Clarence Snyder How It Works Talk 1982

Clarence S. Father of “Big Book Sponsorship”
One of the first 40 AA’s
http://dickb-blog.com/clarencefactor01.htm

Clarence H. Snyder got sober in February, 1938, with the help of his sponsor, A.A. co-founder Dr. Bob. He was one of the forty Akron Pioneers who established A.A. as a reliable and effective spiritual program for recovery from, and cure of, alcoholism.
 
But for the influence and actions of Clarence, Alcoholics Anonymous might never have grown beyond Akron, nor achieved nationwide and eventually world-wide recognition as the society to join if you were really serious about quitting drinking, willing to place your reliance on the Creator, and do “anything” to overcome the seemingly hopeless curse of alcoholism. For, in Akron, A.A. became focused on individual religious deliverance and early hospitalization, but not upon widespread enlargement of its numbers. In New York, the Society spurned the religious emphasis of Akron, focused on book sales, and abstinence, but had little to show in achieving recovery. On the other hand, the emergence of Clarence Snyder as a young, vigorous, promoter gave the fledgling fellowship a growth spurt that changed the society’s emphasis.