Chase Utley, the son-in-law of 1962 Cheltenham High School graduate Allen Cooper (above right) and the greatest second baseman in Philadelphia Phillies history, will be inducted into the Philadelphia Phillies Wall of Fame on Friday, August 7 at Citizens Bank Park.

“It will be a special moment,” Utley said during a press conference at BayCare Ballpark. “As players, we don’t play the game to get recognized, to get awards. But now that we have the ability to kind of sit back and reflect on your career, it’s special. It will be an honor to be part of this special club with the Phillies. The Phillies are my family.”

According to local historian Chuck Langerman, Cooper was an All-Suburban One end in football and played on the 1961 Cheltenham High football team with sophomore star running back Reggie Jackson. After graduating from college, he relocated to San Francisco, got married, and had a daughter named Jennifer Cooper.

Cooper attended UCLA as an Art/Dance major where was introduced to Chase Utley by former Philadelphia Eagles’ wide receiver Freddie Mitchell, Utley’s teammate at the time, on Valentine’s Day in 2000.

Utley and Cooper married in January of 2007 and have two boys named Max and Ben. According to Langerman, Allen Cooper used to ask Utley how he would support his daughter if he didn’t make it in baseball.

More about Utley’s induction here.

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Image: MLB.com