🦅 From underdog to top dog | Morning Newsletter

Congrats on making it to Friday. The sun should return today but temps won’t get beyond the high 40s.

Philly embraces its underdog persona. It’s part of the city’s identity. During the Eagles’ 2018 run, there were underdog German Shepherd masks, shirts, and beer. Jason Kelce even launched an Underdog Philadelphia apparel line last year.

But this weekend is different. The Birds will head into the playoffs as the NFC’s No. 1 seed with a home-field advantage and the odds are in their favor to win.

Our lead story follows fans as they explain their feelings about the Eagles’ new status.

If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Over the last few months, The Inquirer asked Eagles fans how they feel about the team excelling and being on top.

It’s a mixture of both excitement and anxiety.

The responses included:

“Cautiously optimistic.”

“It’s SO strange!”

“Precarious. Like it could go at any time.”

“Frankly, I feel it is owed to me.”

Some perspective: Joel Fish, a Philadelphia native and director of the Center for Sports Psychology in Center City, said he wasn’t surprised some Philly fans feel nervous with their team ranked No. 1. “We have a history of coming close and we have a history of not being able to get to the finish line, if you will,” he said.

Keep reading to hear from those opting to unabashedly embrace being the favorite.

Based on interviews with family members and sources close to the investigation, The Inquirer knows the parents of the young boy who became one of Philadelphia’s greatest unsolved cases.

The parents: Mary Elizabeth “Betsy” Abel was from the Tioga neighborhood of post-World War II Philadelphia and was a cashier at the Goldman Theater. Augustus J. “Gus” Zarelli was a concrete and stone mason and came from a family of Italian immigrants in West Philly.

In the spring of 1952, the two produced Joseph Augustus Zarelli. He would have a short and painful life and was known for 65 years as only “The Boy in the Box” before he was identified using DNA evidence last month.

Betsy would have been 21 when Joseph was born. Her close relative told The Inquirer she could have put him up for adoption. The Inquirer has not been able to confirm whether someone adopted Joseph.

Continue reading for a full recap of what we do and don’t know about the family.

Gov. Tom Wolf issued the most pardons of any Pennsylvania governor. Meek Mill was among hundreds of people who were granted clemency during Wolf’s final days in office.

Before Wolf, which governor held the record for issuing the most pardons?

A. Ed Rendell

B. Tom Corbett

C. Mark Schweiker

D. Tom Ridge

Find out if you know the answer.

👀 Watching: The U.S. is hitting its debt limit.

🎉 Sharing: How to celebrate Lunar New Year in Philly. Sunday rings in the Year of the Rabbit.

Hint: Yes, it exists (according to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy).

JESTER LARCENY

We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Cheers to Lisa Rowe, who correctly guessed Thursday’s answer: Frankford Avenue. Email us if you know the answer.

All right, you’re all up-to-date. Make the day count and enjoy the start of your weekend. Ashley will talk to you Sunday.