I would like to know why "Flyers" was chosen for the Philadelphia
hockey team, and what it is a reference to, if anything.

Dear simpulous-ga,
 
The name appears to have been chosen after a brainstorming session. A
competition was announced to choose the name but before it closed, Ed
Snider, Bill Putnam and their wives had a  brain storming session on
the name and Phyllis Snider came up with the name ?flier?. Why it was
changed to flyer no-one could later remember. As the competition was
still open they eventually gave the prize to a Alec Stockard who also
suggested the name.

From the Philadelphia Flyers web site

?Did you know...
Alec Stockard, a nine-year-old boy from Narberth, PA, named the
?Flyers? in a contest.?
http://www.philadelphiaflyers.com/kidspage/RosterDetail.asp?PlayerID=32


This appears to be a fan?s page which is now only available on Google cache.

?Philadelphia Flyers Team History 
?Suddenly, Phyllis Snider blirted out the word 'Flyers.' Phyllis
recalls: 'I was thinking of people skating and sliding around the ice
and 'Flyers' just popped into my head. Everybody thought it was
great.' This posed a problem, however, since the contest was still
running. On August 3, 1966, the team announced its new name. An untold
number of entries had suggested the name 'Flyers', but 9-year old Alec
Stockard was the chosen winner of the contest, who had suggested the
name, 'Fliers.' Nobody can really remember why they decided to spell
the name with a 'y' rather than an 'i'.? ?

http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:RDkFOs6jqIYJ:www.tcnj.edu/~bunks2/Philly/Flyers.html+%22Philadelphia+flyers%22+%22name+flyers%22&hl=en

According to this discussion board the story above is taken from a
book by Jay Greenberg.
http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=83773

Full Spectrum: Philadelphia Flyers (Hardcover)
by Jay Greenberg 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/157243158X/amzna9-1-20/ref=nosim/102-2285725-5359349?dev-t=D26XECQVNV6NDQ%26camp=2025%26link_code=xm2

I hope this answers your question. If it does not, or the answer is
unclear, then please ask for clarification of this research before
rating the answer. I shall respond to the clarification request as
soon as I receive it.
Thank you
answerfinder


"Philadelphia flyers" "name flyers"
://www.google.co.uk/search?q=%22Philadelphia+flyers%22+%22name+flyers%22&btnG=Search&hl=en
"Philadelphia flyers" "Alec Stockard "
://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=%22Philadelphia+flyers%22+%22Alec+Stockard+%22&btnG=Search&meta=

Just what I was looking for. Thank you!