The Ralph Club

THE MEANING OF “RALPH” (pronounced “ralf”); noun; 1) in its most general sense, Philadelphia lacrosse slang for a person who truly loves the game of lacrosse and works actively to promote its growth at all levels in the Greater Philadelphia Region; 2) a demonstrative and often vocal individual practiced through experience in the art of embellishment and the liberal use of hyperbole as it pertains to the lacrosse accomplishments of a related party; 3) a member of the “Ralph Club” — a cast of characters, which historically included Ringleader Ralph Davy (whose name is the source of the moniker) – all of whom shared a penchant for conspicuous, unabashed, but ultimately fun-loving displays of pride with regard to an offspring’s athletic feats, whether on the sidelines during lacrosse games or while departing from agenda items during Philadelphia Lacrosse Association board meetings (in the organization’s formative years); 4) a founding member of the Philadelphia Lacrosse Association, or one who carries the torch for the good of the game, regardless of name, gender or generation.

Ralph (ralf); verb: 1) to engage in promotion, whether on behalf of the game of lacrosse or as an advocate for a related party, or both; 2) to demonstrate passion for America’s truly native game, which often manifests itself in both manic and proselytizing zeal; 3) to thoroughly enjoy a lacrosse tailgate party, particularly one in connection with an NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship game over Memorial Day Weekend, whether a related party is directly involved or not.

As used twice in a sentence: Ralph it up you Ralphs! (Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary of Lacrosse Lexicon).