Happy Hundred
The "Happy Hundred", also known as the "100 Brothers",
The Happy Hundred included[2]
- James P. Clark, trucking magnate and former chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic city committee
- Frank McNamee, theater manager and former regional director of the War Assets Administration
- Austin Meehan, sheriff of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
- Vincent P. McDevitt, legal counsel for the Philadelphia Electric Company
- Al Paul Lefton, advertising executive
- Paul C. Lewis, owner of a vending machine company
- James Peterson, banker
- Harry Sylk, pharmaceutical company executive
- Potter Wear, newspaper publisher
- John Tyson, insurance executive
Clark served as the team president from 1949 to 1953, but gave up the position due to business pressure. He was succeeded by Frank McNamee, but remained with the organization as vice president and chairman.[6] In 1950, the group attempted to purchase the Philadelphia Athletics Major League Baseball team.[7]
The Eagles won two
Bill Mackrides, the starting quarterback for the Eagles in 1948, claimed that the "Happy Hundred" was a sham. He said, "That's all pure myth. It made for a good story and headlines but the truth is Lex Thompson sold about 60 shares to Jim Clark. Clark had a friend who owned another 20 shares. To this day, no one knows that."[10]
Such an ownership group would not be permitted under current NFL bylaws, which requires that one general partner hold at least a 30% stake in the team[11] and limits the number of people who can hold interest in a club organized as a corporation to 25.[12]
References
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Frank (September 12, 2010). "1960 championship ignited Eagles fervor". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
- ^ a b "Philly Grid Franchise Comes Home". The Deseret News. January 15, 1949. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ McKee, Don (December 5, 1997). "V.a. Mcnally, 94, 1960 Eagles Gm". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
- ^ Warrington, Robert D. Departure Without Dignity: The Athletics Leave Philadelphia. Society for American Baseball Research, 2010.
- ^ "Phillie Eagles of NFL Sold for Quarter Million". Herald-Journal. January 17, 1949. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Eagles Name Clark". Middlesboro Daily News. March 6, 1953. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ "Philadelphia Athletics Sought By Syndicate". Star-News. June 9, 1950. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ISBN 1-59213-449-1.
- ^ Fitzpatrick, Frank (April 16, 2003). "Ex-Eagles owner Leonard Tose dies". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
- ^ Bostrom, Don (January 19, 2003). "Eagles still a long way from matching 1948, '49 teams". The Morning Call. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
- ^ "1985 Resolution FC-7*" (PDF). Constitution and Bylaws of the National Football League. National Football League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
- ^ "1996 Resolution FC-5" (PDF). Constitution and Bylaws of the National Football League. National Football League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 March 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2012.