The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-19

joining the big leaguers has been play.
ing game that shows Washington
made no mistake in purchasing him.
Bonner was famous player of anna
teur teams of this city several years
ago, and no team whose members lived
IN the Millbury street section was
complete unless Bonner was member.
lie is hard hitter and is fielding es
fast as any of the custodians of second
bag.
If Worcester made a claim for the
terrific hitter of the Phillies NAPOLEON
LaJoie, it might be recognized as easily
as the claim of any other place. Laioie
is not a Worcester man, nor has he
ever been, but it was game that he
prayed IN Worcester which started him
on the ladder of fame, the top of
which he reached in short order. That
game was contest between the Foxes
of Baskerville and Sacred Heart Ly-
ceum, played on Holy Cross college
grounds, Lajoie playing with the Foxes
his work in that game was watched
oy league magnates of more than one
organization, and it was the brilliant
neld1ng and batting which he did that
MADE the way easy for him in the base
ball world.
Billy Hamilton of the Bostons. this
speediest man in the country at base
ball was discovered in Worcester. He
was lost in some Connecticut town the
year before he played In Worcester.
ana nobody ever heard of him except
me directors of the Worcester team,
But when he came here and put up a
magnificent game his ability was her
aided so far and we'll that he was pur-
chased from Worcester, and his rise
was sure and easy.
Another good man who owes much
to playing in Worcester is Jim STAFF
tord OF the Bostons, the best utility
man playing ball today. Stafford. like
Hamilton, played in Hartford or some
cut of the way place ike that. wnere
they can't recognize 2 good player.
worcester took him, and While he
pltched for the New England team ard
later the Atlantic team of this CITY. he
gained the name of "Old ReliabIer
worcester again and again importuned
Boston to take Stafford. but Boston
didn't wake up until he had played in
several places, New York and Louis
Vile, among the number
worcester has other representatives
In the National league than ball play
ers. They are umpires and they are
good ones. One is John H. Gaffney,
who has been umpiring for years in the
National and Eastern leagues. Gaff-
neys ability is recognized everywhere.
When he tried to perform his work as
well as the other umpires of the circuit,
he can give any of them pointers.
McGarr is one of the latest acquisi-
tons to the umpiring force, and he is
proving himself a good one. He has
played ball for years, and has been on
the best teams of the big league a good
portion of the time. His arm failed
him and he had to give UP. McGarr
is umpiring the bases. Gaffnev han
dies the game from behind the plate.
Worcester has one native born player
in the Eastern league--Henry Lynch
who is playing with the newly-organ-
lied Syracuse Stars. Lynch,s ability
as player has been known for years
ne has played with nearly every team
in the Eastern league, and is of such
ability that he don't remain out Of .
position long Lynch has a failing Of
being too independent which. while II
don't injure his playing keeps him IN
warm water with the management Of
nearly every club he plays with. 1t is
only his exceptionally good work as a
player that enables him to get posi.
ton almost any time
Billy Lush of the Rochesters. lately
Of the Stars, owes his professional ca
reer to signing with the Worcester New
iShSioiiN lSo6 ue team III 1874 lie d1dn't
play long in this city, as he couldn't bal
much in those days, but he showed
signs of being a conner and il wasn't
long before he got started
Billy Bransfield, the hard hittine
catcher Of the Worcesters, is a Worces.
ter player in every sense of the word
Bransfield first handled ball in Wor.
cester, and it was while PLAYING On
Worcester teams that he learned tha
game to such an extent as to attract
the attention of Manager Selee az ~
Bostons, who signed him. Securine
men of greater regulations, kent Branso
Held on the bench. He chafed undar
the restriction, and when the Worces-
Ter team was organized and Manaear
Selee OF the Bostons became interaetoa
ne recognized that he had a, catcher ~
worcester who would fill the hin
IL isn't generally known that Tomr,,,
Dowd, the star outfelder of the
Olevelands, for whom Manager SeIae
OF the Bostons would give almost am,
amount of money II his triumvirate AZ
rectory would allow played his arst
professional game in Worcester Dn,,,S
was brought to Worcester by Manae,ar
Burnham years ago and given cbatsea
In one game. He had been oi ,,,.iise
sreal pan Tor Brown University. He
playeo on the Grove street grounds
manassr Burnham made terrible mis-.
sake OF thinking Dowd would not ba
lase enough ana sent him home to Hols
yoke aIter that one game. Burnhann
WIS severely criticised at the fine Ia
cause Iowa showed base ball talent Of