Montgomery Awarded for Serving Community

  • September 16, 2015
  • Source MLB.com
  • Author Paul Hagen
  • Type News

Photo: Philadelphia Magazine

Montgomery Awarded for Serving Community

By Paul Hagen, MLB.com

PHILADELPHIA -- When Ed Rendell became mayor in 1992, Philadelphia was broke. Still, he says, he was determined to do something to give the citizens hope that better days were ahead.

The previous summer, only 10 of the 38 public swimming pools had been opened. And even then, the pools were available for only six weeks instead of the normal 10.

Rendell decided to open all the pools for the entire summer. But there was no money. The first call he placed was to the Phillies.

Shortly, starting pitcher Terry Mulholland announced that he would donate $1,000 for each win. The Phillies announced they would match that, and they invited others to join in. Soon enough, money had been raised to not only meet the goal, but also to open four more pools that had been closed for years.

Multiply that scenario over and over, and it explains why Phillies chairman David Montgomery received The Jamie Moyer Legends Award, as well as the Eluna's Community All-Star Award on Tuesday at the Crystal Tea Room.

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