.

"And we would always make side trips to minor league baseball games. And he'd take me to other halls of fame . . . boxing, lacrosse, American soccer, indoor soccer. And he kept notes about everywhere we went. I'm hoping to find them when we go through his house."

Bertucci took trips of another kind after he turned 65 and found out he could ride public transportation for free. He would travel the city and surrounding suburbs by bus and trolley and often record his adventures on his blog "Frank Thoughts."

"I didn't know anyone who didn't like him," said his sister.

Bertucci is survived by his sister, his brother-in-law, Robert Rooney, his nephew Austin and Austin's fiancee, Dana Suchecki, and several godchildren.

A viewing will be held at the Pennsylvania Burial Co., 1327 S. Broad St., from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, and from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Rita of Cascia Church, Broad and Ellsworth streets. Burial will be at Holy Cross Cemetery, Yeadon.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Frank's memory to the Williams Syndrome Association, 570 Kirts Blvd., Suite 223, Troy, Mich., 48084-4156.