Beloved sports collector | Sports Daily Newsletter

The sports memorabilia world can be transactional, but Carl Henderson navigated it with warmth and integrity.

Henderson opened Carl’s Cards in 1995, and it has since become a staple in the Havertown community. He was a lifelong fan of the area’s sports teams, and that passion showed in his work.

Carl’s Cards has something for everyone — and his daughter, Lauren Henderson-Pignetti, is determined to keep it that way.

On the morning of Jan. 31, Carl Henderson died unexpectedly in his sleep. He was 69 when he passed. He was a beloved figure at his shop and beyond.

About 400 people gathered together during a memorial service last week in Bryn Mawr. Former Phillies pitcher Dickie Noles read a passage from the Old Testament. Members of the Broad Street Bullies sat among the crowd.

His shop looks a little different now. There’s sympathy cards pinned along the walls and a sign sits in the front window to commemorate the longtime owner. But the character remains the same.

Henderson-Pignetti sees Carl’s Cards as a way to honor her late father, because, “He spent 31 years building this place. He would have wanted everything to stay the way it was.”

— Isabella DiAmore, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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Rob Thomson hasn’t settled on the order but wants Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper to bat in the first inning.

Alec Bohm was the Phillies’ most frequent cleanup hitter over the last two seasons and is the leading candidate to reprise the role in his last year before free agency. He said that his game was “down last year,” but is confident that his ability to “put the ball in play” will be an asset in the cleanup spot.

And José Alvarado is starting to ramp up after an 80-game suspension and a forearm injury limited him to 28 appearances last season.

🤼 Preparing: Major League Wrestling will return to Philadelphia to host two nights of action at the 2300 Arena this summer.

🏈 Learning: The name of the Eagles’ headquarters is changing from NovaCare Complex to Jefferson Health Training Complex.

🤔 Wondering: VJ Edgecombe opened up about his rookie year with the Sixers. Here’s what the young star said on the Club 520 Podcast.

⛸️ Following: South Jersey figure skater Isabeau Levito is in eighth place after the women’s short program at the Winter Olympics.

Next week, 319 college football prospects will descend on Indianapolis for the annual NFL scouting combine. The Eagles’ needs are well-known, but how do they match up with the available talent in this draft?

Here is how we’re ranking the combine position groups from strongest to weakest — and how they could help the Eagles address some roster needs.

After 11 days, the Flyers were back on the ice Tuesday in Voorhees. The common theme: the playoffs are still within reach.

With 26 games left on the schedule, and just five until the trade deadline, time is ticking on the season. Will the Flyers be buyers, sellers, or somewhere in between? A lot will be determined by their first five games.

Carver Engineering & Science’s buzzer-beating attempt to overturn a ban from the Public League boys’ basketball playoffs was swatted away on Tuesday.

A judge denied the team’s plea for an emergency injunction to stop Tuesday night’s semifinal game between Constitution High School and Imhotep Charter. This comes after the Engineers were disqualified from the Public League playoffs following a skirmish in the quarterfinals with Constitution. The student athletes of E&S are “disappointed” in the decision.

Who was the last Sixer to win the MVP award in the NBA All-Star Game?

A) Allen Iverson in 2005.

We asked: How will the Phillies’ outfield stack up to last year’s version? Among your responses:

Let’s see now! The Phillies just let the best centerfielder they’ve had since the Flyin’ Hawaiian just walk away. To top that off they also let one of best pitchers in baseball just walk away. Just to prove they’ve totally lost their mind, why not just cut the right fielder and give him a $19,250,000 bonus? The Mets got better. The Braves got better. The Marlins got better. The Nationals got better and our fightins got worse. — Ronald R.

Why the Phillies would risk a World Series run with such a questionable outfield is beyond amazing to me. I like Marsh alot but he has proven that he seriously struggles against lefties. I love giving young players a chance but with this team’s roster and playoff expectations this seems to be a tremendous amount of pressure to put on Crawford. And Garcia … I’m sorry but I just can’t get excited about a .227 batting average. Letting Bader go is baffling considering the expectations for this team. I believe there will be an outfield shakeup early in the season unless Phillies Management is quietly trying to rebuild the team and is willing to miss the playoffs. Letting Ranger Suarez go as well as Bader makes me suspicious this is the case. — Bob A.

Three question marks! Marsh did rebound in 2025 but was platooned. Crawford is a rookie and Garcia is a low risk, high potential project. Otto Kemp (one of the best names in baseball!), if healthy, could provide much needed punch to the offense - but can he field?? — Bob C.

Lots of questions re the outfield. Can Ott handle the role of right handed hitting left fielder? Can Crawford hit MLB pitching and cover CF as well as Bader who never should have been let go. And although Garcia will be an improvement over Nick, will he be good enough to carry this group. We will certainly not be seeing Delahanty, Thompson, & Hamilton out there, nor Burrell, Victorino, and Werth, but let’s hope for the best. Guarded optimism at best. — Everett S.

Adolis Garcia is a career .237 hitter, averaging 30 HRs and 97 RBIs for his 7-year career.That is not substantially different than who he replaces, Castellanos, except for his superior defense.Crawford has more upside than Bader and Rojas in center field.Combined, they offer more offensive and defensive potential than last year’s outfield.With that upgrade, and an improved bullpen, the Phillies should be a stronger contender in 2026. — John W.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, Scott Lauber, Lochlahn March, Devin Jackson, Matt Breen, Jackie Spiegel, Ariel Simpson, Gabriela Carroll, Ellen Dunkel, Brooke Ackerman, and Katie Lewis.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

As always, thanks for reading. Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday. Kerith will catch back up with you in Thursday’s newsletter. — Bella