Claire Betz

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Claire Smith Betz (January 11, 1921 – February 6, 2014) was a part-owner of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team.

Philadelphia Phillies Baseball team and Major League Baseball franchise in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. Since 2004, the team's home has been Citizens Bank Park, located in South Philadelphia.

She inherited her part-ownership from her husband, John Betz - who bought his share of the team in 1981 - when he died in 1990. According to Bill Conlin, she had a 33% stake in the team in 2007, making her the largest stakeholder of the ownership group. [1] [2] She was part of the cabal of Phillies owners known as the "Phantom Five", so-called because of their reclusiveness and lack of involvement in Phillies affairs. [3]

William T. Conlin, Jr. was an American sportswriter. He was a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News for 46 years. Prior to that, Conlin worked at the Philadelphia Bulletin. He was a member of the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Conlin received the J. G. Taylor Spink Award in 2011.

The Betz family made its fortunes in Betz Laboratories, a water treatment company based in Pennsylvania. [3]

Betz, now part of SUEZ is a water treatment company based in Trevose, Pennsylvania, United States, in Bensalem Township. Betz's core business involves the sale of water treatment chemicals designed to lengthen the lifespan of cooling towers, chillers, boilers, and other water dependent machines.

The Phillies honored Betz with the wearing of a "CB" memorial patch on their uniforms during the 2014 season. [4] [5] [6]

2014 Philadelphia Phillies season

The Philadelphia Phillies' 2014 season was the 132nd in the history of the franchise. After a disappointing 2013, the Phillies entered the offseason with a strategy to reload rather than rebuild; they did not want to relinquish the opportunity to do well in 2014 in hopes of being competitive down the road. Commensurate with this strategy, among their key acquisitions were right fielder Marlon Byrd and starting pitcher A. J. Burnett. The Phillies began the season with new coaches and new broadcasters; Jamie Moyer and Matt Stairs, two members of the 2008 World Series squad, replaced Chris Wheeler and Gary Matthews as analysts on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia.

Personal life and other endeavors

Betz attended Mount Saint Joseph Academy and then Villanova University. She was a philanthropist who donated 200 acres of land to the Natural Lands Trust. [7]

Mount Saint Joseph Academy (Flourtown, Pennsylvania)

Mount Saint Joseph Academy, commonly called The Mount, in Flourtown, Pennsylvania is a Philadelphia-area all-female, catholic, college preparatory school within the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. It was founded in 1858 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. The academy was originally located in Philadelphia on the grounds of what is now Chestnut Hill College. Originally a boarding school, the academy began accepting day students in 1911. In 1928, this all girls high school was the first Catholic school to be approved by the Middle States Association accrediting agency. In response to the growth of the school and evolving educational needs, the Mount moved in 1961 to its present site, just outside the community of Chestnut Hill near Philadelphia. Since relocation to the new campus, the school has grown significantly.

Villanova University Catholic university near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Villanova University is a private research university in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania Named after Saint Thomas of Villanova, the school is the oldest Catholic university in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Natural Lands Trust organization

Natural Lands is a non-profit land conservation organization with headquarters in Media, Pennsylvania, dedicated to the management, protection, and conservation of eastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey’s native forests, fields, steams, and wetlands. The organization owns and manages 44 nature preserves—totaling more than 23,000 acres—located in 13 counties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Nineteen of the preserves are open to the public for recreational use; the others have limited visitation due to the presence of sensitive ecosystems or limited facilities.

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References

  1. ↑ Butler, Scott. "Who are the Phillies owners?". Phils Baseball. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  2. ↑ Conlin, Bill. "Phils' part-owner has money to burn". philly.com. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  3. 1 2 "Philadelphia Phillies Owners: The Phantom Five". Philadelphia. Metro Corp. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  4. ↑ Shenk, Larry. "Good-bye Clearwater" . Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  5. ↑ "Phillies wearing CB memorial patch" . Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "The CB Team Would Like to Thank the Phillies for Paying Homage to Their Favorite Site This Season" . Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Claire Smith Betz Obituary". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2 April 2014.


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