Skateboard Benjamin: Drawing on Philly’s relationship with skateboarders

Years ago, when the Love Park skateboarding controversy arose in Philadelphia, the Inquirer ediorial page astounded many when it sided with the skateboarders.

 I did a drawing of Ben Franklin on a skateboard as part of our argument that there was no doubt whom forever young Ben would have sided with.

Larry Platt, editor at the time of Philly Mag, sided with the scolds and chided Chris Satullo, the paper’s editorial page editor at the time, with the words: “How would Satullo like it if there was a wiffle ball game in front of his office every day?”  

Chris, now WHYY’s vice president of news and civic dialogue, promptly challenged Philly Mag to a wiffle ball game on behalf of the Inquirer, which was played. No one remembers who won, but if there is any justice in the world, it was the Inquirer.