Covering all bases

Alfred James Reach was the first professional baseball player, cofounded the Phillies, established a million-dollar sporting-goods business and built Baker Bowl.

But that’s not the neatest thing about Reach.

He was a left-handed second baseman who played for the Athletics. Those double-play pivots must have been wonderful to see. We’re talking 360.

The mind’s eye runs rampant at the current Atwater Kent Museum exhibition on early Philadelphia baseball. "Will We Ever Forget: Baseball in Philadelphia, 1876-2004" runs through Oct. 4.

There is an official reason for the exhibit. "The concept for the exhibit is to show how baseball history reflects the changing city," said the museum’s Stewart Desmond.

The unofficial reason is that we have a new ballpark, a contending team, it’s spring and, as that famous orator, Ernie Banks, was oft heard to say, "Let’s play two."

A number of cooperating institutions have contributed to the museum show, including the Phillies, the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, the Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society, the African American Museum and Ewing Cole, architects of the new Citizens Bank Park. Also, a lifelong Phillies fan, Helen Beitler, recently left objects from her collection to the Atwater Kent.

This exhibition is comprised of all sorts of cool things that fans often associate with talisman. In no particular order, there is a Michael Jack Schmidt bobblehead doll, a baseball signed by Larry Bowa, bricks from the Baker Bowl and Shibe Park, an 1883 scorecard, baseball trading cards from 1900, a copy of the Public Ledger from Shibe Park’s opening day in 1909, a 1946 photograph of the Philadelphia Stars, the Negro League team; an Evening Bulletin issue showing workers draping Connie Mack Stadium in black on the news of the team owner’s death on Feb. 9, 1956, and a 1902 picture of the Athletics dressed in suits and ties.

As proof that fans revere almost anything associated with the game, the exhibit has turnstiles and seats from Connie Mack Stadium, and seats, turf and dirt from Veterans Stadium. What other sport could elevate dirt into a museum artifact?

Divided in a number of sections, the displays focus on the Negro Leagues, the early triumphs, the winning years of the Whiz Kids and later, the 1980 championship; fans, fields and a number of items relating to the new ballpark and the art that will be incorporated there.

Back to that whirling second baseman Al Reach. He was born in London, the son of a cricketer, and grew up playing baseball in Brooklyn. He had worked in an iron factory until lured to Philadelphia by Col. Thomas Fitzgerald, manager of the Athletics, who offered him $25 a month. He played through 1875 and when the Athletics won the first National Association championship, Reach hit .353.

He saved his money, ran a cigar shop and then opened a sporting-goods business. Reach later partnered with Benjamin Shibe, a leather expert who gave up making whips in favor of gloves and baseballs. Reach finally sold out to Spaulding and there is a historical marker at 1820 Chestnut St. where the last store was located. During the same period, Reach took on the Worcester, Mass., franchise, brought it to Philadelphia and named it the Phillies. He said the name tells people "who we are and where we’re from." They opened May l, 1883.

During Reach’s 20 years of running the team, the Phillies finished in the first division 14 times. He brought in such players as Nap Lajoie and Elmer Flick. He also paid $1,900 for the rights to Ed Delahanty. A quirk of fate stepped in and the American League appeared. Reach pushed his partner to head up the Athletics. The Reach-made baseball was the official ball for the American League and things should have gone nicely.

In 1902, however, Reach was tired of all of the back office and league business and sold the Phillies for $170,000. As Casey Stengel often said, "You could look it up." And if you did, you’d find that it was Reach who published the Official Baseball Guide.

The exhibit carries with it the dignity of old-time baseball players, and the look and feel is drop-dead correct. And while spring is the beginning of the world each year, there is also a bittersweet quality.

Fifty years ago this year, Mack’s White Elephants left town. My first major-league baseball game was two years before that. The A’s Gus Zernial beat the Yankees 11-1 and hit three home runs. I was 12.

Will We Ever Forget:
Baseball in Philadelphia,
1876-2004
Through Oct. 4
Atwater Kent Museum
15 S. Seventh St.
215-685-4830
www.philadelphiahistory.org
Admission: Adults, $5; seniors and ages 13-17, $3; 12 and under, free