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Punxsutawney Phil's age just part of the lore of Groundhog Day

Anthony DiMattia
Beaver County Times

How old is Punxsutawney Phil?

Basically immortal, so say the experts.

In Punxsutawney, 1886 marked the first time that Groundhog Day appeared in the local newspaper. The following year brought the first official trek to Gobbler's Knob. Each year since then has seen a steady increase in participation of the celebration from people all over the world.

It's been the same Punxsutawney Phil for all 135 years of the tradition, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. That's over 15 times longer than the upper end of a groundhog's typical lifespan. That's an old groundhog.

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Groundhog Club co-handler John Griffiths holds Punxsutawney Phil, the weather prognosticating groundhog, as President Bill Deeley, right,  looks on during the 134th celebration of Groundhog Day on Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., on Feb. 2, 2020.

What keeps Punxsutawney Phil going?

Those at the club say a special diet keeps Pennsylvania's most famous groundhog coming back each year, according to https://www.groundhog.org/.

The club's Inner Circle, 15 members tasked with protecting and perpetuating the legend of the great weather-predicting groundhog, claim they keep him immortal by feeding him the 'groundhog punch' every year.

In the late summer, the club makes a Trek to Phil's Stump at Gobbler's Knob to feed him his “Elixir of Life,” members say. The elixir is made from a secret recipe and provides Phil with the potion that has sustained his longevity and youthful good looks, they said.

See photos from Punxsutawney: Phil predicts 6 more weeks of winter on Groundhog Day

Phil's noteworthy accomplishments through the years

Over the course of the years, members say Phil has had numerous noteworthy highlights:

  • During Prohibition Phil threatened to impose 60 weeks of winter on the community if he wasn't allowed a drink.
  • In 1958, Phil announced that it was a "United States Chucknik," rather than a Soviet Sputnik or Muttnik, that became the first man-made satellite to orbit Earth.
  • Phil traveled to Washington, D.C., in 1986 to meet with President Ronald Reagan.
  • Phil met Pennsylvania Gov. Dick Thornburg in 1987.
  • Phil appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show in 1995.
  • In 2001, Phil's prediction was shown live on the JumboTron at Times Square in New York City. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell attended the ceremonies, making him the first sitting governor ever to do so.
  • Stephen Tobolowsky, who played Ned Ryserson in the movie "Groundhog Day," attended the 2010 Groundhog Day Celebration in Punxsutawney.
  • Danny Rubin, writer of the screenplay "Groundhog Day," attended Groundhog Day 2013. This was the first time he attended Groundhog Day since before the movie was released.
  • In March 2015, Punxsutawney and members of the Inner Circle traveled to Indianapolis, Indiana, to participate in the March Madness college basketball bracket picking challenge against Dick Vitale.