Jordan Mailata wins first Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award, which now bears the name of the late Phillies chairman

After 65 years of honoring athletes, organizations, and teams for their on-field success, the John Wanamaker Athletic Award is entering its next chapter — and it’s bringing a new legacy with it.

The newly renamed Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award pays tribute to both Wanamaker and former Phillies president, the late David Montgomery.

As part of the change, the award — which was previously presented to “the athlete, team or organization which has done the most to reflect credit upon Philadelphia and to the team or sport in which they excel” — will now focus more on athletes’ off-field accomplishments. It will honor recipients’ work in their communities and their love for the city.

This year, that’s Jordan Mailata. The Eagles offensive tackle will be the first to receive the Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award, in recognition of his work with The Philly Specials.

The award, which was previously presented by PHL Sports, is now under the direction of the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative, a group with the mission to enrich the lives of every child through the power of sports.

» READ MORE: ‘He truly cared about everyone here’: Late president, CEO David Montgomery added to Phillies’ Wall of Fame

The name change is intentional. And the inspiration behind it came to Beth Devine, the executive director of PYSC, when she was walking through City Hall and saw the Wanamaker statue.

“It just came crashing into my brain,” Devine said. “This article was written after Dave died, and the author said in his opportunity working with Dave, he asked him how he wanted to be remembered. And Dave never liked to answer that question. … But, then he finally answered by saying, ‘Go to Wanamaker statue at City Hall and see what it says. That’s how I want to be remembered.’

“There’s only one word besides his name and it’s ‘Citizen.’ Dave was just a true citizen of Philadelphia. Everything he did was for the betterment of the city and the people of the city. That was when my hesitancy on the whole thing just melted away and I said of course, that’s what it is.”

While the Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award is named after two native Philadelphians, its first recipient was born halfway around the world. Still, Mailata’s contributions to the city are undeniable.

The Philly Specials, the holiday band featuring fellow Eagles tackle Lane Johnson and former center Jason Kelce, raised over $4 million with their first two albums, and used the proceeds from their third to launch “Operation Snowball,” which provided Christmas gifts to every public and charter school student and teacher in Philadelphia.

» READ MORE: Jordan Mailata named Eagles’ 2025 Walter Payton Man of the Year

But it’s about more than just the former Australian rugby player’s charity work.

“There are a lot of worthy people, but I think that the way people take to him is a little different,” Devine said. “He comes across as just this down to Earth guy. If you think about his path, it’s almost accidental. He was a rugby player from another country. But I think the way he has embraced Philadelphia is important.

“He seems like the down-to-Earth guy that reminded me of David. I think he shared his love for the city and I think it’s interesting that he’s not a Philadelphian, certainly, because he has embraced Philadelphia as his own. He’s ours and I think he knows that and embraces that too. He makes you feel good about what he is and what he’s doing and that’s how Dave was.”

Montgomery, who was the president of the Phillies for 17 years, passed away from cancer in 2019 at 72 years old. During his tenure, he oversaw the team’s transition to Citizens Bank Park and its most recent World Series title in 2008.

In 2020, Montgomery was posthumously named the winner of the Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and in 2024, he was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame.

There are plenty of accolades Montgomery will be remembered for, but Beth will always remember him for his dedication to the community. He always showed up — even if that meant making meetings right after cancer treatment.

“We had a meeting [scheduled] in this really specific place, and I was like, that’s interesting,” Devine recalled. “But me and two other board members went down to meet him and it turns out he wanted it there because he had treatment. He came across the street from treatment to talk through next steps for the organization. He definitely was not a chair in name. He did the work.”

» READ MORE: Phillies chairman David Montgomery was the face of courage and grace in his final years | Mike Sielski

Now, under the stewardship of PYSC, his impact will continue to grow with the Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award.

“We couldn’t be happier that PYSC, an organization that does fantastic work, is taking the torch and moving forward with the award and connecting it to David and his family,” said Larry Needle, the executive director of PHL Sports. “It just feels right and David would be so proud of the legacy of PYSC and the thousands of young people that they impact every year.

“It’s just the perfect time, perfect fit.”

The Montgomery-Wanamaker Citizens Award will be presented to Mailata, who was also the Eagles’ 2025 nominee for Walter Payton Man of the Year, at the new Philadelphia Sports Legacy Honors on May 20 at the Alan Horwitz Sixth Man Center.

As the award enters its next era, Devine is excited to preserve the Wanamaker Award’s tradition, while also being able to honor Montgomery.

“The legacy doesn’t change, it just shifts,” Devine said. “I don’t look at this lightly by any stretch because it couldn’t be more like the stars have aligned. And I feel that every day.”

Needle added: “The idea that the award will carry on in his name just couldn’t be more special and more perfect.”