aaBaron’s Corner
Notifying the media of two of the biggest trades in Phillies history was a bizarre experience for the team’s three-person PR department. Normal procedures for those of us in PR turned abnormal.
It goes back 50 years ago when the Phillies traded Rick Wise to the Cardinals for Steve Carlton. That happened on February 25 (1972). Then in 1979 (February 23), Manny Trillo came to the Phillies in a big deal with the Cubs.
PR Department was me, assistant Chris Wheeler and secretary Adele (Mizia) MacDonald. She was so young she’s still employed by the Phillies as Manager, Executive Offices, while Wheels and I are retired.
Spring training was close to beginning in 1972 when GM John Quinn called me early in the morning on February 25. All of us in spring training stayed at the Fort Harrison Hotel in downtown Clearwater. Quinn’s message, we’re trading Rick Wise to the Cardinals for Steve Carlton. Said he would get back to me later after both players were notified. I called Wheels’ room. No answer. Went to the coffee shop off the main lobby and there he was sitting at the counter having breakfast.
“I remember you sat down next to me. You had a strange look on your face,” Wheels recalls. “You said ‘we’ve made a big trade that will not be very popular with the fans…Wise for Carlton.’ I was stunned but then thought Carlton’s a pretty darn good pitcher.”
First order of business was to type a press release. We went to my room where a card table and manual typewriter served as an office. Then, one of us called Adele back in the Veterans Stadium and dictated the press release to her. Wheels and I would gather the four writers who were also staying at the hotel (Inquirer, Daily News, Evening Bulletin and Wilmington News-Journal) once we got the call from Quinn. Adele was to call the two wire services (AP and UPI) and the TV stations.
Remember this was 50 years ago before fax machines and way before cell phones and the wonderful new world of zoom. Yes, but well after the pony express.
“I was new to the department,” say Adele. “I was really, really nervous making the calls, afraid something would go wrong.”
We all survived. Fan reaction was one of anger but there was no sports talk radio to fuel the flames. Just phone calls and old-fashioned mail.
Fast forward to 1979 just before the start of spring training again. This situation was more bizarre.
I was driving my family to Clearwater. We decided to spend the night in a Holiday Inn in Santee, SC. Unaware, Wheels too was on his way to spring training. Oddly, he stopped at the same hotel. As he was checking in, he saw my white Buick station wagon, the only car with Delaware tags. Being a Penn State grad, he put two and two together and knew I was there.
After going to bed, the room phone rang. My first thought was who in the world was calling. Using his Penn State math, it was Wheels, “Baron, did you see the news? We got Manny Trillo. What do you know?” “Wheels, I have no idea,” I stumbled replying. Tried calling GM Paul Owens who was in Clearwater. No answer. Tried calling Dallas Green (Director, Minor Leagues and Scouting) who was back north. No answer. Yes, still BCP (before cell phones).
When we got to Clearwater the next day, we found out Pope called Dallas who called Adele who called the four writers. Adele’s recall isn’t quite as crisp as it was with the Carlton trade. But, the good news, years of experience had relieved her anxiety.
Times today are totally different. Cell phones, texting, social media. No excuse for not being able to connect. Then again, we weren’t reachable 24 hours a day every day as now. Life was more peaceful unless Wheels called after bedtime.
