Reading stop on World Champs’ Winter Tour sold out

Reading, PA – The World Champion Philadelphia Phillies Winter Tour stop in Reading, scheduled for Thursday, January 22, 2009, is sold out. The dinner also serves as the 7th annual King of Baseballtown fundraiser.

“This is unprecedented,” said R-Phils general manager and vice president for Baseballtown Charities Scott Hunsicker. “We typically sell tickets right up to the event and experience a rush on sales after the players who are expected to attend are announced. This is a great tribute by the people of Baseballtown to the Phillies’ accomplishments in 2008 and the money raised will help so many kids.”

Philadelphia Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel, who led the Phillies to their first World Series win since 1980, and General Manager Ruben Amaro are the first Phillies scheduled to attend. Information on the remainder of the Phillies contingent will be announced at a later date. 

Tickets went on sale on December 5 and 30 seats sold in the first 30 minutes tickets were available. Eighteen days later 800 tickets have been sold, the most, and fastest since the Winter Tour returned to a sit-down dinner in 2006. 

Since the event returned to a dinner format, the three banquets have drawn fans in numbers ranging from the high 500s to the mid 600s. From 1996 through 2005 the format of the Phillies Winter Tour’s stop in Reading varied from fan carnivals, to autograph sessions at malls to visits to children. 

The Reading Crowne Hotel, formerly the Sheraton Reading Hotel, will host the event as in years past.

The most anticipated aspect of this year’s event is the presence of the World Series trophy. Doors open at 4:30 PM for free professionally taken fan photos with the trophy (one per person with event ticket). Cocktail hour begins at 5:30 PM and dinner will be served at 6:30 PM. Fans will also hear from Amaro, Manuel and the players that attend in addition to prizes, highlight videos and more. 

Tickets for the banquet were $65 each and $600 for a 10-person table. Proceeds benefit the Reading Phillies Baseballtown Charities, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping more children, who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity, play baseball. Complete registration and financial information of Baseballtown Charities can be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State at 1-800-732-0999.

The Reading Phillies trademarked the name Baseballtown in 2002 and began programs in its name with goals to honor Reading’s rich baseball history and secure its baseball future by giving more kids the opportunity to play and learn from the game’s life lessons. For more please visit www.baseballtown.org. 

Reading native Dr. David Q. Voigt, Ph.D., Albright College professor emeritus, will be crowned King of Baseballtown for 2009. Dr. Voigt has been called one of the game’s leading historians by Baseball America, Journal of Sport History and The Sporting News. He has had over a half-dozen books and around 100 articles published about the national pastime. He’s also done reviews on dozens of baseball books. Dr. Voigt was appointed to the Commissioner’s Committee on Statistical Accuracy by the late A. Bartlett Giamatti shortly before his passing in 1988. In 1994 he served as a consultant to Ken Burns on his nine-part PBS documentary “Baseball”. He is an active member in the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and the organization’s former president. A World War II veteran, Voigt earned his bachelor’s degree from Albright College, his masters from Columbia University and his doctorate from Syracuse University. 

He follows Reading native and Boston Red Sox icon, the late “Broadway” Charlie Wagner (2003); former Reading Indian and long-time Reading High coach Paul “Cooter” Jones (2004); former Major Leaguer, front office executive and scout Dick Gernert (2005); fast-pitch softball manager Rocky Santilli, who owns 2,000+ wins in local, national and international competition (2006); Francis “Ducky” Turner, longtime stadium improvement activist (2007); and former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player Ruth Hartman (crowned “Queen” in 2008).

Tickets still available for Lehigh Valley Stop: Tickets are still available for the Phillies Winter Tour stop in the Lehigh Valley, home to the Triple-A IronPigs, on January 21. Visit www.ironpigsbaseball.com or call 610-841-PIGS.

This story was posted on December 22, 2008