76ers, Fans Prep for Game 4

The Philadelphia 76ers president will climb the Walt Whitman Bridge on Wednesday to help hang a banner which reads, "Go Sixers, Beat LA."

Pat Croce, a daredevil who once rappelled upside down from the roof inside the First Union center during a timeout in a 1999 game, will scale 397 feet above water level to help hang the five-foot by 70-foot banner.

Before the playoffs, Croce climbed a water tower along the Schuylkill Expressway to hang a Sixers banner.

"I`ve climbed the water tower to get this whole city pumped," Croce said. "My friend called me, told me to climb the bridge and I said, `No way.` They kept bugging me and I finally said I`d do it if we make it to the finals."

The Sixers trail the Los Angeles Lakers 2-1 in the NBA Finals. Game 4 is Wednesday night.

Croce wanted to rappel out of his suite onto the court after the Sixers beat the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 7 of the conference finals, but his plan was nixed by Dave Coskey, senior vice president.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Author: 6 ABC - Action News