Baseball Conference A Triumph!

The April 21st Philadelphia Baseball History Conference, co-sponsored by the Chester County Historical Society and the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society, was a huge success by any measure. Talented speakers treated the sold-out crowd to an outstanding assortment of interesting presentations that were rich in information and insights. Scholar Bruce Kuklick reviewed the history of Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium, while artist Dick Perez discussed his experiences in painting baseball’s immortals. Noted sports memorabilia auctioneer David Hunt provided guidelines that collectors should know in purchasing sports artifacts, and he also appraised items offered by audience members that ranged in value from $25.00 to thousands of dollars.

The highlight of the conference was the appearance of six members of the ill-fated, yet still beloved, 1964 Philadelphia Phillies: Dick Allen, Jack Baldschun, Johnny Briggs, Johnny Callison, Dallas Green and Art Mahaffey. The players reminisced in a panel discussion about that fateful year when the team appeared to have the National League Pennant clinched, only to lose ten games in a row at the end of the season and wind up in second place. They also answered numerous questions posed by audience members covering the 1964 season and other aspects of their careers. After the session, attendees were able to get the players’ autographs, take up-close photographs, and chat informally with them about various baseball subjects.