When Philadelphia sports teams win big and fans celebrate in the streets, you're going to see people trying to climb poles. Street light poles, sign poles, traffic light poles, it really doesn't matter. Even the city greasing the poles downtown doesn’t stop people. In fact, the tradition of climbing a greased pole in Philadelphia goes beyond the Phillies and the Eagles - there’s been an annual competition in the Italian Market for decades. With the Phillies in the World Series and fans going wild, Sabrina Boyd-Surka and KYW Newsradio reporter Nina Baratti talk with the folks behind South Philly’s grease pole competition about where this form of celebration came from, plus some strategies for both greasing and climbing a pole.

Check out Nina’s story on Philly’s greased pole traditions, and watch a 10-minute documentary on the grease pole by Richard Cordisio.

Follow us on Twitter @TheJawncast.

When Philadelphia sports teams win big and fans celebrate in the streets, you're going to see people trying to climb poles. Street light poles, sign poles, traffic light poles, it really doesn't matter. Even the city greasing the poles downtown doesn’t stop people. In fact, the tradition of climbing a greased pole in Philadelphia goes beyond the Phillies and the Eagles - there’s been an annual <a href="https://www.italianmarketfestival.com/grease-pole.html">competition in the Italian Market</a> for decades. With the Phillies in the World Series and fans going wild, <a href="http://twitter.com/sabrinakayab">Sabrina Boyd-Surka</a> and KYW Newsradio reporter <a href="https://twitter.com/Nina_Baratti">Nina Baratti</a> talk with the folks behind South Philly’s grease pole competition about where this form of celebration came from, plus some strategies for both greasing and climbing a pole.
Check out <a href="https://www.audacy.com/kywnewsradio/news/local/philadelphia-phillies-2022-world-series-greased-poles-italian-market-festival">Nina’s story on Philly’s greased pole traditions</a>, and watch a 10-minute <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQgZfqZvp9s">documentary on the grease pole</a> by <a href="https://www.nativefocused.com/">Richard Cordisio</a>.
Follow us on Twitter <a href="http://twitter.com/thejawncast">@TheJawncast</a>.

Unique and unexpected stories out of Philadelphia. Made here, for everyone. Hosted and produced by Brian Seltzer and Sabrina Boyd-Surka.

Unique and unexpected stories out of Philadelphia. Made here, for everyone. Hosted and produced by Brian Seltzer and Sabrina Boyd-Surka.

Advertisement