Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Bush Likes the Maroons!!!

Bush loves Breaker Boys

I know what your thinking, but author Dave Fleming has received a hand-written note from the White House. Read the Republican's account below.

‘Breaker Boys’ author surprised by hand-written note from White House
BY STEPHEN J. PYTAKSTAFF WRITERspytak@republicanherald.com
12/19/2007
President Bush called David Fleming’s book on the 1925 Pottsville Maroons “illuminating” in a surprise hand-written letter to the author dated Dec. 12 and delivered Tuesday.
“I just finished ‘Breaker Boys.’ You were correct. I did enjoy the book. You are a fine writer. And your history of the Maroons was illuminating,” Bush said in the letter sent to Fleming’s Davidson, N.C., home.

After opening it Tuesday morning, the author said he found the “rather thoughtful” letter in blue pen on White House letterhead.“The way this book has gone so far, nothing surprises me anymore,” said Fleming, a writer for ESPN: The Magazine who was greeted by long lines and signed thousands of copies of “Breaker Boys: The NFL’s Greatest Team and the Stolen 1925 Championship,” while promoting the book in Pottsville in October and earlier this month.

Fleming started an online petition Oct. 16 to encourage the NFL owners to return the 1925 championship to the legendary team. It’s received a total of 10,275 signatures as of 11 p.m. Tuesday.

He said the president’s comments will become “more ammunition for supporters. If people run across a skeptic, or somebody who just wants to say ‘it’s 82 years ago, let’s let it go,’ it’s pretty nice to say to the commissioner of the NFL ‘the president of the United States begs to differ.”

The president’s letter impressed Mayor John D.W. Reiley.

“How about that. It shows that the book’s getting around, from the streets of little ol’ Pottsville all the way up to the White House. And I think the president’s comments are pretty consistent with what other people are saying about the book. All the comments are favorable,” Reiley said.

Alex Conant, a White House spokesman, said Bush is a “voracious reader.”“He reads a lot of books. And typically the White House doesn’t do book and movie reviews, but I will check out to see if I can find out anything more about this letter,” Conant said.

No further comment was made by late Tuesday.

“Somebody from the White House had contacted ESPN looking for my address. So I felt something was going on, but I was expecting like a stamped photo, not expecting a hand-written note that he had actually read it and enjoyed it,” Fleming said.

Fleming said he isn’t sure how the president received a copy of the book, but believes it was sent by someone who attended a book signing in Pottsville.“I remember the first time I was in Pottsville, somebody in one of the long lines had me sign a copy for him. And they explained that either they worked in D.C. or knew somebody who worked in D.C., I don’t remember exactly who it was. But my guess is that’s how it got to him,” Fleming said.

Reiley said he does not know who sent the book to the president, though City Administrator Thomas A. Palamar thought it could be U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III, a Pottsville native.

But when contacted in Harrisburg Tuesday, Jones said it wasn’t him.

The president ended his letter to Fleming stating: “I appreciate having an inscribed copy of the book. With best wishes, George Bush.”

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

PA House Passes Resolution

The PA State House passed a unamous resolution supporting the Maroons in regaining their 1925 NFL title. Read the story here.

Like I have said in the past, the Govenor has to get the cities of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh both on board. He needs to promote it on Eagles Post Game Live. Also, broker a deal between for both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to have a Maroon's Day Celbration in 2008 at a home game.

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

New Blog

There is a another blog about the 1925 Pottsville Maroons. Here is the URL:

It is under my links called Breaker Boys Blog. I believe a big push before the end of the NFL regular season and the Super Bowl lies with the governor of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell. Rendell is on the Eagle's "Post Game Live" show every weekend. He plugs Ray Didinger's book and gives them out for free. Here is what the "Gov" needs to do:

  1. Rendell needs to give out some copies of Breaker Boys on the air.
  2. Needs to lobby Dan Rooney and Jeff Laurie to have Maroons Day at the Heinz Field and Lincoln Financial.

Rendell mentioning the book on the air will get the word out for more support among the fans. When author Dave Fleming was in Pottsville in October, he indicated that the owners need to be educated. When Rooney and Laurie were the only owner to support Pottsville's claim, I see no reason why they can't support a Maroons Day before one of their games on the 2008 schedule.

Author Dave Fleming Returns to Pottsville Area

“Breaker Boys” Author Fleming Returns to Pottsville Dec 5th through 10th!
  • Wednesday Dec.5th• 3 pm – 6 pm - Sales and Signing at Republican and Herald.
  • Thursday Dec. 6th• 9 am - Assembly at Blue Mtn Middle School Book sales and signing• Noon – 2pm - Book Sales and Signing at Weis Markets, Pottsville• 7 pm - Signing in Bethlehem, PA at Moravian University bookstore.
  • Friday Dec 7th• 9 am – 11 am Book sales and signing at Providence Place• 2pm – 4 pm Book sales and signing at Goodwill Book Store• 5pm – 7pm Book Sales and signing at Walden Books, Schuylkill Mall• Author to be in attendance at PAHS Basketball Game at Martz Hall.
  • Saturday Dec 8th• 9 am – 11 am Book Sales and Signing at Historical Society, Pottsville• 2 pm - book sales and signing at Borders Bookstore in Harrisburg, PA• 7:30 pm - Evening Pep Rally at the Armory, N. Centre St. Pottsville• 9 pm - “Meet the Author” informal social gathering at Maroons Sports Bar & Grill
  • Sunday Dec 9th• 10 am – Noon - Book Sales and Signing at Tamaqua Train Station during brunch• 2 pm – 3 pm - Book signing at Tudor Bookstore, Kingston, PA• 7 pm – 9 pm - Sales and Signing at Reading, PA Borders bookstore
  • Monday Dec. 10th• Morning and Afternoon in Harrisburg for State Proclamation by State Representatives Tim Seip and Neal Goodman.• 5 pm – 8 pm - Book sales and Signing at Walden Books, Fairlane Village Mall

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Save the Maroons

CLEARING HOUSE


I have started this blog to be a clearing house of information on the reinstate the 1925 NFL Championship to the Pottsville Maroons who defeated the Chicago Cardinals 21-7 on the field at Comsikey Park. In 2003 there was a chance to make everything right when Steelers owner Dan Rooney, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell and Pottsville mayor John D. W. Reiley came up with a solution that had then commissioner Paul Tagliabue's blessing: let the Cards and the Maroons share the title. Tagliabue had even begun to make plans to come to Pottsville to give the town its title back. By a 30-2 vote at that meeting and some influence by Cardinal owner, Bill Bidwell the plan came to grinding halt.


That owners meeting in 2003 was attended by Dave Fleming of ESPN the Magazine who was so intrigued by the story, he has published a book titled, "Breaker Boys: The NFL's Greatest Team and the Stolen 1925 Championship." The book which was just released on October 7th is beginning to publish a second edition. Dave Fleming was in Pottsville to promote the book arriving on October 9th. Throught Friday October 12th, Fleming's appearances were crowded and not enough books were available to be signed. In my interview with Fleming, his publishers compared his signings with the likes of a Harry Potter book. Now the push for the reinstatement of the 1925 NFL Championship is gaining momentum once again. Book sales are selling at fever pitch and ESPN page 2 is hosting a an online petition to sign and present to NFL headquarters.


REINSTATEMENT
How will reinstatement happen? First of all, the Cardinals will never give up the full championship to Pottsville. The Pottsville Maroons once to be officially recognized and would share the championship. This will be the compromise from both sides. How will this happen?
The first thing to do is to educate any NFL fan out there. Send any fan a link to this website. Second sign the online petition of the left side of this page. Third, buy, borrow, and read the book. The direct link is on the left through Amazon. Author Dave Fleming will be in the Pottsville Area before the end of the year to host some more book signings. Books should be available from Lasting Legacy of Pottsville for the second event. Email me with any information regarding the Maroons by clicking the About Me page at the left.
WHY?
In the fall of 1984, I met a fellow student from coal region while attending Villanova University. He had an outgoing personality, he was good to everyone around him, and was the greatest promoter of Pottsville and the coal regions that I ever met. His name was Terrence Patrick Reiley and everyone else knew him as Terry. Terry would eventually obtain his master's degree in civil engineering, a law degree, serve on Pottsville's city council and become the city's mayor in the late 1990's. He married and started a family while being diagnosed with an illness that would eventually take him from us on February 21, 2000. This is my tribute to him.