Authors and Athletes Exhibit Coming December
Authors and Athletes
Books by and about Delaware County Sports Legends
People familiar with Delaware County’s Sports Heritage are well aware of the achievements of County athletes and coaches. However, it might come as a surprise that many of these same individuals are also authors. Among this group are:
- Jimmy Dykes, the only baseball major league player to play for over 20 years and manage for over 20 years in the big leagues.
- Emlen Tunnell, first African American to be elected to football’s Hall of Fame
- Jack Ramsay, member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, Jack McKinney, NBA coach of the year and Phil Martelli are all St. Joseph University basketball coaches turned authors
- Two more basketball coaches–“Bo” Ryan and Theresa Grentz–are as current as you get, with Bo being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall Of Fame 2024 and Theresa being elected in 2014 to that same Hall of Fame.
- Vince Papale of Invincible lore, Joe Klecko and Joe Fields are three football stars with books to their credit
- Rich Westcott has written 27 books, including Mickey Vernon The Gentleman First Baseman
- Rich Pagano has published a book on fight promoter Baron Dougherty
- Colleen Hroncich, Danny Murtaugh’s granddaughter has authored his biography
- Ray Didinger has compiled an Eagles Encyclopedia.
Holiday Book Signing
Unique Baseball Treasure On Display
Unique Baseball Treasure to be On Display A bit of baseball memorabilia from 67 years ago will be on display at the Cherry Hill Card Expo located in the Double Tree Hotel 2349 Marlton Pike W. Cherry Hill New Jersey. 08002 on Saturday November 30, 2024 from 11 am to 2 pm It’s a panel of baseball-quality horsehide measuring 25×45 inches on which is inscribed the personal signatures of every player, coach and manager of every team in the American League of 1957. This priceless piece of baseball lore was obtained by former Marcus Hook/ Wallingford, Pa resident, the late Mickey Vernon, when he played for the Boston Red Sox during the 1957 season. During spring training of that year, Mickey obtained a blank horsehide from a sales representative. He had the inspiration to have his teammates sign it and then saw to it that members of the opposing teams added their signatures when they came to Fenway Park to play the Red Sox during that same 1957 season. Nineteen of the signatures are accompanied by a caricature of the player drawn by an illustrator working for the Boston Herald newspaper at the time. Don’t miss the chance to see this national treasure on display, For more information, email museum Historian Rich Pagano rp1751@aol.com or call Jim Vankoski at 610-909-4919 Help us preserve Delco’s Sports History by making a donation to our museum via our PayPal button on the home page of our website www.delcosportsmuseum.org
Ted Williams batting with Mickey Vernon on deck. 1956
In 1956, Ted Williams and Delco’s own Mickey Vernon enjoyed outstanding years for the Boston Red Sox. Each made the American League All-Star Team and at the conclusion of the season, each was 38 years old. The two men were at the top of their game. Jim Vankoski 610-909-4919 vankoski21@comcast.net www.delcosportsmuseum.org
A National Treasure
Bobby Shantz 98 year old 1952 American League MVP shown here with Delco Sports Museum curator Jim Vankoski. Photo was taken this past weekend. Bobby is one of a handful of WW II veterans with major league experience still living.
SLDC Museum
The Sports Legends of Delaware County Museum is saluting the golden age of baseball and this country’s “Greatest Generation” with a DVD called “Ballfield to Battlefield and Back–From FDR to JFK”. The DVD features sixty minutes of color footage of WW II and Korean War-era major league players from 1939 through the 1950s. More than eighty players in the DVD who served in the military, including 40 members of the Hall of Fame, are identified, along with their branch of service. Among the Hall of Fame veterans featured are Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Bob Feller, Warren Spahn, Hank Greenberg, Jackie Robinson, and Yogi Berra. All of those featured were professional ballplayers prior to WW II, served their country during WW II and then returned to the ballfield–Ted Williams was called to serve again during the Korean war. The DVD also features four presidents (FDR, Harry Truman, Ike, and JFK) “throwing out the first ball” in Washington DC. There is also color footage of Babe Ruth Day at Yankee Stadium in 1947 and of the legendary Honus Wagner when he was a coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates. This national treasure was filmed and narrated by two former major league players, George Case (six-time stolen base champion and four time all-star) and Mickey Vernon (two-time batting champion and seven -time all-star). For information on how to obtain this DVD for that special fan of the WW II and Korean War era, contact Jim Vankoski at the SLDC Museum at 610-909-4919 or email. vankoski21@comcast.net
Mickey’s Horsehide Club
Living Members of “Mickey Vernon’s Horsehide Club. As of 18, 2024
