Page RIARD August 20, 2015 Rotary Club of Ardmore RIARD August 20, 2015 Jim Whelan, executive editor Ardmore, Pa. Upcoming This week’s reporter: Rod Rhen Our meeting was brought to order at 12:40 p.m. by Vice-President Roe Dorris, who Speakers was “pinch hitting” for the vacationing President Ryan Tomkinson. JD (John Dougherty) led us in a spirited round of “God Bless America” and also offered an August 27- Jodi Sabra, invocation that included a moment of quiet meditation. Radnor /Uganda Pen Pal Exchange. Jodi , a Happy Hour Radnor teacher, not VP Roe announced our monthly Happy Hour will be next only teaches locally but Thursday (August 27) at the Iron Hill Brewery on Greenhill also globally....in Avenue in Ardmore. It will begin at 5:30 pm. This social is Uganda. Come hear never in lieu of our weekly scheduled meeting. how a classroom of Coming up passionate kids takes Our speaker for next week, August 28,w ill be Jodi Sabra, a action to help others in teacher in the Radnor School District who also teaches (Dave Berk photo) need and learn how its internationally in Uganda. VP Roe Dorris grown into something Rotary Night at PPL Park much more then they PAG/PP Jane Williams reminded us that the next Rotary Night with the ever envisioned. Philadelphia Union will be September 12, for a soccer match September 3-Rich between the Union and the Columbus Crew. There will be a Fluri, “Executive pre-game tailgate party from 4:30 pm until 6:30 p.m. with the Coaching”. food and beverage being hosted by the Chester and WEGO September 10: David Rotary Clubs. The tickets cost $30 each with $10 of the $30 Thornburgh - going to PolioPlus. With the Bill and Melinda Gates match, Committee of Seventy . that $10 will be worth $30 going to PolioPlus. Jane also “Better Politics In promised this year’s seat are near the “Sons of Ben”, the Philadelphia and cheering section for the Philadelphia Union which is (Dave Berk photo) Pennsylvania: What apparently a very entertaining bunch. To purchase seats, go PAG/PP Jane Williams Will It Take?” to www.rotarydistrict7450.org. For more information, email Bronwyn Martin at [email protected]. September 17: Nancy Baren-Baer - Anti Meade School date Defamation League, David Blumenthal announced that the Meade School Day of Giving will be Saturday, September 19.. Dave is looking for Rotarians to participate in the day. All interested “Update on hate parties should contact him. groups.” September 24: Dr. Pancake Breakfast: October 3 Brian Balin, chair PAG/PP Rob Burnham gave us a “heads up” on the Pancake BioMeidal Sciences Breakfast. This year’s Pancake Breakfast will be Sunday, PCOM Progress in October 3 at the Merion Fire Company of Ardmore Firehouse. Alzhiemer's treatment It’s only six weeks away! October 1- Tom Today’s visitors Hayden, chief of Our greeter for the day was Brannon Claytor. Brannon joined Merion Fire Company Ardmore Rotary Club last year and his sponsor was PP Christian of Ardmore. Hoyt. Visitors included Ira Poliakoff, a friend of Dave PAG/PP Burnham Blumenthal, and Josian Tenud, fiancée of our own Club Visit Ardmore Rotary Club secretary Ryan Dunn. We sang to them a very hearty version of our “Welcome Website at Song”. ardmorerotary.org (Continued on next page) Page 2 RIARD August 20, 2015 Today’s program their players, thereby creating the first professional (Continued from Page One) team. Our guest speaker was Frank Fitzpatrick. Frank, as Then, in 1871, the club team in New York City got most of us know, is a sports writer at the Philadel- together and created a league called the National phia Inquirer. Frank spoke last year about the Association. Al Reach was a party to this as a player 1985 Villanova Basketball Championship team. and owner on the Athletics. His subject matter for today was Al Reach. After Reach’s skills began to diminish, he opened a Frank made the claim that while Al Reach is not that tobacco shop in center city that also sold baseball- well known by related items and baseball tickets. today’s genera- Due to the popularity of baseball, the tobacco shop tions, he very evolved into a sporting goods stores and finally a full well may have scale sporting goods production factory in the Ken- been the most sington area of Philadelphia. influential per- At the peak, Reach’s factories employed over 1000 son in the his- workers in Philadelphia, making the baseballs used tory of Phila- by the professional teams, bats, gloves, cleats and all delphia sports, the other items used to play baseball and other particularly sports. baseball. Reach merged the company with the Scheib brothers Some would who were making mostly leather goods at the time, suggest the and the company went on to prosper until the 1950’s most influen- until it was finally closed. tial person Reach died in January of 1928 and is interred at the would be pos- Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia. sibly Richie (Dave Berk photo) Ashburn, hav- 2015 Pancake Breakfast: October 3 Frank Fitzpatrick Inquirer sportswriter ing played in We need everyone’s help! Philadelphia and worked as an announcer for so many years. Another choice might be Connie Mack, having played, managed and owned teams in Philadelphia over a 60-year career. Frank discussed the many accomplishments of Al Reach and how they impacted the start and develop- ment of baseball in the Philadelphia area. Reach was born in London and start playing club baseball because of his cricket background. The time period when baseball really began to take shape was in the 1860’s after the Civil War. Due to the beginning of the Industrial revolution, people had a bit more leisure time than they nor- mally had. Neighborhoods in cities started fielding club teams, as was the case in Philadelphia. Some of the best club teams in each city would play the best club teams from other cities. In order to get a competitive advantage, these club teams would often pay a couple of players under the Dave Endy and Tom Hayden check over the sausage table. The best player on the best of these club teams at a previous Ardmore Rotary Club Pancake Break- was Al Reach, who lived in Philadelphia and played fast for the benefit of the Merion Fire Company of Ardmore. All Rotarians are needed to help on one of for the club team called the Athletics. the various committees . Mark the date and plan to In 1869, the best club team in Cincinnati called the invite family and friends to join us for breakfast Red Stockings, finally ended the practice of paying between 7 a.m. and noon at the firehouse in Ardmore. players under the table and decided to just pay all of Page 3 RIARD August 20, 2015 When, where District 7450 Rotary Clubs meet Greater West Chester Sunrise - Wed. 07:00, Days Abington at Edge Hill - Thu 07:15, West Avenue Hotel - West Chester, Brandywine Valley 943 S. High Grille, 718 West Avenue, Jenkintown, parking in front Street,West Chester. and back of West Avenue Grille. Haverford Township - Thur 07:15, Kaya's Restaurant Ardmore - Thu 12:00, Merion Cricket Club, Haverford, 5 Brookline Blvd., Havertown, (610) 613-8108. valet parking. Jenkintown - Tue 12:15, Grace Presbyterian Church Bala-Cynwyd-Narberth - Wed at 12:15, Aldar Bistro 444 Old York Road, Jenkintown, (215) 885 5843 281 Montgomery Ave. Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004 - 610-667 Kennett Square - Tue 12:00, La Verona, 114 E. State -1245 St. in Kennett Square. Bensalem - Tue 12:15, Michaels Restaurant - (215) 638 King of Prussia - Mon 12:15, Michael’s, Route 202, 2283. Valley Forge Center, King of Prussia, 610-792 5481 to Bristol - Wed 12:15, Georgine's in West Bristol 1320 confirm. Newport Rd Bristol, PA 30 . (215) 785-0564 Langhorne-Oxford Valley - Thu 12:15, Bella Tori at Broomall - Tuesday 18:15, Charlotte's Restaurant, the Mansion 321 South Bellevue Avenue Langhorne· 3207 West Chester Pike, Newtown Square, Pa (610) 356- Levittown-Fairless Hills - Tue 07:30, "Garden of 7100. Eatin", 1263 Woodbourne Road, Levittown. Bryn Mawr - Thu 12 noon, TANGO Restaurant in Bryn Longwood - Thu 06:45, Terrace Restaurant within the Mawr - .610-526-9500. Longwood Gardens, Longwood Road and Greenwood Central Chester County (Lionville) - Tue 07:15 Road, 1001 Longwood Road, Kennett Square,. Wyndham Garden Inn, 815 N. Pottstown Pike, Exton Media - Thu 12:15, Townehouse Restaurant, 117 Veter- (610) 524 7511, ans Sq., Media,( 610) 566 2511. Central Delaware County Club - Wed 07:15, Court Newtown Square - Thur 18:15 , La Locanda 4989 West Diner at 140 E. Baltimore Pike Baltimore Pike, Media. Chester Pike Newtown Square. Cheltenham-Rockledge - Thu 12:15, North Philadelphia (Madrugadores) - Tue 07:30, Hop Angel Brauhaus 7980 Oxford Ave, Philadelphia Tierra Columbiana Restaurant 4535 N. 5th Street, 19111 Philadelphia, – (610) 269 3925. Chester - Tue 12:10, Harrah’s Chester Racetrack and Northeast Sunrisers Philadelphia - Fri 07:15, Coun- Casino in the Cove Restaurant, Rte 291, Chester. try Club Rest. 1715 Cottman Ave. (W) (215) 745 5508 Chester Pike - Tue 18:15,Trieste Restaurant (H) (215) 725 0621. 641 Chester Pike, Prospect Park, Pa. (610) 543-8191. Oxford - Wed 12:00, Ware Mansion - The Crystal Room Chestnut Hill - Wed 07:30, Chestnut Hill Presbyterian 7 East Locust Street, Oxford, - 610-256-5794. Church 8855 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA - (215) Paoli-Malvern-Berwyn - Thu 18:15 , Click here for 247 2445. details as the meeting moves around, Aronimink Golf Chichester - Wed 07:00, Creekside Village Club House, Club, 3600 Saint Davids Rd.