Philly memories of the A's

It was a big weekend for the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society. That’s because the American League Oakland Athletics were in town to play Phillies in an interleague three-game series.

The legendary Connie Mack owned and managed the Philadelphia A’s for many years, including in the team’s heyday of late 1920s and early 1930s. It shared Shibe Park — later renamed Connie Mack Stadium — with the Phillies until 1954, when the A’s were sold and moved to Kansas City. After 13 mostly uneventful seasons there, the ballclub moved to Oakland for the 1968 and has been there ever since.
The A’s Historical Society — I am proud to be on its board of commissioners — has operated a museum and gift shop for years at 6 York Road in Hatboro (www.philadelphiaathletics.org).
Since the Oakland A’s were in town, the Phillies invited the A’s Society to participate in Sunday’s game. Longtime Ambler resident Bobby Shantz, who was the American League Most Valuable Player in 1952 as a pitcher for the Philadelphia A’s, threw out the first pitch before Sunday’s game. Ruth Mack Clark, 97-year-old daughter of Connie Mack, also attended Sunday’s game.
Along with other volunteers, I was manning the A’s Society table in Ashburn Alley on Sunday. A lot of folks stopped by to look at the items on display and to share stories about fathers and grandfathers and their connections to the Philadelphia A’s.
I really enjoyed hearing all the wonderful stories. It’s too bad the A’s couldn’t draw enough fans back in the 1950s to remain in Philadelphia. With interleague play, I think it would be a pretty fun rivalry for the fans now.

The key was not under my brother

I didn’t know this beforehand, but it turns out Billy Gardell’s mom and my mom have something in common: They both seem to not quite grasp the intricacies of hiding a house key under the front door mat.
Gardell, star of the hit television series “Mike and Molly,” is also a successful stand-up comic, and like most comics, his ability to observe human nature and then turn it into compelling storytelling can be quite entertaining.
So there were plenty of laughs to go around Friday night at the Keswick Theater in Glenside. And the key for comedians is to tell stories that the rest of us can relate to.
I didn’t get all the details because I was giggling too much, but one of Gardell’s bits included something about his mom leaving a house key under the front door mat for him, then leaving a note on the front door telling him the key was under the mat.
During the summer of 1978, I had completed my first year of college, which for me meant that I had completed my first year of college partying. By the time that summer rolled around, I wasn’t exactly interested in ending the college party season.
One night I was out with my buddies, doing what 19-year-old guys do, and I didn’t get home until around 2 a.m. I’m not sure why, but my parents had not given me a house key.
I opened the screen door to see a note, in my mother’s handwriting, on the front door, barely illuminated by the street light. It read: “The key is under your brother.”
In my state of heightened unawareness, my first thought was: “Why is my brother on the front porch and why is he sitting on the house key?” Six years my junior, he would have been around 12 or 13 years old and it would have been well past his bedtime.
It took me a few moments of controlled confusion to deduce that I did indeed know where the key was.
My brother’s name is . . . Matt.
I often wonder if a burglar who hadn’t been out with his buddies all night would have been able to figure it out. Apparently, my mom didn’t think sober burglars would know my brother’s name.

Seeing more of Jane

Jane Seymour was in town again last weekend and I volunteered to put in extra hours after my regular shift to go out and interview her. I’ll tell you, all we do around here is work, work, work.
For the third straight year, Ms. Seymour had a showing of her original paintings and sculptures at Wentworth Gallery in the King of Prussia Plaza. She’s becoming a regular here in suburban Philly.



The film and television star — and let’s not forget, a Bond Girl as well, and we know that James Bond didn’t hang around with any unattractive women — was once again stunning, this time in a purple dress and peep-toed black heels.
Among her many projects — she’s fresh off a gig as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight covering the recent Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton — Ms. Seymour has become a serious painter over the past several years. Her work is for serious art collectors with serious wallets.
My wallet is genuine water buffalo and there is nothing serious about it. Or what’s in it. Admittedly, though, when it comes to Jane Seymour, I seriously wish my name was Roger Moore and it was 1973 again.
She’s always been a good interview and she does a nice job interacting with the fans and collectors at the gallery events. In addition, Wentworth gallery Director Tom Curley always puts on an elegant soiree for Ms. Seymour, one befitting a Hollywood star.
My favorite pieces this year were self portraits of her and the late Christopher Reeve from the 1980 film “Somewhere in Time,” in which they both starred.
Covering these art gallery shows starring Jane Seymour can be tough duty, what with all the wine sipping I have to do while holding a video camera and conducting an interview.
But hey, somebody has to do it.