Thursday, May 31, 2012

A Goodbye To Our Friend Mr. Surkin

I received a phone call early in May from my dear friend and sometime mentor, sometime competitor, Peter Capolino. Peter founded Mitchell & Ness Nostalgia Co. in Philadelphia around the same time that Lisa and I were starting up EFF, and I suppose it was inevitable that the only two lunatics attempting to re-create a dead athletic apparel product at precisely the same time when the entire U.S. manufacturing base was in serious decline get together. We all became fast friends in those early, heady days, and often shared resources and knowledge. (More on that friendship at another time). Peter was calling to tell me that Martin Surkin, owner for many decades of Maple Manufacturing Company was not long for this world, and that perhaps I should call him and say my goodbyes. I had not spoken to Mr. Surkin in several years, and he sounded initially distant and somewhat confused by my call, though he fortunately soon realized who I was, and we had a pleasant, though brief, chat. I was grateful that I had a chance to express my thanks to him and tell him how much he meant to us.


Back in the late 1980s when we decided to start a baseball clothing company there were still a number of old time manufacturers who made the very items from the "golden age" of athletic apparel we were trying so hard to emulate in our business. My first caps, for example, were made by a little company in Boston's Chinatown who used to deliver the Red Sox hats right to the clubhouse at Fenway. There were still a few woolen mills and jacket makers around (all gone now), and I visited or called all of them in the first years of EFF's existence, soaking up every bit of knowledge I could. Maple was one such company, and I met Martin Surkin and his sister Pearl through Peter, who was using Maple to make all of his flannel baseball jerseys at the time. Mr. Surkin had acquired Passon Sporting Goods around 1933. Its founder, Harry Passon, was instrumental in outfitting the many black and Jewish athletic teams in the Philadelphia area and was also a co-founder (with Eddie Gottlieb) of the Philadelphia SPHAs professional basketball team.

Going to Maple was always a bit of an adventure. The company - on Noble Street in the Callowhill section of Philadelphia - was in the Art Deco Lasher Building. What once had been a beautiful, modern edifice was now a crumbling relic. The elevator ride to Maple's offices and factory was a bit creepy, and on my ride up to the fourth floor I always felt vaguely like I was traveling through ghosts of Philadelphia's industrial past, which in a way I was. Although once in the confines of Maple it was perfectly fine, by the 1990s neither the building nor the neighborhood were places one would want to linger after dark.

Mr. Surkin - I could never quite bring myself to call him "Martin", it seemed almost disrespectful - was an interesting man. He walked with a pronounced limp (a vestige of childhood polio), carried a cane, and smoked a pipe. He never married. He lived with his sisters Natalie (who passed away before I met him) and Pearl, who did Maple's bookkeeping. On his desk was always a jar of pretzels. He seemed to have no hobbies or vices other than buying himself a new Cadillac every year, and going to DiNardo's on Race Street for steaks or crab nearly every night. He was the first person I knew who watched his stock portfolio on a computer. He was thoughtful, very intelligent, enjoyed a good joke, but did not suffer fools gladly. To me he was a wise old sage, and I would pester him questions about how things were done in the good old days. I always got the impression he must have been somewhat amused that these younger people had so much fascination for something that to him must have been old hat.


Pearl handled the bookkeeping, and she was a character in her own right. Under five feet tall, with a cigarette dangling from her mouth, and enough hairspray to turn her head into a silver helmet, she could play the sweet Jewish grandmother. But if you crossed her (especially if you owed Maple money) she could be tough as nails. Her worst insult was "oh go sit on a tack!" And she meant it.


Martin and Pearl Surkin



Mr. Surkin may have seemed like a kindly grandfather at times, but he could be very tough about business. Throughout much of the 1990s, we made David Letterman's annual big Christmas gift to staff and friends, which was always a varsity style wool and leather jacket. These jackets went to famous friends like Johnny Carson and Tom Hanks, as well as to the show staff. Dave himself took an active role in the design each year, often designing and re-designing the jacket right up until the point of production. This order was a big deal for us - both financially and for the prestige we gained from it. One particular year, it must have been around 1994, we had Maple make the Letterman jackets, and as Christmas approached, we grew concerned about Maple's delivery. This concern was heightened when Dave's personal assistant Laurie Diamond called me (almost never good to pick up the phone and have "Diamond", as she liked to call herself, on the other end). She was clearly alarmed that the jackets were not going to make it in time, and franly,  so was I. No Christmas jackets meant no $50,000 payment, which funded the company through the first slow post-holiday months; a very disappointed David Letterman, and one very pissed off Laurie Diamond. I made a call to Mr. Surkin. Ebbets Field had a bit of an overdue balance to Maple at the time, and Mr. Surkin made it clear that without us becoming current on that balance, he could not assure us that the David Letterman Christmas order would have priority in his production schedule. Not having the cash on hand, I explained that when we got paid for the Letterman jackets we would have plenty of money to pay our back balance, and how it would adversely affect my business if we were to not deliver these jackets on time, but Mr. Surkin was unmoved: The jackets "might" make it, or they might not. No guarantees, when I guarantee was what I desperately needed.


I made a snap decision to take the red eye that very night to Philadelphia and try to take charge of the situation. For a week I trudged into the Noble St. factory at 9 AM with the rest of the employees. Mr. Surkin neither hindered nor helped me. Early on I figured out who made things happen in the factory and made sure I became friendly with the people who would decide my fate - or at least my relationship with my biggest and most important customer. I begged, pleaded, and cajoled Maple's employees to push my jackets through the production line. I pressed jackets, trimmed threads, counted garments, and packed them into boxes. This being a Union shop, perhaps the worse thing was seeing boxes of jackets nearly ready for Fedex at 5 PM, but when 5 o'clock struck, the shipper put his hands down, even though five more minutes of taping boxes shut would have meant dozens of Letterman Christmas jackets going out that day instead of the next. The situation was not made better by periodic phone calls from Laurie Diamond, who had somehow tracked me down at Maple, demanding progress reports and assurances. I dealt with all the pressure by copious drinking in the evenings with a few sympathetic Mitchell & Ness employees and their friends. But the next morning I would make my way through the December muck back to my work station at Maple. On my breaks I would retreat to the fortress of an office where Martin and Pearl held forth. I would eat my lunch while behind me Pearl would type Maple's invoices by hunt-and-peck method on an electric typewriter (she refused to learn to use a computer), while smoking a cigarette and carrying on a running commentary to no one in particular on the quality of their customers. "Six jackets," tap-tap, drag, puff...."Like he's doing us a favor!"...TAP, TAP, TAP!


The Lasher Bldg., home of Maple Mfg.



By the end of my week-long "apprenticeship" at the factory the jackets got out - barely. To add insult to injury, I missed my flight back to Seattle when the airport shuttle driver agreed to turn around at JFK and take a passenger to La Guardia when the passenger realized he was headed to the wrong airport. I capped off my trip East by spending a miserable night at an airport hotel. We paid for the Letterman jackets as well as the back balance we owed, and despite the stress this experience caused me I always respected Mr. Surkin for taking the stand he did. I knew it was just business - just like Mr. Surkin knew our decision to give the Letterman jacket order to a different supplier the following year was just business.

  
 We continued to use Maple periodically over the next several years, but advancing age and a changing sporting goods market meant Mr. Surkin finally had to sell Maple in the late 1990s. The new owners were full of big plans, but they ran the company into the ground almost instantly, ending over 60 years of apparel-making heritage. In the meantime Pearl passed away and Mr. Surkin eventually had to move into an assisted living facility.


Mr. Surkin passed away on May 12th, 2012 at the age of 92, a few days after our phone call. He was a friend to us, and a mentor whom I learned a great deal from. I keep a Maple catalog from 1941 on my desk and leaf through it from time to time. The rough, aged paper feels good in my hands, and the work Mr. Surkin did over 70 years ago is still an inspiration. I am a better businessman - but more importantly a better man - for having known him. 




35 comments:

  1. Great stuff Jerry - love reading stories like this. Keep it coming!

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  2. Excellent read, and a memorable tribute to Mr. Surkin. Keep up the great work, all the way around!

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  3. Great stuff Jerry. I have a very early Mitchell and Ness Warren Spahn road jersey. It's so early that the collar tag says Maple Manufacturing on it, not Mitchell and Ness. It's neat to hear a little about the company that made it.

    Mike

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  4. Great post, Mr. Cohen.
    Mr. Surkin was a great man who helped lay some tracks to the legendary works of two great companies! Thank you for sharing your story.
    JW

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  5. I really enjoyed reading that, thank you.

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  6. Great post, Jerry! Mr. Surkin sounds like an amazing guy. Thanks for sharing this with us.

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  7. very nice story, thank you

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  8. I recently read Philip Roth's novel "American Pastoral," which focuses on a lost legacy of craftsmanship akin to what you describe here. That fictional factory and family business were set in Newark, but otherwise it sounds very similar to what you've shared about Mr. Surkin and Maple. Great stuff, thank you, Jerry!

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  9. Very enjoyable - goes to the heart of what makes you passionate about your business. A lot of temporary tzorres, but overall a rewarding experience.

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  10. Jerry, I love the new direction of the blog. This is a great backstory and give me an even more nostalgic feel toward my EFF collection.

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  11. You've got a great voice, Jerry - thanks for sharing and for making such wonderful products that share your love of baseball and its history with others.

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  12. Very much enjoyed the story, Jerry. The new blog is off to a great start.

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  13. A lot of fun to read Jerry. Would love to hear more about he early days of EFF. Hope all's well.

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  14. Great stuff. I actually worked for Letterman in 2000-2001 and received one of the jackets - it looks like a Purdue jacket with a large P on the breast and "Worldwide" written vertically down the stem of the P. I always wondered if the Worldwide Pants jackets aped other university jackets from Dave's home state.

    BTW, I still have the jacket. Hasn't worn out a bit.

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    1. Hey there, um, "Anonymous". Thanks for the comment. 1999 was the last year we did the Late Show jackets. The business was taken away because we were blamed for the weather. Literally. You must have gotten one that Golden Bear did. Working with Late Show was great, except when it wasn't. Cheers.

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  15. Great read, Jerry!

    The baseball stories are always great, but personal stories about experiences with friends, family, or mentors are great too!

    Thanks and keep em coming!!!

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  16. Very interesting glimpse into the early years. I really enjoyed learning about Maple and Mr Surkin

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  17. Nice piece, good company.
    Keep it up.

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  18. Words painting picture 4 the mind's eye
    Words opening windows 2 the heart
    Thkx 4 this memory
    Elizabeth f.

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    Replies
    1. Very kind of you to say, Elizabeth F. Thank you.

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  19. Interesting stories i like it thanks jerry for share this stories.





    JFK Airport Limo Service

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  20. Martin and Pearl SURKIN?
    RELY?
    This like PEARL WHY YOU LITTLE BLOG?
    He's with MP 3 - MPEARLL?
    They cull is what we got.
    And they cull for kid- fucking?
    And MASSACHUSETS with ESBBOSTON?
    Explosives with ACE?
    They're pointing to RGERAR- TO?
    And that means THE ROCCE- ROCCO?
    This is MONTROC 6 and he's with ROCKET MAN?
    And that's your LA SEAS?
    With CARON?
    YEMEN not taking anymore shit.
    Either is RICK the PRICK.
    And NEWFOUNDLAND is giving away RISA for the prize as in RSREFF.
    NSIDEADD 55?
    MICHE?
    She gave away MARY PAT.

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  21. Hi Jerry,

    I never met you, but I heard about you and your company from Pearl Surkin. I am Martin Surkin's godson, and he treated me as a real son, although I had my own biological family, as well. I grew up spending hours and days with him, his two sisters and mother, who were all loving and wonderful to me. I miss them all dearly, and with Martin's passing, I feel like part of me is gone.

    As far as Maple goes, I spent a lot of time there, even working there in the summers as a teenager some 50 years ago. Your description of the plant seems apt, although I look back with longing memories of the people that worked there, including two of my uncles. Your description of Pearl in the office was dead on. She had always worked in the factory, in shipping, moved to the office following her sister Natalie's untimely passing in 1987. Natalie, who was also my godmother, was an incredibly skilled bookkeeper/office manager.

    Moe, as I called Martin, was brilliant at work and just as brilliant whenever I needed help or explanations to any problem I had growing up. Just to clear the record, he never had polio. His limp, as I understand it, was the result of multiple fractures that occurred when he was a teenager, eventually resulting in surgery that froze his hip joint and recovery in a full body cast for almost a year, reflective of the state of medical arts in the mid 1930's. Nevertheless, he was an avid golfer and enjoyed watching virtually all sports on TV. MY earliest memories include sitting on the floor of their living room with the entire family cheering on the Phillies, a rather daunting task in those days. It was largely through him and his family that I developed my love of sports.

    I thank you very much for your blog, which brought back some great memories and bestowed honor on Martin and his company. Similarly, Peter Capolino told some great stories following Martin's funeral, which helped me appreciate the profound influence he had on others.

    Harvey

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  22. A great story that also brought back some of my own personal memories of the old Maple Athletic Sportwear Company. More than 35 years ago, I was a high school student at Calvert Hall College High School in Baltimore and while playing 2'nd base for the CHC Cardinals we won the 1976 Maryland IAA A-Conference Versity Baseball Championship Title that year.

    Our last and final game of that spectacular championship baseball season was played at the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore where our starting pitcher John Carey tossed a no-hitter.

    As MSA Varsity Champs, were all awarded these incredibly custom made Gold Letterman Varsity Jackets that were made by the Maple Athletic Sportswear Company in Philadelphia.

    Even though it was many, many years ago; I still remember that company representatives from Maple Sportswear came all the way from Philadelphia to Calvert Hall College High School in Baltimore to personally measure each team member of our 1976 Championship Baseball Team for their individual Varsity Gold Wool Jacket's.

    The Gold Varsity Letterman jackets were constructed of a heavy weight wool fabric similiar to a Brooks Brothers 3/4 length car coat with Cardinal Red wool trim on the pocket slashes and the embossed button "snaps" were Cardinal Red as well. The jacket was also manufactured with a heavy weight Gold colored full satin lining and that lining fabric is as soft as silk. The workmanship and construction is absolutely second to none.

    I still have mine to this very day and I will always consider that Gold Jacket to be a treasured heirloom as well as a testament to a great product that was made here in the United States.

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    1. Hi Pietro,
      As Martin Surkin's godson, and virtual next-of-kin (see my post above yours), I was very moved by your story. I grew up wearing Maple jackets and baseball uniforms. I loved hearing how meaningful your jacket has become to you as a symbol of that wonderful championship you and your teammates won so stunningly.

      I know my godfather would have been happy and proud to have read your beautifully written story. Since he died, I've been hearing a lot of reminiscences about how he and his company affected others. Thank you for adding yours to this very special list.

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  23. Hi! I live in England and I have a baseball jacket that has a label inside the collar saying Maple Mfg Co. Athletic Sportswear.
    It has Cyn embroidered on the front; and on the back it says MHS 1958 cheerleaders.
    It's blue felt(?) with orange trim.
    Can you tell me anything about it please?
    Donna.

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    1. Hi Donna,
      Maple Manufacturing Company made clothing to the buyer's exact specifications. So this baseball jacket, usually ordered and personalized for each member of the entire team, was for "Cyn," probably short for Cynthia. They were for a school cheerleading team, "MHS, "M" being the first initial of the school's name and "HS" for High School, which in US is usually grade 9-12, for 14 to 18 year old teenagers. Those colors are the school's colors, but Maple made jackets for schools in many parts of the United States so it would be hard to determine the particular high school.
      I spent a lot time at Maple as the owners were my close relatives. I was always amazed at the craftsmanship that went into each jacket. I'd be curious to know how you in England happened to have this jacket and any story behind it.

      Thanks,

      Harvey

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  24. Hút bể phốt tại thái nguyên Dịch vụ hút bể phốt tại thái nguyên. Uy tín, chất lượng, bảo hành dài hạn cho mọi gia đình

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  25. I met Marty and Pearl when I was an MBA student at Wharton ('91-'93). I tried to buy the company and marry the MLB license which was coming up for renewal. I knew the Giles family that owned the Phillies. My attempt to buy the company and save 42 union sewing jobs failed. The company and all the patterns for Cooperstown Collectibles went to Iowa I think. I'd like to find the same skill set here in the US if it is still around. I have some jackets to make! I'm lucky enough to have a varsity jacket from The University School in Cleveland. It belonged to one of the Garrett Boys. Jason is the now coach of the Cowboys, John Coaches Lafayette Football and Judd is the director of Pro Personnel at the Cowboys. I really liked Marty and Pearl. If anyone has a good resource for School Jackets/Varsity Jackets...please let me know. Robert McManus mcmanusrjh@aol.com 610-525-3479

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  26. I met Marty and Pearl when I was an MBA student at Wharton ('91-'93). I tried to buy the company and marry the MLB license which was coming up for renewal. I knew the Giles family that owned the Phillies. My attempt to buy the company and save 42 union sewing jobs failed. The company and all the patterns for Cooperstown Collectibles went to Iowa I think. I'd like to find the same skill set here in the US if it is still around. I have some jackets to make! I'm lucky enough to have a varsity jacket from The University School in Cleveland. It belonged to one of the Garrett Boys. Jason is the now coach of the Cowboys, John Coaches Lafayette Football and Judd is the director of Pro Personnel at the Cowboys. I really liked Marty and Pearl. If anyone has a good resource for School Jackets/Varsity Jackets...please let me know. Robert McManus mcmanusrjh@aol.com 610-525-3479

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  27. great stuff for sports viewers because visitor can get new tact & tics. custom football team uniforms

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