A's Society Hosts One-Day Symposium

Thursday July 24, 2003

On July 24, the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society hosted an exciting baseball workshop for the ExplorePAHistory project. This project, funded by a federal education grant called Teaching American History, brings teachers together to write lesson plans using primary resources. The lesson plans are based on the stories behind Pennsylvania’s state historical markers and will eventually—within several months—be available as a resource for all teachers at www.explorepahistory.com. (I encourage you to check-out the website.)

This workshop will produce lessons on the story of baseball in Pennsylvania, with particular themes of racial, economic, and technological baseball history. As teachers, historians, and educators sat around a table at our library and discussed possible lesson plan ideas, they were inspired by our collection of newspaper clippings, cartoons, baseball tickets and cards, black and white photographs, and books (as well as by our personal anecdotes). Teachers participating were:

Debra Ciamacca from Tredyffrin-Easttown School District. She will be writing two high-school level lesson plans for the project.
Laura Smith from Upper Merion School District. Laura is creating middle-school lessons for the story.
Megan Kissinger from Tredyffrin-Easttown School District. A first-grade teacher, Megan is excited about creating lessons into which elementary students can delve.

William Kashatus, educator from Chester County Historical Society, stopped by to give the teachers an example of lesson plans he had written for the project on Pete Gray, “The One-Armed Wonder.” The lesson incorporated a wonderful video with an interview of Pete Gray in his more recent years.

Other participants of the workshop were West Chester University history professor Charles Hardy, supervising historian; Jeff Sliverman, author of the baseball story to be featured on the ExplorePAHistory website; John Turner, curriculum coordinator; and Carrie Curtis, project coordinator. Representing the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society were David Jordan, President; Clara McGonigal, Vice President; Ernie Montella, General Manager; and Max Silberman, V.P. History & Research.

When asked how the day went, Carrie Curtis exclaimed, “You made us feel so welcomed and at-home! Your hospitality was unparalleled. Thank you for sharing your love of the sport and knowledge of its history. You contributed much to the productivity and meaningfulness of the day.”

And so, I guess you could say the day was “a home-run” experience—almost as satisfying as hearing the “crack” of bat against ball. Almost. (-:

Editors Note: The symposium was held in the Library section of the Society's Hatboro facility and is a part of the Society's commitment as an educational organization as stated in the Society's Mission Statement.

"Bill Kashatus West Chester County Historical Society Executive Director and well known author and columnist keeps his audience spellbound as he talks about former major leaguer 'Pete Gray" and his impact on the St Louis Browns.(Gray played major league baseball although he only had one arm)"

Laura Smith, Carrie Curtis, Debbie Ciamacca, Megan Kissinger, Charlie Hardy & John Turner discuss the symposium's agenda.	Charlie Hardy has center stage as Jeff Silverman ponders his comments.
Jeff takes the floor in rebuttal.	Laura Smith,Carrie Curtis, Dave Jordan, Debbie Ciamacca, Megan Kissinger, after a long day discussing baseball.

A's Society President David Jordan, John Turner and Bill Kashastus in the Society's Museum area.
(Not shown but included in the days agenda were Society VP Clara McGonigal and Society Historian Max Silberman who both contributed along with Dave Jordan to the success of this first time ever educational event.)

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