April 16 in A.A. History

1934: Having gotten sober on 7 June 1933, at the Keswick Colony of Mercy [right] in Whiting, New Jersey, James “Jim” R. returned to Baltimore, Maryland. This religious recovery mission had helped him maintain sobriety for over ten months. Therefore, when Bill W. got sober, Jim had already been sober for a year and a half.
    Upon his return, his wife, mindful of his past behavior, insisted he stay sober for a full year before moving back into their home at 2936 St. Paul Street [left]. He spent the next year living with his brother and began working with other alcoholics. Eventually, he would reunite with his family.
    In 1940, he would co-found Alcoholics Anonymous in Baltimore.

1939: On April 16, 1939, Ralston Burdett “Rollie” H. [right] got sober and became the 77th member of Alcoholics Anonymous. He was major league baseball player for the Cleveland Indians, so to protect his identity, Dr. Bob S. admitted him to a hospital in Akron under an assumed name. Rollie’s drinking problem had already led to his leaving four other teams four other teams over the prior decade: the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and St. Louis Browns.
    Earlier, Indians’ general manager C.C. “Cy” Slapnicka [left] had given Rollie a $1,500 diamond ring for his daughter, a gesture that helped motivate him to address his alcoholism. Adding to this, Indians’ owner Bill Veeck [right] had offered $1,500 [~$35,000 in 2026] to anyone who could help Rollie get sober; Dr. Bob declined the reward.

1940: Ruth Hock replied to a letter forwarded by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. to the Alcoholic Foundation in New York City. It was from Dave W. of Seattle, Washington, who had written to Rockefeller on 28 March, likely after reading reports about the 8 February dinner Rockefeller hosted for Alcoholics Anonymous. This exchange initiated a long correspondence between Hock and Dave, who later became one of the three founders of Seattle’s first A.A. group.

1940: On his one-year sober anniversary, Rollie H. caught an opening day no-hitter—the first since 1909, pitched by Bob Feller [right, c. 1940]—and drove in Cleveland’s only run with a triple. The occasion prompted him to break his anonymity (there were no traditions or customs regarding anonymity at the time). His story was reported nationwide, and because his alcoholism was already a matter of public record, his sobriety became big news, at least on the sports pages [left: one such article].

1945: Eliot Taintor’s novel about Alcoholics Anonymous, September Remember [right: cover], was published by Prentice-Hall. Chapter XXI, “Boomerang,” was serialized in the March and April 1945 issues of the A.A. Grapevine under the titles “The Pleasures of Pre-Publication Reading” and “from ‘September Remember’: a Novel about A.A.,” respetively. The name “Eliot Taintor,” which the A.A. Grapevine described as “a writing team, one of whom is an A.A.,” was actually a pseudonym for the married couple Ruth F. and Gregory M.

1973: At the White House, Dr. Jack Norris, Chair of the General Service Board, presented [left] Presi­dent Richard Nixon with the one-millionth copy of Alcoholics Anonymous.

2005: Nancy F., 97, died in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, after 57 years of sobriety [right: gravestone]. At age 38, struggling with alcohol, she joined Alcoholics Anonymous in June 1945. Her story, “The Independent Blonde,” appeared in the second edition of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous. About it, she remarked,

    We had several writers around and they wrote my story. I didn’t write the story—someone wrote it for me. I don’t even remember being interviewed. I never thought much about my story, to tell you the truth. I don’t even think I knew it was in the Big Book.

1978: The 28th General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel [left, 2008] in Manhattan. Advisory Actions—then known as “Collective Group Conscience Voiced”—included:

1. [Requested] the General Service Board of trustees to make a study of the possibility of restructuring the A.A. Conference regions…
9. The subject of listing special-interest groups in the A.A. directories not be included on the agenda of the 1979 Conference.
14. That a new pamphlet on finance… be prepared and distributed to stress: (a) self-support through the 60-30-10 plan; (b) how the 60-30-10 plan helps carry the A.A. message around the world… [and] that the title of the pamphlet be “Self Supporting? The 60-30-10 Plan.”
21. That neither a story about someone with a language barrier nor… about a physician be added to the pamphlet “Do You Think You’re Different?"…
43. That Article 5 on page 24 of The A.A. Service Manual be amended to read: “Area Assemblies: Composition of: Assemblies… are composed of the elected general service representatives of all A.A. groups…, district committee members, and area committee officers…”
44. Changes on page 53 of The A.A. Service Manual be made to read: “After group expenses are met, a suggested division among the three services listed above is the 60-30-10 plan (60%, intergroup or central office; 30%, General Service Office; and 10%, area committee).”
46. The Conference [rejected] the recommendation to include in The A.A. Service Manual… that trusted servants at all levels be reimbursed for expenses…

April 15 in A.A. History

1950: Melvin D. “Mel” B. [near right] got sober in Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) while hospitalized in his hometown of Norfolk, Nebraska. He attended his first 12-step meeting in 1948. Mel was the principal author of Pass It On [far right], A.A.’s authorized biography of co-founder Bill W. In addition, he published over 50 articles in the A.A. Grapevine and wrote at least seven books related to A.A.

1961: The 4th Annual New York A.A. Convention, an “All-Day” event, was held at the Engineering Societies Building [left, on opening day, 1907], located at 29 W. 39th St., New York City. The convention was sponsored by the Southeastern District of the New York State General Service Committee, now known as Area 49, SouthEastern New York (SENY).

Today in A.A. History—April 15–21

1984: The 34th General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel [right, 2008] in New York City. Advisory actions included:

4. Cooperation with the professional community news be regularly included in Box 4-5-9, eliminating the P.I.-C.P.C. Bulletin.
8. Correctional facilities news be included in Box 4-5-9, eliminating the need for a separate Correctional Facilities Bulletin.
19. The Bill W―― biography be approved with the title Pass It On.
20. A.A.—The First Fifty Years not be approved.
29. The text of the pamphlet “The A.A. Group” referring to “What’s the difference between a ‘meeting’ and a ‘group’?” (pp. 32-33) be retained, as the text reflects the spirit of local autonomy.
34. The area treasurer from Central and Southeast Ohio be seated as a Conference member, since neither the delegate nor the alternate delegate from that area was able to attend.
37. To encourage Spanish-speaking groups and committees to participate in the general service structure: (a) areas be encouraged to provide room within their structure for Hispanic districts with a bilingual liaison or D.C.M.; (b) assemblies be encouraged to provide G.S.R. schools, seminars, or workshops in Spanish; (c) successful experience with area structure participation by Hispanic groups be shared in Spanish Box 4-5-9; (d) Spanish-speaking A.A.s active in service be encouraged to sponsor new members into service; (e) G.S.O. increase its efforts to provide Spanish service literature; (f) the trustees’ Committee on International Convention/A.A. Regional Forums consider holding a Forum in Puerto Rico.

April 14 in A.A. History

1959: In response to a letter from “Russ,” Bill W. wrote a widely circulated defense of ending A.A. meetings with the Lord’s Prayer. In it, he reasoned:

[T]here will always be those who seem to be offended by the introduction of any prayer whatever into an ordinary A.A. gathering. Also, it is sometimes complained that the Lord's Prayer is a Christian document. Nevertheless this Prayer is of such widespread use and recognition that the arguments of its Christian origin seems to be a little farfetched. It is also true that most A.A.s believe in some kind of God and that communication and strength is obtainable through His grace.  Since this is the general consensus it seems only right that at least the Serenity Prayer and the Lord's Prayer be used in connection with our meetings. It does not seem necessary to defer to the feelings of our agnostic and atheist newcomers to the extent of completely hiding our light under a bushel.

1967: Prompted by a reminder from Bob F., Bill W. wrote to him in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The letter [right] included a note for Barry C.—a key contributor to The Little Red Book—to commemorate Barry’s 27th anniversary.

Dear Bob,
    Furthering your request of March 27, I'm enclosing a note for Barry C―― on the occasion of his 27th Anniversary.
    Memories of the early days, the Nicollet Group and Barry are much with me.
    Thanks for the reminder!
                                Ever,
                                s/Bill

Today in A.A. History—April 14–20

1985: The 35th General Service Conference was held at the Roosevelt Hotel [right, 2008] in New York City. Advisory actions included:

15. A cartoon treatment be approved illustrating need for greater group participation and how the individual contributions at the group level help carry the message worldwide.
48. The Bylaws of the General Service Board be amended by adding the short form of the Twelve Concepts.
49. The A.A. Service Manual contain the original Twelve Concepts for World Service as adopted by the 12th General Service Conference on April 26, 1962.

1991: The 41st General Service Conference took place at the Rye Town Hilton [left] in Ryebrook, New York. Advisory actions included:

12. Because of an expressed need, the Grapevine commence as soon as possible to include at least one article in Spanish in each month’s issue.
14. The A.A. History book project continue to completion, and that a manuscript be forwarded to the 1992 Conference Literature Committee…
31. The six-point description of an A.A. Group in The AA. Service Manual/Twelve Concepts for World Service be deleted, and be replaced by the following:

"The Long Form of Tradition Three and a section of Warranty Six, Concept XII, aptly describe what an A.A. Group is: [quotes of Tradition Three (long form) and Warranty Six].”

2024: The 74th General Service Conference was held at the New York Marriott at the Brooklyn Bridge [right] in Brooklyn. Advisory actions included:

• The General Service Conference Inventory Plan be approved and that an inventory summary… be included in the 2025 Final Conference Report.
• A comprehensive summary of the 2025 General Service Conference Inventory be developed and distributed as an electronic version only.
• The draft manuscript Plain Language Big Book… be approved with minor editorial changes…
• … a footnote be added to the Current Conference Charter[, Article 9,] with the following text: 
  
  “In 2023 an Advisory Action was passed by the General Service Conference outlining a process for polling the General Service Conference body between annual meetings using virtual technology.”
• The items that receive simple majority be included in the Final Conference Report under the heading “Recommendations that achieved Simple Majority…”

April 13 in A.A. History

1940: In Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Group of A.A., with the cooperation of Dr. William Turnbull, superintendent of Philadelphia General Hospital (PGH) [right, 1940s], began making regular visits to the PGH psychopathic ward. There, they recruited Art McM. and Bud M. as members. The group then persuaded Dr. John F. Stouffer, the chief psychiatrist, of A.A.’s effectiveness. Dr. Stouffer, along with Drs. C. Dudley Saul [far left] and A. Wiese Hammer [near left], maintained statistics on the Philadelphia Group, which met every Saturday^* until the hospital closed in the late 1970s.

---

^*My source states that the first meeting was on 10 April 1940, but that seems incorrect since it was a Wednesday. I assume the decision was made at the regular Thursday night meeting of the Philadelphia Group on April 11, with the hospital meetings beginning the following Saturday, April 13.

1944: The Manhattan Group was formally organized and named, claiming to have been the first Alcoholics Anonymous group in New York City (and second anywhere only to the King School Group 1 in Akron, Ohio, founded in July 1935). This assertion stems from its evolution out of the meetings of “nameless drunks” held at Bill and Lois W.’s Brooklyn home on 182 Clinton Street from 1934 to April 1939. After they lost that home, the meeting relocated several times over the next five years. The Manhattan Group claims to possess a 1966 letter from Bill W. supporting their claim of being the first A.A. group in New York City.
    Following the Manhattan Group's formation, the ”Corporation” that managed the 24th Street Clubhouse dissolved. A new, separate corporation was established to oversee the new clubhouse on 41st Street, where the Manhattan Group was presumably, for a time, their sole paying tenant.
    Later, a dispute would arise over the administration of A.A. affairs in New York City. This conflict, marked by considerable turmoil,would  ultimately lead to the creation of the New York Intergroup Association, which still exists today. The Manhattan Group would eventually accept its role as just another group within the larger A.A. structure, relinquishing any claim to special status.

Today in A.A. History—April 13–19

1997: The 47th General Service Conference was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in New York City.
    Of the 39 Advisory Actions submitted to the General Service Board, two from the Conference Report and Charter Committee are particularly noteworthy:

31. On-line A.A. meetings that request to be listed in A.A. directories be added to the “International Correspondence Meetings” in A.A. directories, that each listing include the Internet address of the on-line meeting, and that each on-line meeting requesting to be listed in our directories furnish G.S.O. with the name and physical address of a member willing to serve as “mail” contact.

32. An intergroup serving on-line A.A. meetings should be listed adjacent to on-line A.A. meetings in the section on “International Correspondence Meetings.”

[Note: From 1955–mid-2000s, A.A.W.S. printed three meeting directories: one each for Eastern U.S., Western U.S., and Canada. These are the directories referred to in these two Advisory Actions.]

April 12 in A.A. History

1937: Hank P.’s company Honors Dealers ran an advertisement [left] in Paterson, New Jersey’s The Morning Call. The same advertisement would appear seven days later in Hackensack, New Jersey’s Bergen Evening Record.
 
1946: At the Philadelphia Psychiatric Association’s regular meeting, three papers on alcoholism were presented, followed by discussion of two of them.
    Dr. Baldwin L. Keyes [left] began the first paper, “The Problem of Alcoholism” [right: p. 1], with the statement:

    The enormity of the problem presented by alcoholism staggers the imagination.… It has been shown that the cost of care for alcoholism in one year in the United States far exceeds $12,000,000 [~$200 million in 2026]… and exceeds two thirds of the cost of care of all bodily ills.

    The second paper, “The Conditioned Reflex Treatment of Alcoholism” [right: p. 1], by Dr. Walter L. Voegtlin [left], reported on the results of a specific aversion therapy that achieved a total abstinence rate of 51.5% for four or more years in a study of 1,526 patients conducted “before the war [World War II].”
    The third paper, “Alcoholics Anonymous” [right: p. 1], by Dr. C. Nelson Davis [left], posed the question:

    “How does it [A.A.] work?” I do not know, nor have I heard a satisfactory explanation.

    Dr. Davis also briefly described six of the many mechanisms that make up “a composite of many fundamental principles of medicine, psychiatry, and religion,” as follows.

     (1) Acceptance of alcoholism as a disease
     (2) Friendship
     (3) Personal contact

     (4) Group therapy in open meetings 

     (5) Individual psychotherapy in closed meetings

     (6) Stimulation of the ego

    Finally, he summarized the personal experiences of three members of the original A.A. group in Philadelphia:

    These members gave convincing and graphic accounts of their experiences in recovery achieved in connection with their associations in Alcoholics Anonymous. In its simplest form, the therapeutic situation includes (a) admission of alcoholism; (b) personality analysis and catharsis; (c) adjustment of personal relations; (d) dependence on some higher power, and (e) working with other alcoholic patients.

April 11 in A.A. History

1939: Hank P. placed a small ad for the book Alcoholics Anonymous in The New York Times [left: in context]. The ad, which cost $200 [~$4,700 in 2026], ran on page 2 and proved to be a worthwhile investment. It generated a considerable number of direct responses, and, as Hank had hoped, The New York Times published a positive review of the book two and a half months later.

1939: Bill W. had reserved one first-edition copy of Alcoholics Anonymous as a Christmas gift for Lois and submitted two copies to the Library of Congress to initiate the copyright registration. He and Hank Parkhurst sent the next 29 copies to the contributing authors of the stories in the book. The following 40 copies were allocated to non-alcoholic subscribers of Works Publishing’s stock. This left only 40 copies available to sell, which, at the list price of $3.50 [~$82 in 2026], would have generated only $140 [~$3,290 in 2026] for the Alcoholic Foundation.

1939:  Margaret “Marty” M. [right: at Blythewood Sanitarium, 4 July 1938] attended her first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting at the Brooklyn home of Bill and Lois W., located at 182 Clinton Street.

1941: After nearly two years and, by Lois’s count, stays in 52 different places, Bill and Lois W. moved into their own home [left] in Bedford Hills, New York, which they initially named “Bil-Lo’s Break.” This period of instability followed the foreclosure on the Burnham home at 182 Clinton Street in Brooklyn, where Lois had been born and lived until 1927. In 1944, they would rename their Bedford Hills home “Stepping Stones.”

April 10 in A.A. History

1939: Alcoholics Anonymous [right] was first published in an initial print run of 4,650 copies (some sources say 4,730). The publisher, Cornwall Press, was instructed to use the thickest paper stock available, resulting in a large, bulky volume that became known as the “Big Book,” a name that has endured. Bill W. later wrote that the thick paper was intentionally chosen to make alcoholics feel that they were getting their money’s worth. Given Works Publishing’s precarious financial situation, Cornwall Press minimized its risk by binding only 1,000 copies, leaving the remainder unbound. Works Publishing was billed $1,783.15 [~$41,900 in 2026], of which $884.26—just under half—had already been paid. Bill and Hank P. drove to the Cornwall Press bookbinder’s office in New York City to pick up 112 copies, returning the next day for three more. Bill set aside the first copy from the first box as a Christmas gift for his wife, Lois.
    Evidently, copyright had received little consideration before the book’s publication. Ruth Hock’s initial package was sent to Fitz M.—he and Florence R. were in Washington, D.C., trying to establish the first local A.A. group. It contained two copies of the first printing of the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous and a letter with the following instructions:

    We are forwarding to you today, two copies of “Alcoholics Anonymous” and a check for $2.00 [~$47 in 2026], and wonder if you would do something which would be very helpful at this end. It is important that “Alcoholics Anonymous” be registered at the Copywright [sic] Office in Washington, D.C. in the name of Works Publishing Company at the earliest possible moment [left: application for copyright]…
    The two books for copywright [sic] purposes are coming forward to you marked special handling, special delivery, so will you rush them through for us?
    A book for you and also one for Florence are also in the mail, but regular delivery.
    Will you let us know the minute you have “Alcoholics Anonymous” registered?

1958: The International Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous (ICYPAA) announced its inaugural conference in a press release [near right]. The conference was scheduled for 26–27 April 1958, at the Niagara Hotel in Niagara Falls, New York [far right: Niagara Falls, New York, from Goat Island; Hotel Niagara is red building with curved exterior left of center (Mar 2019)]

1979: Barry L. signed a notarized letter [left] donating his original spiral-bound multilith copy of Alcoholics Anonymous—a copy his good friend, Lois W., had temporarily gifted to him. The letter stipulated that Barry would retain possession of the book until his death, at which time it would be transferred to A.A. World Services, Inc.