Running Numbers

A scholarly look at the digits that matter.

by Nick Norlen

35 Age that Eagles' free safety Brian Dawkins will turn on Oct. 13 — making him the first on the team to reach that age. I'm telling you this now so you have time to get him a present. B-Dawk hates when he doesn't get presents. Maybe a nice new helmet visor?

350 Current motorcycle land speed record, in miles per hour, that participants of the Ride Now Philadelphia 2008 motorcycle ride benefiting Autism Speaks on Sept. 28 will likely try to break when they realize their route is from the Camden Waterfront to Trump Marina in Atlantic City. Festivities start at 8 a.m. Register at ridenow.autismspeaks.org. I know, I haven't made fun of Jersey in a while. But this is for a good cause.

3,500 Number of times per game that the St. Joseph's University mascot — the Hawk — flaps its wings, according to its bio at mascothalloffame.com, where he was recently in the running for the 2008 Golden Silly String Award. Results of the contest will be online soon, says MHOF CEO and executive committee chair Dave Raymond, who you know better as the original Phillie Phanatic. I wonder if Dave still does birthdays. ...

$35,000 Fundraising goal — to support hospice and palliative care — set for this year's Hutchinson Cup Regatta, which will feature 30 events on the Schuylkill starting at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 27. Visit hutchcup.org for more information and to see if they've accepted my suggestion for event 31: the Mascot Relay Row.

350,000 Number of gallons of pure grain alcohol that were illegally distributed to the rest of the country via Philadelphia 80 years ago this month, according to a Sept. 1928 Time magazine story accessed through their archive. Philly will apparently reclaim its status as "a spigot from which alcohol poured" this weekend, with Philly Oktoberfest at the 23rd Street Armory on Sept. 27 and the Sippin' by the River benefit for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation at Penn's Landing on Sept. 28, both from 1 to 5 p.m. Buy tickets at phillybeerfests.com and sippinbytheriver.com, respectively. Sadly, grain alcohol will not be served.

Hey ... can I get your digits? I want to hear about the numerals you need to see. Let a number-runner know at runningnumbers@gmail.com.