Edward L. Bader
Encyclopedia
Edward Lawrence Bader was an American politician who served as Mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey for much of the Roaring Twenties
, when the city was arguably at the peak of its popularity, as a vacation spot. Bader was known for his contributions to the construction, athletics and aviation of Atlantic City.
, born to German immigrants
Daniel and Sarah Bader in 1874. Until he turned 13, he attended Boon’s Dam School, though he recalled skipping a good deal of class. He worked a number of chores on the family farm, and he credited this rural labor with building his athletic physique. His family couldn't afford further education for him which led him to champion educational growth in Atlantic City as an adult.
Bader sold newspapers, after leaving school, then worked for his father’s new contracting business where he drove a six-horse team. He was married in 1899 to Katherine Holvick and then enrolled in college. First he attended dental school, then the veterinary school, and finally the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania
.
Originally Bader intended to earn money by playing football while attending college, but when he learned that he would have to be a student for a year before being allowed to play, he left and joined the Latrobe Athletic Association
, the first professional football team in the United States. At a height of and a weight of 195 lbs, Bader helped Latrobe win an unofficial "United States Championship."
. For his father’s contracting company Bader became a superintendent. In 1902, he set up a garbage-collecting operation for his father in Atlantic City. He enjoyed the area so he stayed and started his own contracting company after two years.
In 1904, a storm washed away part of Steel Pier
and many engineers stated that it could not be rebuilt. Bader and his company accepted the challenge to rebuild it. His success with that job led to more work in Atlantic City. His next major project was the paving of the five miles of Albany Avenue in Atlantic City to Pleasantville
which is now part of the Black Horse Pike
that passes by a field that bears his name.
Bader’s contracting business was successful for the next few years working several projects in Atlantic City and along the East Coast of the United States. An active Republican
, politically, he was involved with local charities, and he was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
, Moose International
, Fraternal Order of Eagles
and the Knights of Columbus
. His wife and he had four children, including a son, Daniel, who would later became an Atlantic City city commissioner.
Bader was an avid sports booster
. He fielded basketball teams, organized Atlantic City's first professional football team - the Blue Tornadoes - and owned a boxing gym on North New Hampshire Avenue. Before world-title Boxing
bouts sponsored by casinos he would regularly bring world-class boxers to Atlantic City to fight. He developed a friendship with Boxing champion Jack Dempsey
and was rumoured to be a potential manager for him in 1921. He formed Atlantic City High School's band and encouraged high school athletics.
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Bader’s Republican friends convinced him to run for city commission in 1920. Winning his seat he was chosen by his fellow commissioners to serve as mayor. In 1924, he was re-elected.
Bader spoke out against a Ku Klux Klan
meeting in Atlantic City in 1923. He also pushed idea of the city residents organizing a beauty pageant that became known as Miss America
.
Despite the opposition of many others, he purchased land that became the city's municipal airport and high school football stadium; both of which were later named Bader Field in his honor. He led the initiative, in 1923, to construct the high school at Albany and Atlantic Avenues. Bader, in November 1923, initiated a public referendum, during the general election, at which time residents approved the construction of a Convention Center. The city passed an ordinance approving a bond issue for $1.5 million to be used for the purchase of land for Convention Hall, now Boardwalk Hall
, finalized September 30, 1924. Construction of it was underway at the time of his death.
Bader ordered decency laws for bathers on the beaches of Atlantic City, July 14, 1924. Women were permitted to wear one-piece suits provided they also wore a skirt with it. The New York Times for March 27, "The official regulation provides that the bottom of the tights shall be no shorter than four inches above the knee and the bottom of the skirt no higher than seven inches above the knee." Prohibited in previous years, bare legs were allowed. Additionally, Atlantic City passed a "macintosh law" which required that anyone in beach attire had to wear a coat reaching at least to the knees. The Times reported that police turned back hundreds of would-be bathers: "Mayor Edward L. Bader ordered this action on complaints that bathers were sometimes unclad to the point of indecency, while with others their wet suits were a nuisance."
because his appendix was on the left, rather than the right side of his torso. Initially asked to rest at home, he was later moved to the City Hospital
and underwent surgery. In an effort to speed his recovery, city policemen fanned out along the street in front of the hospital to prevent any unnecessary noise.
Originally given a good chance to recover because of his strong physique, Bader’s condition worsened, and on the evening of January 29, 1927 he was given last rites by a priest. For a bedside vigil his family was joined by a few local dignitaries, including Commissioner Anthony Ruffu (who would succeed Bader as mayor), Assemblyman Anthony Siracusa and political power-broker Nucky Johnson. Just before midnight Bader died.
His body lay in state at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church
, of which he was a member, and it was then carried out in a five-mile-long procession down the White Horse Pike to Holy Cross Cemetery. Mourners of diverse racial background mourned his death and all businesses in the city closed for two hours during the funeral as a mark of respect.
Television series Boardwalk Empire.
Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties is a phrase used to describe the 1920s, principally in North America, but also in London, Berlin and Paris for a period of sustained economic prosperity. The phrase was meant to emphasize the period's social, artistic, and cultural dynamism...
, when the city was arguably at the peak of its popularity, as a vacation spot. Bader was known for his contributions to the construction, athletics and aviation of Atlantic City.
Early life
Bader grew up on an 80-acre farm in West PhiladelphiaWest Philadelphia
West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Though there is no official definition of its boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Line Avenue to the northwest, Cobbs Creek to the southwest, and...
, born to German immigrants
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
Daniel and Sarah Bader in 1874. Until he turned 13, he attended Boon’s Dam School, though he recalled skipping a good deal of class. He worked a number of chores on the family farm, and he credited this rural labor with building his athletic physique. His family couldn't afford further education for him which led him to champion educational growth in Atlantic City as an adult.
Bader sold newspapers, after leaving school, then worked for his father’s new contracting business where he drove a six-horse team. He was married in 1899 to Katherine Holvick and then enrolled in college. First he attended dental school, then the veterinary school, and finally the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
Originally Bader intended to earn money by playing football while attending college, but when he learned that he would have to be a student for a year before being allowed to play, he left and joined the Latrobe Athletic Association
Latrobe Athletic Association
The Latrobe Athletic Association was a professional football team located in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, from 1895 until 1909. The team is best known for being the first football club to play a full season while composed entirely of professional players...
, the first professional football team in the United States. At a height of and a weight of 195 lbs, Bader helped Latrobe win an unofficial "United States Championship."
Early career
After a year with Latrobe, Bader returned to work full-time. He also played a year for a professional football team operated by Philadelphia Athletics owner Connie MackConnie Mack
Connie Mack may refer to:* Connie Mack I , Hall of Fame baseball manager, player, owner* Connie Mack III , U.S. Representative , U.S. Senator from Florida * Connie Mack IV , U.S...
. For his father’s contracting company Bader became a superintendent. In 1902, he set up a garbage-collecting operation for his father in Atlantic City. He enjoyed the area so he stayed and started his own contracting company after two years.
In 1904, a storm washed away part of Steel Pier
Steel Pier
Steel Pier is a amusement pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey, located opposite The Boardwalk from Trump Taj Mahal.The pier was owned by Trump Entertainment Resorts until 2011, when it was sold to the Catanoso Family under the "Steel Pier Associates, LLC" name. The Catanosos previously leased the...
and many engineers stated that it could not be rebuilt. Bader and his company accepted the challenge to rebuild it. His success with that job led to more work in Atlantic City. His next major project was the paving of the five miles of Albany Avenue in Atlantic City to Pleasantville
Pleasantville, New Jersey
-Local government:Pleasantville operates under the City form of New Jersey municipal government, led by a Mayor and a seven-member City Council. The City Council consists of two members elected from wards to three-year terms, and five members elected at-large to four-year terms in office, all of...
which is now part of the Black Horse Pike
Black Horse Pike
The Black Horse Pike is a designation used for a number of different roadways that had been part of a historic route connecting the Camden area to the area of Atlantic City, New Jersey. Roadways now bearing the Black Horse Pike designation include portions of New Jersey Route 168, New Jersey Route...
that passes by a field that bears his name.
Bader’s contracting business was successful for the next few years working several projects in Atlantic City and along the East Coast of the United States. An active Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, politically, he was involved with local charities, and he was a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
, Moose International
Moose International
Moose International is a fraternal and service organization founded in 1888, consisting of the Loyal Order of Moose, with nearly 1 million men in roughly 2,400 Lodges, in all 50 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, plus Great Britain and Bermuda; and the Women of the Moose with more than...
, Fraternal Order of Eagles
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Fraternal Order of Eagles International is a fraternal organization that was founded on February 6, 1898, in Seattle, Washington by a group of six theater owners including John Cort , brothers John W. and Tim J. Considine, Harry Leavitt , Mose Goldsmith and Arthur Williams...
and the Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
. His wife and he had four children, including a son, Daniel, who would later became an Atlantic City city commissioner.
Bader was an avid sports booster
Boosterism
Boosterism is the act of "boosting," or promoting, one's town, city, or organization, with the goal of improving public perception of it. Boosting can be as simple as "talking up" the entity at a party or as elaborate as establishing a visitors' bureau. It is somewhat associated with American small...
. He fielded basketball teams, organized Atlantic City's first professional football team - the Blue Tornadoes - and owned a boxing gym on North New Hampshire Avenue. Before world-title Boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
bouts sponsored by casinos he would regularly bring world-class boxers to Atlantic City to fight. He developed a friendship with Boxing champion Jack Dempsey
Jack Dempsey
William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey was an American boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1919 to 1926. Dempsey's aggressive style and exceptional punching power made him one of the most popular boxers in history. Many of his fights set financial and attendance records, including the first...
and was rumoured to be a potential manager for him in 1921. He formed Atlantic City High School's band and encouraged high school athletics.
Politics
Bader spoke out against a Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
meeting in Atlantic City in 1923. He also pushed idea of the city residents organizing a beauty pageant that became known as Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
.
Despite the opposition of many others, he purchased land that became the city's municipal airport and high school football stadium; both of which were later named Bader Field in his honor. He led the initiative, in 1923, to construct the high school at Albany and Atlantic Avenues. Bader, in November 1923, initiated a public referendum, during the general election, at which time residents approved the construction of a Convention Center. The city passed an ordinance approving a bond issue for $1.5 million to be used for the purchase of land for Convention Hall, now Boardwalk Hall
Boardwalk Hall
Boardwalk Hall, formally known as the Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall, is an arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States...
, finalized September 30, 1924. Construction of it was underway at the time of his death.
Bader ordered decency laws for bathers on the beaches of Atlantic City, July 14, 1924. Women were permitted to wear one-piece suits provided they also wore a skirt with it. The New York Times for March 27, "The official regulation provides that the bottom of the tights shall be no shorter than four inches above the knee and the bottom of the skirt no higher than seven inches above the knee." Prohibited in previous years, bare legs were allowed. Additionally, Atlantic City passed a "macintosh law" which required that anyone in beach attire had to wear a coat reaching at least to the knees. The Times reported that police turned back hundreds of would-be bathers: "Mayor Edward L. Bader ordered this action on complaints that bathers were sometimes unclad to the point of indecency, while with others their wet suits were a nuisance."
Death
Bader was stricken by a stomach ailment in mid-January 1927. Doctors, originally, did not properly diagnose it as appendicitisAppendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
because his appendix was on the left, rather than the right side of his torso. Initially asked to rest at home, he was later moved to the City Hospital
AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center Mainland Division
The AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center Mainland Campus is a 323-bed hospital, opened in 1975, and located in Pomona, in Galloway Township. Situated on the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey campus, the Mainland Campus experienced a 44 percent growth in admissions from 1986 to 1992...
and underwent surgery. In an effort to speed his recovery, city policemen fanned out along the street in front of the hospital to prevent any unnecessary noise.
Originally given a good chance to recover because of his strong physique, Bader’s condition worsened, and on the evening of January 29, 1927 he was given last rites by a priest. For a bedside vigil his family was joined by a few local dignitaries, including Commissioner Anthony Ruffu (who would succeed Bader as mayor), Assemblyman Anthony Siracusa and political power-broker Nucky Johnson. Just before midnight Bader died.
His body lay in state at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church
St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church
St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church is a historic church at 1409 Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey.It was built in 1905 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001....
, of which he was a member, and it was then carried out in a five-mile-long procession down the White Horse Pike to Holy Cross Cemetery. Mourners of diverse racial background mourned his death and all businesses in the city closed for two hours during the funeral as a mark of respect.
In popular culture
Bader was played by actor Kevin O'Rourke in the HBOHome Box Office
HBO, short for Home Box Office, is an American premium cable television network, owned by Time Warner. , HBO's programming reaches 28.2 million subscribers in the United States, making it the second largest premium network in America . In addition to its U.S...
Television series Boardwalk Empire.