A'S BIG WEEKEND
by Max Silberman
A full weekend of baseball and fun hosted by Dr. Steve Harlem began
on Friday, October 24 at the Delaware Valley Veterans Home in Northeast
Philadelphia. Lou Brissie, pitching star of the late 1940s and war
hero visited the residents as is his custom and delighted the audience
with baseball stories and presented them with Hartland Statues of
Brissie, a gift to the Veterans from the Philadelphia Athletics
Historical Society. Saturday, October 25 was a rainy and stormy
day but that did not stop hundreds of fans from attending an autograph
session at the Day's Inn with Bob Friend, Bobby Shantz, Joe Astroth,
Spook Jacobs, Lou Brissie, Don Hasenmayer, Sally Ferguson and Joanne
McComb In addition to the guests, free hot dogs, popcorn and crackerjacks
added to the festive baseball atmosphere.
On Sunday, October 26 a short autograph session was followed by
a sit down dinner starting at 4 o'clock which gave everyone time
to watch the Phillies in the World Series. Rabbi Shmuel Jablon delivered
the opening address. Other speakers included Bill Hockenbury who
introduced his pal Lou Brissie. Lou spoke to the fans as did Bob
Friend. The players in attendance were happy to participate in a
question and answer session. A great weekend was enhanced by the
Phillies success making baseball fans in the area very happy.
Dr. Harlem worked long and hard to make this a memorable weekend
but without the work of our volunteers who hosted autograph signers,
sold merchandise, transported a large amount of items from the museum
to the Day's Inn, Williamson's and back to the museum and even cooked
hot dogs and bagged popcorn, the event could never have taken place.
The Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society will continue to provide
the opportunity for fans and players to get together at future events
in 2009 still in the planning stages.
Behind the scenes at all our events is our Vice President for Player
Relations, John Addison who labors all year long to maintain contacts
with all the A's family.


Sonny Smith of Hunts Auctions Inc of Exton.Pa
provided free memorabilia appraisals
for any attendee at the show. Hunts is
one of the Sports Hobbies most prominent auction services
and can be contacted at info@huntauctions.com to appraise any of
your items free of any charge.
Check
out their web-site for more specific details.

Crowd at the Days Inn

John Addison & Joe Searles

Spook Jacobs & Bob Friend

Joe Astroth & Lou Brissie

Hunts Auction represenative, Sonny Smith evaluating
for a fan.

Former Ladies Pro players, Sara Jane & Salty

Bobby Shantz, Craig Murden

Battery mates, Lou Brissie & Joe Astroth

Scene at the Days Inn

Solly & Rose Citrino cooking the free hot dogs

Legal Counsel Harry Citrino waiting for a "DOG"

Hot Dogs cooking

Rose Citrino sporting her own Phillies shirt

Society's Harry Adams manning a table

Max Silberman, Clara McGonigal, Rikki Silberman
& John Patton at the guests table
 

Mrs Jacobs, Spook Jacobs & Lou Brissie

Bill Hockenbury has a ball

Bobby Shantz & John Addison

Shirley & Bobby Shantz

Mr & Mrs Bob Friend

Joe & Marge Astroth

Event Master of Ceromonies Steve Harlem

Guest speaker Rabbi Schmuel Jablon

Guest speaker Rabbi Schmuel Jablon

Williamsons dinner guests

Williamsons dinner guests

Williamsons dinner guests

Tom Risi, Bill Bozman, Steve Bozman

Dinner guests

Lou Brissie address's the crowd

Scene before we opened






The Following Photos By Carl Goldberg

 
More Photos from the A's Society Big Event










|