The following news release is from Ocean City Public Relations Director Mark Soifer:
The Philadelphia Phillies organization will add an array of prizes to the program on Feb. 21 about its 1915 pennant-winning team. This is when baseball author and Phillies authority Bob Warrington will present an informative and humorous talk about spring training 100 years ago and how it differs from today.
Warrington will speak 1 p.m. at the Ocean City Community Center’s Chris Maloney Auditorium, 17th Street and Simpson Avenue. Admission is free.
When the Phillies learned about this, they decided to make it even more interesting by offering the following prizes:
- For a trivia contest: The team will provide 25 prizes — 5 Chase Utley, 5 Ryan Howard and 5 Roy Halladay Bobble Heads, 5 Jimmy Rollins All-Time Hits Leader Prints and 5 Fedora Caps.
- Door prizes will include: A used baseball from a Phillies game last season, the Phillies “Extraordinary Tradition” hard cover coffee table book, Chase Utley, Jim Thome, Pat Burrell and Gavin Floyd autographed baseball cards and a full size Phillies Umbrella.
The Trivia Contest and door prizes will be awarded following Warrington’s presentation. Warrington has compiled 50 trivia questions for the audience to answer. Also following the program, the audience will be able to have their photo taken holding a Fred Luderus bat. Luderus was the star first baseman of the Phillies 1915 Pennant winning team. Hall of Fame pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander (Old Pete) was also on the squad and won 30 games that year.
The 1915 Phillies Pennant winning team traveled to spring training in St. Petersburg not by train, not by plane, but by boat. Members of the team were almost drowned in a storm, several were pursued by a lynch mob and the squad was managed by Pat Moran, a tough minded, talented, tyrant. Don’t miss this presentation. Baseball fans and the general public alike will enjoy the free program. For information, call Public Relations at (609) 399-6111 Ext. 9300.
When freelance writer Victor Monaco saw our story about the Phillies exhibit, it rekindled numerous memories about Pete Rose. Monaco worked as an employee in the Phillies’ Public Relations Department. He describes Pete as a genial, good-natured prankster.
But his spring training story involves being put in a large hotel room by Phillies management. He was advised that he might have to share the room with a minor leaguer. Late that night there was a knock on the door. It was a young player who barely spoke English. He introduced himself as Jorge. It turned out his roommate was future All Star George Bell, who the Phillies let get away.
