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On March 15, 1956, just 44 days after
the passing of Connie Mack, Harry
Rosin, a noted sculptor was
commissioned to create the Connie Mack
Memorial, a, statue of the late Mr.
Baseball. The statue shows Mack in one
of his familiar poses, waving a
scorecard in front of the dugout. The
national drive for the Connie Mack
Memorial Fund opened April 15 on the Ed
Sullivan show. Sullivan had accepted
the chairmanship of the National
Friends of Connie Mack, to spearhead
the campaign for funds.
Funds for the memorial were raised through public solicitation. School
children in Philadelphia raised
$1,656.98 to contribute to the $20,000.
needed to erect the statue. July 9,
kicked off Connie Mack Week, in an
effort to stimulate local support. The
public was informed to send all
contributions, no matter how small, to
the Connie Mack Memorial Fund, Box 266,
Philadelphia 5 Pa. This eleven inch
tall maquette plaster position model, a
replica of the "Mr. Baseball" Statue
was produced in limited numbers and
helped in the fund drive.
It was reported on September 27, that $20,400. in donations was raised,
$400. more than needed. Sculptor Harry
Rosin completed the figure at this
time, and it was ready to be cast in
bronze. The Connie Mack statue entitled “Mr.
Baseball” was dedicated across
from Connie Mack Stadium on April 16,
1957. Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick,
American League President Will Harridge,
and Leo Durocher all spoke at the
dedication. Letters and telegrams from
President Eisenhower, Herbert Hoover
and Ty Cobb were read to the crowd.
A letter from Jack Coombs, star pitcher for Mack's Athletics in the early
1900s who died in Texas the day before
was read, and concluded "I'm sorry I
cant be with you tonight" The Statue
was relocated to Veterans
Stadium in 1971. Now, the statue can be
found across Citizens Bank Way from
Citizens Bank Park.
A six inch tall figure, was
reproduced by Hartland Collectibles
LLC. for the Philadelphia Athletics
Historical Society in 2006. It is limited
to a production run of only 300, comes
with a letter of Authenticity, and a
card based on a painting by renown
Artist Dick Perez, known for his
baseball paintings for the National
Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and
the Philadelphia Phillies. The back of
the card reads: "Connie Mack, by, Hall
of Fame Artist, Dick Perez, in
appreciation for supporting the Jimmie
Foxx Home-Run Society, and the
Hartland LLC Limited Edition, Connie
Mack Figurine, The original
painting is on display, in the
Philadelphia A's Historical Society's
Museum."
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