A newspaper photo of Connie Mack, manager of the Philadelphia Athletics Baseball Club (American League). Mack appeared as an invited speaker at the Williamstown Rotary Club, WIlliamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, in November 1933. The event was held at the American Legion and received good publicity throughout the region.
Following his appearance, the Harrisburg Evening News, November 16, 1933, reported the following:
CONNIE MACK TELLS WILLIAMSTOWN ROTARY CLUB MATHEWSON GREATEST PITCHER
WILLIAMSTOWN, November 16 [1933] — More than 350 Rotarians and their friends from this vicinity gathered last evening at the local Rotary Club’s banquet, held in the American Legion home auditorium, to hear Connie Mack, manager of the Philadelphia Athletics, and Ira Thomas, a former catcher and now a scout for the club.
Mack, in his address, told of his career as a baseball player and gave his opinion of the abilities of the many discussed stars he had seen during his fifty years of connection with the sport.
The aged Athletics manager, who had piloted his team to many championships, claimed that Christy Mathewson, of the old New York Giants, was the greatest moundsman of all times. He had high praise also for Eddie Plank, Jack Coombs, Chief Bender, Lefty Grove, Rube Waddell, and others.
He laid the success of the New York Giants this past season to their determined and aggressive attitude to “get places” all year centering their efforts around Carl Hubbell‘s fine pitching.
“Only one of 150 outstanding sports writers named the Giants as a pre-season winner and it was that spirit which carried them through to a world’s championship, despite the odds against them,” Mack said.
Thomas stated in his talk that is an athlete wants to succeed he must live a clean life. Many experiences with famous diamond stars, both past and present, were related by the scout.
Desk set, consisting of a desk piece and a pen inscribed with the Rotary Club’s insignia, made of coal taken from the Williamstown mine, were presented to both Connie and Thomas.
A. E. Myers was toastmaster last night, and the Rev. Edward O’Flynn was chairman of the program committee.
The article was accompanied by a photo taken in Harrisburg earlier in the day:
Photo Caption: Here are shown Connie Mack (second from right), manager of the Philadelphia Athletics, and Ira Thomas (second from left) a former catcher and now a scout for the club, who were guests of honor at a banquet held last night by the Williamstown Rotary Club. W. R. Whitemarsh (left) and R. A. Magnelli (right), entertained Mack and Thomas during their stay in Harrisburg.
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Additional articles advertising the event follow here.
From the Elizabethville Echo, November 2, 1933:
FAMOUS BASEBALL MOGUL AT WILLIAMSTOWN NOVEMBER 15
Cornelius McGillicuddy, better known as Connie Mack and manager of the Philadelphia Athletics baseball team will be guest of honor at a banquet and luncheon meeting sponsored by the Williamstown Rotary Club Wednesday evening, November 15th.
Between 350 and 500 baseball fans are expected to attend the event which will be held in the American Legion Home at Williamstown that evening. It is expected that the lean leader will bring several of his team’s stars with him when he visits Williamstown.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, November 9, 1933:
CONNIE MACK WILL BE HONOR GUEST AT WILLIAMSTOWN BANQUET
Members of the Williamstown Rotary Club are making elaborate preparations for a turkey banquet on Wednesday evening, November 15th when Connie Mack, famous manager of the Athletic baseball team, Philadelphia’s American League representatives, will be their guest of honor.
Between 350 and 500 fans of the national sport in this section are expected to attend the event, to be held in the American Legion home there, at seven o’clock that evening. Tickets are now being sold by club members.
In addition to Manager Mack, who will speak, it is expected several members of his team will accompany him. A number of fans are hoping he will clear the situation arising from a heavy crop of rumors which are making the rounds of the hot stove league regarding the sale of several of his prominent stars.
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The Harrisburg Telegraph provided the following on November 9, 1933:
CONNIE MACK TO ADDRESS ROTARY AT WILLIAMSTOWN
Parade Will Precede Dinner in American Legion Hall
More than 500 persons from Williamstown and Upper Dauphin County are expected to attend a dinner next Wednesday night in the American Legion hall at Williamstown for Connie Mack, manager of the Philadelphia Athletics. Mack will be accompanied to Williamstown by Ira Thomas, veteran of the A’s.
The dinner is scheduled for 7 o’clock and will be presided over by J. Ralph Bryant, president of the Williamstown Rotary Club, which is sponsoring the event.
The Rev. Father Edward O’ Flynn, who was instrumental in bringing Mack to Williamstown, will deliver the address of welcome and Arthur E. Myers, vice-president of the Board of Dauphin County Poor Directors, will be toastmaster.
Orchestral music will be heard during the dinner and the Williamstown High School Band will play for a parade to precede the dinner.
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The Lykens Standard also promoted the event in its columns of November 10, 1933, particularly to members of the Lykens community:
CONNIE MACK TO BE VALLEY GUEST NEXT WEDNESDAY
What will prove to be one of the most interesting events in this section for some time, especially to the sports fans of Lykens Valley, will be the appearance in Williamstown on Wednesday, November 15th, of Connie Mack, manager of the Philadelphia Athletics in the American Legion Home.
Connie, who will be accompanied by several members of the club, were invited to Williamstown and will be entertained by the Williamstown Rotary Club. The Lykens Rotary Club will also attend as guests of the Williamstown Club.
At 7:30 the big function will get under way with the serving of a turkey dinner and after which Mr. Mack and the several other members of his team will participate in a program of entertainment arranged by the Williamstown Club.
All interested sports fans none members of either the Lykens or Williamstown Rotary Clubs, wishing to attend the gathering at which this unusual appearance of a famous sports promoter in this section will take place, should communicate immediately with any member of the Lykens Club.
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The Harrisburg Sunday Courier of November 12, 1933, announced the event as follows:
CONNIE MACK WILL VISIT WILLIAMSTOWN
Connie Mack, 71-year-old manager of the Philadelphia Athletics Baseball Club, and prominent members of the Athletics team, will be featured at a turkey banquet to be held at Williamstown on Wednesday evening under the auspices of the Rotary Club, of that place.
The residents of Upper Dauphin County should consider it a great honor to have a baseball pilot of Connie Mack’s ability for an evening. The Williamstown Rotary Club is to be congratulated on its efforts in securing Mack for the occasion.
The Williamstown Rotary Club urges all persons who anticipate hearing the venerable leader of the Athletics to make reservations at once as the ticket supply is limited.
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From the Harrisburg Evening News, the day before the event, November 14, 1933:
Williamstown will be a bee-hive of excitement tomorrow night when Connie Mack, manager, and Ira Thomas, scout, of the Philadelphia Athletics, are the principal speakers at a turkey dinner arranged by the rotary Club of that place.
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And, from the Harrisburg Telegraph of November 14, 1933:
CONNIE MACK TO BE HONOR SPEAKER AT WILLIAMSTOWN
Connie Mack, Philadelphia’s master-mind of the diamond, will travel father north than his usual haunts tonight to address members of the Williamstown Rotary Club in the American Legion Building, Williamstown, at 8 o’clock.
Mack, who has built up and torn down several championship teams while handling the Philadelphia Athletics, will be accompanied by Ira Thomas, one of his scouts.
The Rotary Club is holding the banquet to promote clean sports in the Williamstown district.
Manager Mack and Thomas will spend the night in Williamstown and on Thursday they will visit the Williamstown mine which, with a 1860-foot shaft, is one of the deepest in the anthracite fields.
A number of men from Harrisburg, Pottsville and Shamokin will attend the banquet.
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The day of the event, November 15, 1933, the Harrisburg Telegraph reported again:
CONNIE MACK IN HARRISBURG, GOES TO WILLIAMSTOWN
Will Be Honor Guest at Dinner Given by Rotary Club
Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics was in Harrisburg today. His friends here were on the lookout for the man who played a big part in bringing about Sunday baseball. With him was Ira Thomas. They were enroute to Williamstown where they will be guests at a dinner given in honor of Manager Mack.
The big feast will be held in the American Legion Hall, Williamstown, starting at 7 o’clock. J. Ralph Bryant, president of the Williamstown Rotary Club which is sponsoring the reception and dinner, will introduce the great baseball leader.
The Rev. Father Edward O’Flynn who was the big factor in getting Connie Mack to come to Williamstown will make the address of welcome. The toastmaster will be Arthur E. Myers, vice-president of the Rotary Club and president of the Board of Poor Directors of Dauphin County. There will be orchestral music and the Williamstown Band will play for a parade preceding the dinner.
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The final article before the event comes from the Harrisburg Evening News, November 15, 1933, which featured the portrait of Mack which is found at the top of this post:
CONNIE MACK SPENDS SEVERAL HOURS IN CITY
Connie Mack, manager, and Ira Thomas, coach, of the Philadelphia Athletics, stopped over this afternoon at the Penn-Harris Hotel on their way to Williamstown, where they will speak at the Rotary Club banquet this evening. They will stay in Williamstown tonight and return to Philadelphia tomorrow evening.
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.