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A Family History of Union MembershipIIt is often said that union membership“runs in the blood.”Generations of union membersshare the same last name and apassion for the labor movement.Just ask retired BCTGM Local118 (Washington D.C.) memberFrancis Spaulding. His fatherbegan a legacy of bakery unionmembership that was carried onby both Francis and his brotherJack Spaulding Jr. Collectively,the Spaulding men have writtenmore than 100 years of unionmembership into the BCTGMhistory books.For John “Jack” Spaulding Sr.,his lifelong career as a unionbaker began out of necessity tosupport his young family. Born inApril 1887, Jack was an outstandingathlete and in the early 1900she followed his passion of baseballinto the minor leagues wherehe played for the PiedmontLeague of Virginia. Jack was alsoa boxer and spent a short time“barnstorming” his wrestlingshow in towns throughout theNorth and South.During a recent trip toBCTGM International headquarters,Francis recalled someof the stories of his father’syouth. “When my father wasn’tplaying baseball or wrestling,he worked in a bakery ownedby his Uncle Jimmy. He likedto keep in shape so he workedout at a gym on PennsylvaniaAvenue. It was at this samegym that U.S. President TeddyRoosevelt would come andwork out. On several occasions,my father sparred withPresident Roosevelt in the boxingring. He told me he was atough customer in the ring andI understand he was a toughguy out of the ring too!”As Jack Sr.’s family began togrow, he had to quit playing baseball.He went to work at Homes ToHomes Bakery in NorthwestWashington D.C. in 1907. At thattime, Holmes delivered bakedgoods by horse and buggy. Assoon as they were old enough,Jack Sr.’s sons, Francis and Jack Jr.joined Local 118 and went to workThe proud bakers of Local 118 gather around the inaugural cakethey prepared at Heidi Bakery for President Carter. At left areEugene Fentress, Phil Harich and Herb Sison. Kneeling, from left, areDave Pollard, Fred Harich, Melvin Kaye, Karl Koopman and FrancisSpaulding. At right are Frank Streeks, Mike Konik and George Aguilar.with their father at the Holmesbakery. Jack Sr. retired from thebaking business in 1955 whenHolmes went out of business.According to Francis, his fatherwent on to work as an usher atGriffith Stadium and RFK Stadiumand even scouted new baseballplayers for the Detroit Tigers. JackSr. passed away in 1980.Jack Jr. and Francis continuedin the baking industry and workedat the Heidi Bakery (Giant Food)in Washington. While not havingpersonal contact with any U.S.Presidents, Francis proudly notesthat as a member of BCTGMLocal 118 he helped bake anddecorate inaugural cakes for twoDemocratic Presidents.According to Francis, whohas survived both his father andhis brother, “Being a member ofthis union has played a large rolein shaping who my family was. Itwas a proud tradition of unionmembership we all enjoyed,” heconcludes.May/June 2004www.bctgm.org13