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Posted By: Jim Harkins

Something that has haunted me for years. As a young boy in the 50's living in North Philadelphia, two blocks from Connie Mack Stadium, a regular visitor to my Moms real estate office was an old man named Ira. Ira was short, unimpressive, not interested in me or I in him. He was always dressed in a sport coat and tie with a hat. he would come onto our front porch and sit and ask if my mon was in. If she wasn't busy, she would come out and talk to him. Many years later after I was married and mom was over for dinner, I showed her some of my baseball cards. Suddenly she says: " There's Ira"! Who? Ira Thomas. Its been bugging me my whole adult life that I missed this opportunity to have had conversations with Ira Thomas about the great Philadelphia teams and the great players that Ira played with. I can't forget this. If there is one thing that I would change in my life, it would be to spend some time talking baseball with Ira Thomas.