The Millennium Baseball

By Ernie Montella

One of the most unusual artifacts on display in the A’s Society’s museum is a tattered old baseball that is oddly labeled, “The Millennium Ball.” Why such a baseball, first used in a meaningless game in the middle of the 20th century, would command such an auspicious nickname is a story in and of itself. Here it is, and judge for yourself!

On August 22, 1954, the Philadelphia Athletics hosted the Washington Senators at Connie Mack Stadium—better known as Shibe Park to die-hard A’s fans—for a Sunday doubleheader. The Senators won the first game 7-3 as Marcus Hook’s Mickey Vernon went 3 for 4 with two singles, a walk, and a home run. The second game ended in a 4-4 tie. In that second game, the Athletics were leading the Senators 4-2 with Washington at bat in the top of the 9th. There were two outs with two Senators on base when Vernon stepped to the plate. After fouling off several pitches and the count at 2 & 2, Vernon hit a scorching line drive against the right field wall that missed being a home run by only inches. Both runners scored to tie the game, and Vernon stood on second base with a double.

The A’s did not score in their half of the 9th, and because it was now 6:10 p.m., the game was suspended in accordance with Blue Laws that were then in effect in Philadelphia. The game continued the next day, Monday, and the Senators completed their sweep of the doubleheader. For the next 46 years, the ball was tucked away and not given much attention until the year 2000.

On March 7, 2000, the Oakland Athletics sent a video crew and their mascot “Stomper” to the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society’s museum in Hatboro, PA to find a good luck charm that the Oakland club could use to start its 2000 season. After viewing many museum artifacts, they settled on the foul ball caught during the doubleheader played some 46 years before. One of the people greeting the Oakland crew at the A’s Society HQs was Ruth Mack Clark, the only remaining sibling of the legendary Connie Mack. Ruth was requested to remove the ball from its place in a museum display case and hand it to “Stomper,” which she did.

Upon leaving Hatboro, the Oakland group traveled to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. While there, “Stomper” touched each Philadelphia and Oakland Athletics player’s Hall of Fame plaque with the ball to hopefully bring some of the greatness of those players back to Oakland for the 2000 season.

On Opening Day in Oakland that year, Eddie Joost, a former Athletics player who also served as the Philadelphia A’s last manager, was selected to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to start the season. The ball used was the one removed from the A’s Society museum that had first appeared in an A’s game back in 1954. Ironically, Joost was the manager of the Athletics that year when the game had been played.

More than 50,000 fans attended Opening Day in Oakland. The ritual of borrowing the ball from the A’s Society museum and taking it to Cooperstown to touch the Hall of Fame plaque of every player who toiled for the Athletics over the years must have had some effect. The Oakland Athletics won the American League West Division title in 2000 with a record of 91-70.

To conclude the baseball’s odyssey, it was returned to the A’s Society museum on April 14, 2000 by none other than Eddie Joost himself. The newly renamed “Millennium Ball” is the only known baseball used in a 20th century major league game that has also made an appearance in a 21st century major league game, even if only as a ceremonial first pitch.

What also makes the ball special is its relationship to Mickey Vernon. You see, it is one of the balls fouled off by Vernon before he hit his double in the 9th inning of the second game of the doubleheader played back on August 22, 1954. Mickey Vernon was reunited with this relic of his baseball past on a recent visit to the A’s Society’s museum.

P.S. I've kept this souvenir from that second game all these years as a reminder of another era in baseball. The Oakland Athletics provided the opportunity to relive that Sunday at Shibe Park .

Two friends from Delaware County, PA, Chuck Taylor (left) and Mickey Vernon (right) on a recent visit to the Museum taking a moment to view the Millennium Ball on display. Vernon was surprised to read the background of this foul ball off his bat 53 years ago and its travels since that day at Connie Mack Stadium.	A's Society member Tom Saboy is shown in this August 2000 photo accepting the Millennium ball from former A's favorite Eddie Joost.
Marcus Hook, PA is well represented in this August 2000 photo as Ernie Montella shares the newly named "Millennium ball" with the Hooks most famous resident, Mickey Vernon. To learn more about Vernon's relationship to this ball read the Millennium Ball story.	The now famous "Millennium ball."

Millennium Ball as it appears in the A's Society Museum.

Stomper and Ruth share the millenium ball in the A's Society Museum.

While Ruth takes a break Stomper carry's on.

Frank Cunningham, Ruth and Stomper relax in the Society's library.

Into the Society's Museum.

Former A's catcher Joe Astroth enjoys a cheerful laugh at Stompers antics.

Jack Schwartz Society employee "thumbs up" says Stomper.

Oakland's video crew in front of the Museum with Society's Fred Coleman in the green shirt. (Fred decided to wear Oakland colors that day)

Stomper crosses York Road.

STOMPER UNMASKED shown here with her mom who also made the trip east.

All's well that ends well, (we suppose)