Wheeler speaks to Caddie-Scholars at 2010 Platt Caddie Brunch

Days after the Phillies created a huge buzz with its signing of all-star pitcher Cliff Lee, longtime team broadcaster and Blue Bell Country Club member Chris Wheeler served as the keynote speaker for the Platt Caddie Scholarship’s annual brunch. More than 200 guests, including caddie-scholars, J. Wood Platt contributors and Board of Trustee members, attended the Dec. 18 gathering at the Manor House at Commonwealth National Golf Club.

The affable and energetic Wheeler touched on the Phils upcoming pitching rotation, broached questions about the outfield with the departure of Jayson Werth and spoke on other topics pertaining to the team. He called Larry Bowa, now a friend and golfing buddy, his favorite Phillie and asserted that this is the greatest era in Phillies’ baseball history. Wheeler, in his 34th year as a team broadcaster, also reflected upon the work of the Trust and thanked those who continue in its support.

The Caddie-Brunch was born in 1995 with the idea of providing caddie-scholars an opportunity to meet board members of both the Trust and Golf Association of Philadelphia as well as Lifetime contributors and officers of GAP Member Clubs. It has been held annually since, with the exception of last year, due to a December blizzard.

The Brunch also serves as the platform for the J. Wood Platt to honor its Francis C. Poore Caddie of the Year. This year’s recipient was John Pawlowski of Whitford Country Club. Pawlowski will graduate from the University of Delaware this spring with a degree in a finance and economics. A well-spoken and humbled Pawlowski, who holds a 3.89 GPA, graciously accepted the award on behalf of all caddie-scholars and thanked not only the Trust but its contributors for their administrative and financial support. A full story on Pawlowski will appear in the spring issue of the Golf Association of Philadelphia Magazine set for publication in late March.

Also recognized by the Trust and Chairman Jack Endicott on this day was George Hayward, a sophomore at Penn State University and a current caddie-scholar who earned $123,000 in tuition in the 2010 Dr. Pepper Million Dollar Tuition Giveaway. Hayward, an architecture student, tossed a perfect 10 of 10 footballs into a Dr. Pepper inflatable can during halftime of the Big 12 Championship football game. Hayward’s journey started with a one-minute entry video after which he was selected as one of five finalists from more than 10,000 entries for the Big 12 Championship game.

The five Dr. Pepper finalists then competed in a preliminary contest a day before the game in Dallas, Texas with the two winners advancing to the final and competing head-to-head during halftime of the Big 12 title tilt. A complete story on Hayward’s adventures will also appear in the spring issue of the Golf Association of Philadelphia Magazine in March.

Since it was founded in 1958, the Platt Caddie Scholarship Trust has awarded more than 14.3 million in grants to over 3,200 young men and women.