REUNION HISTORY
by Max Silberman
In March of 1996, several months before the Philadelphia Athletics
Historical Society was organized, the first of 14 reunions of the
Philadelphia A's took place.
Promoter Jim Lutz had previously hosted baseball card and autograph
shows with the added bonus of a breakfast with the players. On different
occasions he conferred with Ernie Montella and this writer to see
if we thought there would be interest in an A's reunion. Another
hobby giant, Ted Taylor, who penned a column for the Philadelphia
Daily News help publicize the event. It was later through his column
that word of the formation of an Athletics fan club started the
ball rolling.
A dozen former Athletics attended the first reunion at the Holiday
Inn in Fort Washington. Those players now deceased are marked with
an *. Eddie Joost, Eddie Collins Jr. *, Bobby Shantz, Lou Brissie,
Carl Scheib,Wayne Ambler*, Allie Clark, Spook Jacobs, Mickey Rutner,
Al Brancato, Joe Astroth and John Gray formed the first list of
guests.
Reunion II was moved to Bensalem where the Holiday Inn could handle
100 breakfast guests, 80 attended the first breakfast. Demand for
tickets was so great that Ernie Montella went there armed with his
tools and dismantled a centerpiece. Impossibly, 150 guests were
seated to have breakfast with Pete Suder, Ferris Fain and Eddie
Joost, that record setting double play combo of 1949. Elmer Valo*
and Irv Hall* joined the reunion crew.
Again demand for Reunion III caused the event to move to the Warrington
Motor Lodge where 300 guests could be accommodated. In November
of 1997, the first autumn reunion was held there with Gus Zernial,
Bill Renna, Ray Murray* , Les McCrabb, Crash Davis*, Eddie Robinson
and Skeeter Kell joining our expanding list of players.
Reunion IV was held in March of 1998. Coming on board were Andy
Seminick*, Vic Power*, Gene Benson *, Mickey Vernon, Lou Limmer
, Bill Hockenbury and Billy DeMars.
Reunion V in November of 1998 featured Hall of Famers George Kell
and Robin Roberts, Curt Simmons and Bubba Church* in addition to
our "steadies." We squeezed 335 breakfast guests in for
that one!
In future reunions Bob Savage, Bob Dillinger, Barney Schultz. Putsy
Caballero, Roy Sievers, Walt Kellner*, Joe DeMaestri, Art Ditmar,
Randy Gumpert, Moe Burtschy*, Bob Miller, Don Hasenmayer, Art Mahaffey
and the regulars all attended at various times.
In October 2000, a special tribute to World War Two veterans honored
Hall of Famer Bob Feller, Sam Chapman, Bert Shepard, Dario Lodigiani,
Ned Garver and Ray Coleman.
Reunion IX in October 2001 featured Dom DiMaggio who was on his
way to Florida to visit Ted Williams. He asked if he could bring
his friend Johnny Pesky too. Bill Werber, Morrie Martin, Dick Adams
joined us. This was our first reunion in Horsham where nearly 500
fans showed up for our breakfast with the stars! Other guests in
the Horsham era included Leroy Wheat, Howie Bedell, Doug Clemens,
Frank Thomas (The Original), Ruben Gomez*, Charlei Metro, Sonny
Dixon, Johnny Logan, Virgil Trucks, Ryne Duren and Eagles great
Chuck Bednarik.
Sincere apologies are extended to anyone who may have been omitted.
It has been a long 11 years and many other events (golf tournaments,
ceremonies at Veteran's Stadium, appearance at nursing homes and
veterans functions, in store book signings etc) that it is difficult
to keep track of who was where and when.
As the A's Society continues to evolve and adapt to changing situations,
many other great events will take place, giving fans the chance
to mingle with their heroes of yesteryear.
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