Mason's Pencils

Many years ago, in Reading Pennsylvania there was a triple A affiliate of the Phillies called the Reading Bulldogs. They played their home games at Lang Stadium.

Next to the scoreboard in right field there was a permanent advertisement for Mason's Pencils. A big yellow pencil stood eight feet high. Adjacent to it, in all capital letters, the sign read "SOMETHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT."

I was at this stadium only once, over six decades ago, when I was at an outing with my group from summer camp. While every detail of the game long ago disappeared, the Mason's ad remains with me to this day.

Lang Stadium was torn down more than half a century ago. But I have forever had my own small tradition of paying respect at the very end of each year to the cleverness of Mason.

2024 was no exception. So just before the calendar struck 2025, as we all said adieu to the past year, I gave a silent wink and nod to that pencil and the Old Lang Sign.

A happy and healthy New Year to all.