Howard Gordon, medalist

Howard Gordon, 67, of Bala Cynwyd, a towel boy for the Eagles in the 1960s and a champion in Special Olympics, died Tuesday, Feb. 5, of a spinal-cord ailment at his home.

Mr. Gordon, who had Down syndrome, was a favorite of Eagles players and coaches. In 1966, at age 20, he was invited to be a towel boy by then-owner Jerry Wolman and team vice president Ed Snider, who at that time was Mr. Gordon's brother-in-law.

He held that position for about five years, said his sister Myrna Snider Thomas.

"He went up to training camp in Hershey with the team," said Snider Thomas. "The players dressed him up in a uniform and gave him a ball and they were teaching him to be a pro, so to speak. He had a great sense of humor, so they had a great time with him.

"He was very funny and very mischievous. . . . He had a fabulous personality."

In 1992, Mr. Gordon participated in the state finals of Special Olympics at Pennsylvania State University. "He won a gold medal for the broad jump and a silver medal for running," his sister said.

Mr. Gordon was born on Jan. 2, 1946, in Washington, the youngest of four children of Manuel and Shirley Gordon.

He attended a special-education school in Washington until his early teens, his sister said. He lived in Bala Cynwyd and East Boothbay, Maine.

In the early 1960s, he attended a summer camp hosted by Eunice Kennedy Shriver at her estate in Virginia. The camp was the forerunner of Special Olympics, which was started by Shriver.

She sent a letter to Mr. Gordon's mother in 1992 congratulating her on his success in the games. "It's wonderful to catch up with old friends and to learn of Howard's successes and his tremendously supportive family and friends," she wrote.

In the 1980s, Mr. Gordon sailed around the world with Snider Thomas and her husband, Martin Thomas, a sea captain.

He enjoyed playing the guitar and harmonica. He liked rock-and-roll, especially the Beatles and Roy Orbison.

He loved to box and was a devoted fan of the sport. He was taught a few moves by Muhammad Ali, whom he met through an aide to the Champ. "Ali was his hero," Snider Thomas said.

Mr. Gordon was a fan of the Flyers and knew many of the players though Snider, the team's chairman.

In addition to his sister, he is survived by another sister, Dobbie Schiff Kristoff, and nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by sister Eileen Gordon Sheldon.

A funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, at Bringhurst Chapel at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, 225 Belmont Ave., Bala Cynwyd. The family will receive guests there at 12:30 p.m.