American baseball player, manager and team owner and the longest-serving manager in major league baseball history. He played baseball from 1886 to 1896 before becoming manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. He would go on to manage the Philadelphia Athletics for the club's first 50 seasons. He was the first manager to win the World Series three times and the only manager to win consecutive Series on separate occassions (1910-11, 1929-30). Fifty years as a big league manager earned Mack the records for most games managed, most games won, and (of course) most games lost. He finished that amazing career with 3,776 wins, 4,025 losses, and a winning percentage of 0.479. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. Born Cornelius McGillicuddy, Mack legally changed his name at the turn of the century so it would fit easier onto ballpark scoreboards.
This Certificate of Merit, dated August 22, 1953, was presented to Connie Mack "Grand Old Man of Baseball" by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. The document was awarded to Mack for "his outstanding leadership, forthrightness and fair play for more than 75 years has reflected great credit upon baseball and inspired both adults and youths with his code of clean, vigorous sportsmanship." It is signed by Wayne E. Richards, Commander in Chief and Julian Dickenson, Adjutant General. The Certificate was presented to Mack in a presentation portfolio with his name inscribed in gold leaf.