Introduction
By Phil Cohen
The ALPHA CLUB was a social club that consisted mostly of young men from South Camden in the years prior to World War I. The club appears to have organized in 1906, and was active as late as 1917. The Alphas had a headquarters for a time at 708 Broadway. The Alphas sponsored baseball, basketball, and football teams. The club had ownership of Camden’s professional basketball team in the late 1900s and early 1910s, named, appropriately enough, the Camden Alphas.
Prominent members included William C. Story of 919 Broadway and William E. Lickfeld, of 818 Broadway. William C. Story was president of the club for ten years. The Alpha Club was celebrated in music by Camden songwriter and composer Don Traveline, whose song, “I Want to be an Alpha Boy” was published in 1909.
The Alpha Club began winding down in the mid-1910s, perhaps due to many of its members marrying, starting families, and having less time for social club activities. The Alphas sold the basketball franchise in 1914 to Dr. Charles B. Helm and W. Penn Corson. Just 32 years of age, long-time president William C. Story died in January of 1919, a victim of the influenza pandemic. The Alpha Club still had its rooms at 708 Broadway when the 1920 City Directory was compiled, but was gone by the following year.
As more is learned about the club, it will be posted.
1900s
Wedding photographs of Alpha Club member William E. Lickfeld, 1900s.
Camden Wants Basketball Games
Philadelphia Inquirer —
CAMDEN, Oct. 30 (Special). — The Opera Club Incorporated, of Camden, has secured the line up of the Camden first team 1906–1907, which includes Blackburn, Bourgin, Weaver, Schlerth, Henry and Johnson, the most of whom played in the Philadelphia League last year. The management is making up a schedule and would like to hear from all strictly first and second class teams for games both away and at home. Address A.W. Garrison, care Opera Club, I.M.C., 819 Broadway, Camden, N.J.
Blackburn — Howard “Kidder” Bourquin — Weaver — Schlereth — Henry — Johnson — Alvin W. Garrison.
Camden Basketball Games
Philadelphia Inquirer —
By scoring forty-six points, Timmons, of the Reliance team, made a new record for individual work in Camden basketball. He threw twenty-two goals from the field and made two goals from fouls. South End was the opposing team and they made but fourteen points to eighty-eight for Reliance.
Reliance. Positions. South End.
Casper (Barr) … Forward … Campbell
Timmons … Forward … T. Smith
J. Mulligan … Centre … Keller
E. Mulligan … Guard … C. Smith (Rourk)
Holvick … Guard … Rox
Field goals — Barr, 2; Casper, 15; Timmons, 22; J. Mulligan, 4; Campbell, T. Smith, 3; Keller, Rourk. Foul goals — Timmins, 2.
The Silent Five was no match for Collingswood last night, the score being 41 to 19.
Silent Five. Positions. Collingswood.
Blong … Forward … Baumgartner
Barr … Forward … Liby
Cariston … Centre … Whitaker
Brown … Guard … Maclary
Ormsby … Guard … Jefferson
Field goals — Baumgartner, 4; Liby, 3; Whitaker, 7; Maclary, 2; Jefferson, 3; Blong, Barr, Brown, 4; Ormsby. Foul goals — Whitaker, 2; Blong, Ormsby.
To Melrose, which has not lost a game this season, goes the credit of administering the first defeat to Tuxedo, the score being 40 to 20. O’Brien caged sixteen goals from fouls.
Tuxedo. Positions. Melrose.
Homan … Forward … Howell
Fahl … Forward … Erdbring
Jaggard … Centre … O’Brien
Hall … Guard … Thompson
Ballinger … Guard … Logan
Field goals — Homan, 3; Fahl, Jaggard, 2; Howell, 4; Erdbring, 3; O’Brien, 4; Thompson. Goals from fouls — Jaggard, 8; O’Brien, 16.
Third Regiment went down before Alpha by a score of 40 to 23. O’Brien and Weaver made thirty-four of the victorious team’s points.
Alpha. Positions. 3d Regiment.
Schierth … Forward … Urban
O’Brien … Forward … McCausland
Weaver … Centre … Howell
Henry … Guard … Fox
Parker … Guard … Price
Alpha Club 1909–1910 Champions
Alpha Club 1909–1910 Champions. The Alphas were not in a professional league that season, but were apparently in a loose confederation of independent teams. They joined the Eastern Basketball League the following season.
Local Teams Win
Woodbury Daily Times —
First Team Downs Alpha 30 to 26, and High School Defeats Brown Prep 18 to 16
Alpha, of Camden, with their strongest line-up, failed to stop the local basket ball team’s winning streak last night, although it was a close call, McGeehan’s true eye on the foul line in the second half practically winning the game by the score of 30 to 26.
Alpha led at the end of the first half by the score of 10 to 9, neither team seeming able to locate the basket, but the second half was a nerve racking one, first one team would score then the other. Woodbury gained nine field goals and three fouls in this half and Alpha seven field goals and two fouls.
The visitors greatly outweighed the locals, but our boys bravely went after them and the result was eleven straight victories for the home team.
Next Tuesday evening the West Philadelphia Y.M.C.A. will play here.
Last night’s line-up:
Woodbury Positions Alpha
McGeehan … Forward … Eames, Daly
McFadden … Forward … Bourquin
Holodstein … Centre … Weaver
Turner … Guard … Henry
Field goals — McGeehan 3, Eldridge 3; Eames 2, Weaver 2. Foul goals — Eldridge 3, McGeehan 4; Bourquin 4, James 3, Eames 2, Weaver 4. Referee — Page.
December 1909 & 1910
Alpha Club member William A. Lickfeld, December 1909 and 1910.
1910 Baby Parade Contest — William A. Lickfeld
Alpha Club Baby Parade Contest entry — William A. Lickfeld, 1910.
1910 Baby Parade Contest First Prize — William A. Lickfeld
Alpha Club Baby Parade Contest First Prize — William A. Lickfeld, 1910.
Philadelphia Inquirer — June 22, 1910
For the fifth consecutive year William A. Story has been elected president of the Alpha Club, one of the leading social organizations of the city. The newly elected officers will give the members a banquet.
Camden Democrats Get Busy
The Camden County Democratic Executive Committee met on Saturday night at the office of Chairman William F. Davis and received from each member petitions with the names of hundreds of Democrats attached to be presented with the names of candidates. It was the opinion of the committee that the candidates for Assembly will be Charles A. Jones, of Delaware township; Grove E. Potter, of the Second ward, Camden, and William Story, a prominent member of the Alpha Club. The candidates for Coroner will in all probability be Dr. William A. Wescott, of Berlin, and Dr. W. S. Bray, of Camden.
William F. Davis — Charles A. Jones — Grove E. Potter — Alpha Club — William C. Story — Dr. William A. Wescott — Dr. Walter S. Bray.
1910s — Alpha Club Activities
Named: Alpha Club, William E. Lickfeld, Fred Roth, W.C. Story Broadway, William James, Joseph Snyder. South 4th Street, Ferry Avenue, and Schorpp’s Café..
William E. Lickfeld & Family, Holly Beach, N.J. — 1911
From left: William A., Ruby R., & William E. Lickfeld Jr. Holly Beach merged with Wildwood around the time the picture was taken. William E. Lickfeld Jr. is wearing his old Alpha Club basketball jersey.
Alpha Defeats Union
Philadelphia Inquirer —
PHOENIXVILLE, Pa., Oct. 31 (Special). — In a hard played game, the Alpha Club, of Camden, defeated Union Club here today, by a score of 7 to 6. Lock broke throughout the game for Alpha.
Union Club. Positions. Alpha.
B. Quinn … Left end … Payson
D. Quinn … Left tackle … Kerr
Hennessy … Left guard … Hemphill
Ennis … Right guard … Taylor (Rheinbold)
McLugh … Right tackle … Hurley
A. Quinn … Right end … Brown
Taggart … Quarter-back … Geiges
Cleary … Left half-back … Hatfield (Powers)
Kleib … Right half-back … Moore
Holm … Full-back … Russell
T. Weiler … Full-back … Matthews
Touchdowns — Martin. Substitutes: Pollick from touchdown — Russell. Keenan for Riley. Hopkins for Keenan. Goodwin for Brown. Referee: Denys Dectra. Umpire: Gotwals. Head linesman: Loucks.
Camden Wins Third Straight Game
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden Wins Third Straight Game — Maintains Clean Record in Eastern League by Defeating Greystock 39–30 — Broun’s Clever Shooting Prevented Visitors From Winning — Local Team Weak on Shots Near Basket.
Jimmy Brown’s eagle eye for the basket gave Camden the victory over Greystock, at Calder Hall, in Camden, last night, by the score of 39 to 30. Brown is supposed to be playing guard against Sugarman for the first half; Jimmy was under the basket and shot more than he was watching Sugarman, and the latter could not guard him at all. The Camden guard just equaled Greystock’s record of eight goals, scoring six of them in the first half.
CAMDEN: Adams, forward; Steele, forward; Dolin, centre; Herron, guard; Brown, guard. GREYSTOCK: Sugarman, forward; Wilson, forward; Cashman, centre; McWilliams, guard; Cross, guard.
Box score — CAMDEN: Adams 0 field, 10 foul, 3 assists; Steele 1 field; Dolin 4 field, 1 assist, 8 pts; Herron 1 field, 2 pts; Brown 8 field, 1 assist, 16 pts. Totals: 14 field, 11 foul, 10 assists, 39 pts. GREYSTOCK: Sugarman 6 field; Wilson; Cashman; McWilliams 0 field; Cross 3 field. Totals: 7 field, 16 foul, 30 pts.
Fouls committed — Camden, 22; Greystock, 19. Referee — Weaver. Time of halves — 20 minutes.
Eastern League Last Night’s Results: Camden, 39; Greystock, 30. Standing: Camden 3–0; Trenton 1–1; Reading 1–1; Jasper 1–1; Greystock 0–3.
Parkside a Winner
Philadelphia Inquirer —
PARKSIDE A WINNER — Parkside yesterday won the football championship of Camden by defeating Alpha by a score of 3 to 0. The game was played at the Camden City Ball Park in the presence of a large and enthusiastic crowd.
Parkside. Positions. Alpha.
Schack … Left end … Selby (Goodwin)
Nichols … Left tackle … Brown
Hooper … Left guard … Moore
Selding … Centre … Taylor (Fink)
Fink … Right guard … J. Selby
Collins … Right tackle … Hurley
Schockly … Right end … Brown
Stratton … Quarter-back … Geiges
Powers … Left half-back … Moore
Hollopeter … Right half-back … Matthews
W. Weder … Full-back … Russell
Touchdowns: Dean. Goal from the field: Russell. Referee: Dolan. Umpire: Armstrong. Time: Three 10-minute periods and one of 15 minutes.
Camden Starts Winning Again
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Camden Starts Winning Again — Two Bursts of Scoring in First Half Give Alpha Boys Lead They Never Relinquish — Trentons Outplay Home Team in Second Period, But Could Not Overcome Early Advantage.
Enjoying two streaks of rapid fire goal getting in the first half enabled Camden to break its losing streak at the expense of Trenton, by 30 to 21. Early in the first half the South Jersey Skeeters developed their first burst of double-deckers, when Brown, Steele, Dolin, Herron and Adams all scored in brilliant and rapid succession pushing them out to a 13–5 lead.
Camden passed better than Trenton and also landed some phenomenal shots, especially Dolin who shot two of his four tosses through the net from near mid floor. Herron also dropped one nearly the length of the floor.
During the first half Camden’s quick plays, Dolin to Brown and Dolin, Adams to Brown seemed to have Trenton bewildered, but in the second half the Potters stuck close to their men and broke up many of the home team’s plays. In the first half Adams landed 7 out of 8 fouls, then went “bad” in the final period for he only tallied 3 out of 8.
CAMDEN: Adams, forward; Steele, forward; Dolin, centre; Herron, guard; Brown, guard. TRENTON: Housh, forward; Princkle, forward; Gietzmer, centre; Kane, centre and forward; Frost, guard; Geig, guard.
Box score — CAMDEN: Adams 0 field, 10 foul; Steele 1 field; Dolin 4 field; Herron 1 field; Brown 4 field. Totals: 10 field, 10 foul, 6 assists, 30 pts. TRENTON: Princkle 1 field; Gietzmer 1 field; Kane 2 field; Frost 1 field. Totals: 7 field, 10 foul, 21 pts.
Fouls committed: Camden 23; Trenton 16. Referee: Baetzel. Time: 30 minutes.
Jackie Adams — Roy Steele — Eddie Dolin — Bill Herron — James Brown. Did not play: Neil Deighan.
De Neri Rallied at Right Time
Philadelphia Inquirer —
De Neri Rallied at Right Time — Came From Behind and Beat Out Camden in Well-Played Game by 38 to 33.
De Neri defeated Camden last night at Musical Fund Hall in the prettiest and best played game of the season by the score of 38 to 33.
Jackie Adams, the silver top flashy forward of the Camden team, was missing from the line-up, having been called home owing to a death in his family. Thompson subbed for Jackie, and for a man who gets few opportunities to get into games he did some rough defensive work. Steele showed out brightest for the Alpha boys, his passing, dribbling, shooting and his general all-around play kept Camden going at a fast clip.
Billy Keegan, in spite of the fact that his fingers were still bandaged, managed to score against the almost lost volume, the latter scoring three. Dolin is a hard man to score against. Jimmy Brown had somehow, in three, De Neri lost volume, but failed to land until five minutes before the close of the game, when he toppled in three. De Neri, passing the ball around the floor when the gong ended the game.
DE NERI: Fogarty, forward; Newman, guard; Keenan, centre; Nolalide, guard. Totals: 13 field, 12 foul, 11 assists, 38 pts. CAMDEN: Steele, forward; Dolin, centre; Herron, guard; Brown, guard. Totals: 12 field, 21 foul, 33 pts.
Fouls committed — De Neri: 21; Camden: 9. Referee — Brennan. Time of halves — 20 minutes.
Jackie Adams — Roy Steele — Eddie Dolin — Bill Herron — James Brown. “Thompson” is a misprint, Jackie Adams played. Did not play: Neil Deighan.
To Sell Camden Franchise
Philadelphia Inquirer —
TO SELL CAMDEN
If any basketball fan aspiring for an Eastern League franchise desires to be among “those present as managers,” and puts in the control bid this afternoon at the Alpha Club, in Camden, he can secure control of the present five, which is leading the race. The Alpha Club, which owns the Eastern League franchise, intends to put the “shed” of the team for various reasons, intends to put the five on the market and sell it to the highest bidder, and it shut individual produces the coin ready to meet the price.
But whoever buys the franchise must guaranty the Camden Club that the team will be maintained in Camden. The only conditions the Alpha Club places on the sale is that the team must not leave the city, and if there is no purchaser then the club will be conducted under the same management.
The attendance early in the season was poor, but since the team developed its program, it turned out and in the last three home games capacity houses have prevailed.
Camden Franchise Sold for $1,425
Philadelphia Inquirer —
CAMDEN FRANCHISE SOLD FOR $1,425 — Eastern League Club Bought in at Auction by Four Enthusiastic Basketball Fans — Team Will Be Kept Intact With Howard Henry Continuing as Manager — Sale Stirs Followers.
The Camden franchise of the Eastern League of Basketball Clubs yesterday afternoon passed from the control of the Alpha Club, which has held it since the formation of the league. At an auction sale held at the quarters of the Alpha Club, the franchise was knocked down to Dr. Charles A. Helm, a veterinarian; Dr. Charles A. Empey, a dentist; C.A. Turner, a tailor and proprietor; and Samuel Herman, a tailor, for a bid of $1,425 — $25 in excess of the next highest bid, which was made by Fultz, an attorney, but $1,400 under Martin Friedman, a hotel proprietor’s bid.
The club and franchise immediately passed to the control of the four men, and Jackie Adams and other members of the team, which is now leading the league, expressed themselves as perfectly satisfied with the new owners.
Speaking for the purchasers, Dr. Helm said that Howard B. Henry, who has guided the destinies of the club for the past part of the season, will be continued as manager, which will be pleasing to the Camden fans, who have always appreciated Henry’s efforts to give Camden a winning combination.
The Alpha Club of Camden franchise lived up to every obligation in the league and steps out of the game with clean hands and without owing a penny to anybody. The owners are sure to be welcomed with wide open arms by the other club owners and will undoubtedly prove to be of big help to the league in the uplift of the game.
Dr. Charles B. Helm — Dr. Charles A. Empey — C.A. Turner — Samuel Herman — Howard B. Henry — Fultz — Martin Friedman — Jackie Adams.