The annual Danny Rumph Classic tips off this Thursday. Here’s everything you need to know.
The five-day annual pro-am classic honoring the life of Danny Rumph tips-off this Thursday. Here's what to know and how to attend.
After an undiagnosed heart condition led to a sudden cardiac arrest and the death of Danny Rumph at the former Mallery Recreation Center in August 2005, his friends and family turned grief into action, creating the Rumph Classic a year later in 2006.
While honoring Rumph’s legacy and raising awareness for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, this five-day pro-am tournament has also become one of the premier basketball tournaments in Philadelphia and a summer staple for the past 21 years.
Here’s what you need to know about the event, taking place from Thursday to Monday, before this year’s tournament...
What is the Rumph Classic?
The Rumph Classic is a five-day pro-am tournament honoring the memory of Danny Rumph. It serves as the signature event for the Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation.
Eight teams will compete in this year’s men’s tournament, with four teams competing for the women’s tournament. There will also be two showcases on Monday, including a Girls and Boys Next Bright Star Showcase at 20 minutes each.
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This year, there was a kick-off picnic on Sunday with both a youth game and a 50-and-over game. There was also a panel discussion on July 29 to discuss the tournament’s history and impact.
When and where is the Rumph Classic?
The Rumph Classic will take place over five days at Drexel’s Daskalakis Athletic Center, beginning at 5:45 p.m., on Thursday and Friday.
Four games will be played on both days, with the final game in the group scheduled for 8:45 p.m. Here’s a look at the complete tournament schedule and how to get tickets.
Saturday will feature two men’s games at 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. and the women’s semifinals at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday will follow a similar format with the women’s championship at 2 p.m., and the men’s semifinals following at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Monday will kick off with the girls’ Next Bright Star Showcase at 7 p.m. and the boys’ Next Bright Star Showcase at 7:30 p.m. The men’s championship will follow and conclude the tournament.
What’s the easiest way to get there?
Drexel’s arena, the Daskalakis Athletic Center, is located at 3300 Market St., and is mainly accessible by taking SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line to the 34th Street Station stop and walking a block to 33rd. There are also a number of buses and a trolley that pass the DAC’s location.
Need to drive? Drexel has several parking garages near the arena.
What is the Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation?
The Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation, which puts on the Rumph Classic, was founded after Rumph’s passing in 2005. The foundation was created by friends and family with Rumph’s uncle, Marcus Owens, serving as a co-founder and the organization’s president. Rumph’s mother, Viola Owens, is the board chair.
Rumph, a promising young basketball player who played college basketball at Western Kentucky, was 21 when he passed away.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or an enlarged heart, is the leading cause of sudden cardiac arrest in youth today, and the tournament and the foundation work to bring awareness to the issue.
Mallery Recreation Center, the Germatown-based recreation center now known as the Rumph-Mallery Recreation Center, did not have an AED in 2005, nor did any of Rumph’s friends know CPR.
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The foundation now works to raise money for youth heart screenings, and to place defibrillators in gyms in Rumph’s memory. They also provide free CPR and AED training within the Philadelphia community.
Who competes in the Rumph Classic?
The Rumph Classic usual features a collection of Philly-area players, including former college basketball players and even a few NBA players.
In previous years, NBA champion Jalen Brunson and coach Mark Tyndale have participated. Current and former Sixers — including Tyrese Maxey and James Harden — have participated and Allen Iverson has made an appearance.
Lou Williams, Collin Gillespie, and Bones Hyland have all also been a part of the event in past years. Last year, Blue Magic, which featured Archie Goodwin, Providence’s Ed Croswell, Trevon Duval, and Jordan Hall.