Philadelphia Flyers Hockey Team “Sign” Stamford Grandma
Margaret “Marge” Robben never guessed that she would gain internet fame at the age of 87 and have her own line of t-shirts as a result. A grandma to 14 grandchildren and a resident at Edgehill in Stamford, Conn., a Benchmark continuing care retirement community, she recently went viral on Twitter over an unusual Tweet.
Marge’s grandson, Cam Atkinson, recently was traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Philadelphia Flyers National Hockey League (NHL) team. She was elated when he sent her one of his new jerseys to wear, but her excitement quickly turned to annoyance when she tried to take a selfie wearing the jersey but couldn’t get his name to show in the photo. So, the proud Grandma decided to reverse it and wear it backward so she could give his name the recognition it deserved.
“Cam thought it was so creative that his grandma would do that, so he posted it on Twitter,” said Marge.
What happened next was something that neither Cam nor Marge would ever expect.
“I got 2,500 responses from Flyers fans. I was answering questions all day long. The ‘Twitter calls’ kept coming over two days. The Flyers fan base is incredible. They sent me the most beautiful messages,” said Marge.
Not soon after, the Flyers management noticed the viral post and gave Marge, who now goes by the hashtag #GrandmaMarge, her very own line of merchandise. The t-shirts proudly display Marge’s likeness wearing Cam’s jersey the way she thinks it should be worn, backward.
Although Marge never expected Twitter fame, she isn’t new to technology. She learned long ago “that if you want to keep up with your family and what they are doing, you learn how to use it. I learned right along with them and have been using Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for quite a long time. I am even on TikTok,” she said.
Cam comes from a long line of athletes and others who proudly contributed to their communities. In the 40s and 50s, Marge played softball for the Police Athletic League, basketball in high school and after having her five kids, played tennis.
Her late husband, John Robben, who Marge met at 15, played baseball as a young man. He was also a well-known writer and columnist. In business, his claim to fame was founding the ubiquitous BABY ON BOARD sign.
Cam’s mother is also a legendary tennis player. His father is a Canadian-born former hockey coach who has the game running through his veins.
Despite being one of the shorter players in the league, Cam has lived up to his family’s impressive legacy, racking up an array of remarkable stats in his 32 years through dedication and a lot of hard work.
On October 15 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Marge and her entire family will celebrate two important occasions—Cam’s first game as a Flyers player and Marge’s new t-shirt line. She will join the Flyers’ mascot, Gritty, to celebrate this momentous occasion and may even appear on the Zamboni.
“It’s going to be so much fun. I can’t wait,” said Marge.
