Did Carpenter attempt to buy the A's?

[Steve Jeltz]

Did Robert Carpenter, before buying the Phils in 1944, try to purchase the A's? Maybe not the whole franchise, as long as Connie Mack was around, but a piece of it?

[JoeZak]

I have just finished reading David M Jordan's book, "The Athletics of Philadelphia," and am now reading the same author's "Occasional Glory, The History of the Philadelphia Phillies" --both good reads for baseball history buffs, by the way, neither book mentions Carpenter Sr. buying or being interested in buying the A's or any of the stock thereof. Carpenter Sr. bought club for his son (Jr.) who was only 28 at the time and shortly thereafter the purchase of Phillies entered WW II. Carpenter Sr was a VP of DuPont and the purchase of the Phillies by him signaled the end of the city of Philadelphia being an "Athletics Town.." Quoting from Jordan's book on the A's: "[a quote from Earle Mack about Connie]...'Dad was in the league fifty-four years and only one time did he ask a favor. He asked the other owners at the meeting in New York to keep the club in Philadelphia. He didn't care who owned the club as long as it stayed in Philadelphia. They turned him down. Fifty-four years in the league and they turned him down." {Both books published by the great McFarland Publishing Company -- a treasure trove of terrific baseball books}

[PlayJay]

I can't imagine Connie Mack selling any piece of the franchise at that point in time...

[bummy davis]

In 1939, RRM Carpenter, Sr desired to build a new sports complex in Wilmington, DE. The primary tenant for the facility would be a Double A team in the Inter-State League. Carpenter Sr. enlisted the assistance of Connie Mack for the baseball operations end, and the Wilmington Blue Rocks began playing in the newly constructed Wilmington Park in May, 1940. The Blue Rocks were a Double A affiliate of the Philadelphia Athletics organization and Carpenter Sr. appointed his son, RRM Carpenter, Jr. to head the franchise. Wilmington Park was utilized for college and semi-pro football games, and pro boxing matches in addition to minor league baseball. Spring training for the A's was conducted at Wilmington Park in the spring of 1943 due to travel restrictions imposed by the government. Also, the Phillies conducted spring training there in 1944 and 1945 due to the aforementioned restrictions. At the end of the 1943 season Carpenter Sr had the opportunity to purchase the Philadelphia Phillies franchise and immediately appointed Carpenter Jr. to run the team. This ended his relationship with Connie Mack and the Wilmington Blue Rocks became a Double A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.