From Jalen Hurts to Bryce Harper to Jay Wright, here are the Inquirer’s best sports stories of 2022

Everyone does best-of lists this time of year, and nobody likes doing them more than sportswriters do. We get a chance to highlight some of the good work we did, and despite all Inquirer.com-commenter protestations to the contrary, we actually did produce some good work this year. Honest.

So here it is: The Inquirer’s best sports journalism and biggest sports stories of 2022. The stories and columns are in no particular order. Hope you enjoyed them then and now, and hope you have a great 2023.

» READ MORE: Roberto Clemente’s death 50 years ago forever changed his son, a former Phillies minor leaguer

Pete Rose showed up at Citizens Bank Park and embarrassed himself and the Phillies. David Murphy let him have it.

Jeff McLane got Jalen Hurts to open up about his place in the Eagles’ legacy of Black quarterbacks.

This was our package of stories to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX.

Remember when the Phillies won the National League pennant? Scott Lauber and Marcus Hayes told the story of Bryce Harper’s dramatic home run in Game 5 against the San Diego Padres.

Jonathan Tannenwald posited that Andre Blake is the most important player in Union history.

Matt Breen on the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber: slugger and (literal) choirboy.

Olivia Reiner on the methods (and madness?) of John Tortorella.

Keith Pompey on the trade that ended the Ben Simmons era with the 76ers and kicked off the James Harden era in Philadelphia.

Mike Jensen broke the story that Fran Dunphy was returning to coaching ... at his alma mater, La Salle.

The roller-coaster story of Sultan Shabazz, who could have been Kobe Bryant at Lower Merion before Kobe got there.

E.J. Smith traveled to Houston to profile Hurts.

Josh Tolentino traveled to Kilgore College in Texas to profile Lane Johnson.

Gina Mizell on the effervescent Tyrese Maxey.

Alex Coffey with the remarkable story of Phillies reliever Andrew Bellatti, a fatal mistake, and an act of forgiveness.

Former Eagles coach Dick Vermeil was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August. His journey there almost destroyed him.

Mike Jensen on the Northeast Philly roots of Villanova’s Collin Gillespie and the long hoops journey of coaching legend Herb Magee.

Matt Breen on former Sixers draft pick Marko Milič, the precursor of Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Dončić. Oh, and he once dunked over a car.

Philadelphia will host matches during the 2026 World Cup. So sayeth Jonathan Tannenwald.

Jeff McLane on the passion of Jason Kelce.

» READ MORE: im Mayza gave up Aaron Judge’s 61st home run. Why his moment of failure was actually a triumph.

Jay Wright retired. This column tried to explain why he did.

Alex Coffey explained why the Phillies’ Brandon Marsh wears his hair like a member of ZZ Top.

We ranked the 50 greatest Eagles, Sixers, and Flyers of all time.

Scott Lauber chronicled Rob Thomson’s only other year as a pro baseball manager ... in Oneonta, N.Y.

David Murphy on the beautiful torment of the Phillies’ playoff victory over the Cardinals.

In profiling Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, Jeff McLane joined him for a Little League baseball game in South Jersey.

Mike Jensen on Immaculata alumni Theresa Grentz and Marianne Stanley, who went from Delaware County to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Remember when Joe Girardi was managing the Phillies and then they fired him? Scott Lauber does.

One of the best catches in Phillies history brought Tony Barron decades of pain. Matt Breen explained why Barron would do it again.

» READ MORE: Brandon Graham’s impact off the field is best described by those whose lives he’s touched