Philly, friends, family pay tribute to ‘Mr. Snider’

5:25 PM ET

PHILADELPHIA — Ed Snider once kicked Donald Trump out of a suite during a playoff game.

No, not because Snider, a noted Ayn Rand disciple, may have had differing political views from Trump.

The offense — The Donald would not stop talking.

Snider never wanted an interruption when he watched his beloved Philadelphia Flyers, the team he founded and owned until his death last week.

He was remembered Thursday for his love of the Flyers, the fans and family at a public tribute at the Wells Fargo Center.

Bobby Clarke, the Hall of Famer center and perhaps the greatest Flyer, had one wish for when he died:

“I really hope I get one more chance to play a game in the orange and black for Mr. Snider’s Philadelphia Flyers,” he said.

Snider would cringe when he was called Mr. Snider. He told everybody he knew — employees, the media, players — to simply call him, Ed.

They rarely complied.

He had earned immense respect as arguably the most influential executive in Philadelphia sports history. Stanley Cup championship banners from 1974 and 1975 flanked the stage and the Flyers kept center ice cold and the logo shone bright on the floor inside the darkened arena. “EMS” — initials for Edward Malcolm Snider — was painted on a banner and enveloped by a wreath.

Snider died April 11 after a two-year battle with bladder cancer. He was 83.

“It really hurt and it’s going to hurt us for a long time,” Clarke said at the memorial that was open to the public.

Present and former Philadelphia sports …

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