The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-18
The Worcester Boy Who Led the
Toronto Team Last Year Will
Play in the American League
Next Season
BEGAN HIS CAREER
IN PLAINFIELD, N. J,
Tufts Medical Dental School Pop
uIar With Professional Base
ball Players Who Have An Eye
to the Future-Shannon a
Democratic Orator


/ been signed by the Cleveland American
League Club for next season. During
/ the past season. Bonner was captain
/ and second baseman of the Toronto
Eastern League team and his work was
/ a factor in that teams splendid show
! ing under difficulties that might have
severely crippled any other club.
| When a lad in this city Bonner show
| ed evidences of some day developing
into a star of the diamond. Nearly ten
years ago Bonner went to Plaintield,
N j., as an employee of the L. w. Pond
! Machine Tool Company that had re-
moved from Worcester. Bonner played
| in that town and was then induced to
! sign a Wilkesbarre Eastern League
contract.
Baltimore, with Ned Hanlon as its
! guide, got Bonner from Wilkesbarre.
| In a trade, Bonner went to Brooklyn
and was later returned to Wilkesbarre
Early in '99 Bonner became second
baseman of the Hartford Eastern
| League club. After a few wekes of
| brilliant work, Bonner's release was
purchased by the Washington National
League management.
In 1900 the National League circuit
was reduced to eight clubs and Bonner
Joined Rochester of the Eastern Leaue
! He played at short for Rochester and
performed splendidly. At the beginning
of last season, Manager Barrow of To
ronto outbid Worcester and purchased
Bonners release for $3.50. When Arthur
| Madison, who had been signed as short
stop and captain, failed to make good
| Bonner was made captain, playing at
| second base, and he was an able leader
Billy Bergen of NorthBrookheld, who
became one of the most talked Of play
ers in the National League during the
| past season, because of his splendid
| WORK behind the bat for Cincinnati
was in Worcester last night. Berger
announced that he had signed for next
season with Cincinnati and that he
was satisfied with the National League
In referring to the rival leagues,
Bergen said "A player must look out
for himself If he can get a berth
that is satisfactory in the American
League, he is welcome to it. So long
as / get the salary l ask / can find no
fault with the National. Maybe when
the men report for spring practice,
some of the American League clubs that
have been claiming an army of
National League stars will notice that
there is a difference between winter
baseball talk and the real game
4 While in Worcester, Bergen was with
Jack Griffin, the Worcester pitcher
who had been visiting Jack Sharrott
for the Gay. Bergen said that Wor-
cester people did not fully realize the
great abilities of Kitty Bransfield as a
first baseman and all-around player.
He said that the Worcester boy is not
beaten so that one could notice it, by
any first sacker in the business.
Griffin, who is attending Tufts Dem
tai School, told The Spy man that the
gathering of baseball players at Tufts
Medical Dental School, shows that
ahead. Tom Dowd, the old Holy Cross
and Georgetown star pitcher; Pat
Fleming, formerly of Georgetown and
now in the New York State League;
Mike Slattery the young catcher who
has been signed by the Boston A. L.
team Sam Curran, the Norwich Con-
lnecticutt State League teams pitcher;
Bill Hazleton, former Tufts varsity cap
tain and first baseman, and Harrison.
formerly a well-known New England
League catcher, are enrolled in the
Medical-Dental department of Tufts.
Griffin believes that a team will be or
ganized in the spring for practice
games against professionals. Another
well-known athletic notable at school
with Griff is Edward H. Ten Eyck the
retired worlds amateur champion sin
/ gle sculler.
| While in Boston recently Griffin dis
covered that Frank Shannon had not
I left for California. but still con-
templated such a trip. Shannon has
been doing work for the Democratic
party at the Hub and has been on the
stump for several weeks The former
Worcester shortstop is convincing
talker and is said to have made a de-
cided hit as political worker.
! Charlie McKenna, the old Holy Cross
| pitcher, is located in New York. He has
salaried office position with the
Equitable Life Insurance Company and
is said to be out Of professional base
ball for all time. During the past
summer, Mr. McKenna pitched for a
( Newark, n. j.. professional team, but
/ he intends to continue In business life.
| Griffin recently visited at his home in
| Waltham where he had a talk with
/ DR. Ed Dowd who five years ago
| pitched. for Georgetown, and was one
of the most feared of the college
| cracks that opposed the Purple on Col
! lege Hill. Dr. Dowd has a big prac-
1 tice in Waltham. Recently he, received
an offer from Manager Hanlon of
Brooklyn. but big Ed" as he was
known, refuses to shoot them over any
more. Big George Manoney, VINO was
at the other end of what at that time
was the biggest battery in the world.
physically, at least, is now a member
of the Boston police force.
Cy Ferry. the skeleton twirler, who
was farmed by Worcester to Meriden
Connecticut State League team last
spring, and P. a. Larkin. the shortstop
who was sent to the same team. have
decided to remain in Meriden for the
winter. Positions have been secured
with a manufacturing concern in that
city. one of the owners of which is a
baseball promoter.