Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-24
o'HAcAN TRIMMED
 MANAGER O'NE|L Tho Bad Blood Between The Two Brought a Clash in Exchange
 PIaco
0'HAGAN GOT FIRST BLOOD
Crowd in the Center Enjoyed the Scrap Friends Finally Sep
 arated Them.

Baseball fans and others to the number of 50 were treated to a novel exhibitionin Exchange place this af- ternoon when Harry O'Hagan, cap tain of the Waterbury baseball team, and Dan O'Neill. manager of the Springfield went for each other hammer and tongs, opposite Strobel's jewelry store, each showing that he has not devoted all his spare mo- ments to the national game, but must have given considerable attention to a study of the manly art of self de- fense. The two clubs play here to- day and the usual crowds had collect ed at West Main street and Ex- change place awaiting an opportunity to take cars to the state league grounds. Many had gone, but surg ing mass of humanity was still in the center including the players Of both teams when the row started.
 According to an eye witness O'Neill was standing on the corner of Ex- change place and West Main street, quite close to Strobel's store, when OHagan approached along the cross ing that leads from Cones corner and going over to O'Neill he said to have looked him over carefully and then remarked that he was coward whereupon O'Neill reached for him and said that If he thought so he could get at the facts by stepping around the corner with him. One word borrowed another and the next thing spectators saw was O'Neilrs hat flying in the air in the direction of the trolley cnr and blood sputter- ing from cut over his left eye. At this juncture both men clnched dur ing which some claim O'Hagan put 1t all over ONeill while others insist that if they had been left at 1t much longer O'Neill would have downed his man. but whether that is so or not nearly every man who was on the ground at the time had an Idea of his own. When the tussle was at its height and the crowd had reached frenxied state the belligerents were separated by Edward B. McAlenny and Frank Hollywood. two mem bers of the Brooklyn eugine house and Mickey" Delaney. well known baseball player. O'Hagan went off with friends and didn't ap- pear any the worse for the run-in. but 0'Neill was in need of some slight repairs and was escorted to the Apothecaries Hall. where a little sticking plaster was applied to the cut over his eye and when this was done and he put on hIs neat straw hat he took stroll across Exchange place and boarded trolley car en- route for the ball field. looking as good and as composed as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. 0Hagan had gone out ahead of him and 1t was common rlmor about town that the two men would have it out this afternoon or tonight.
 The scrap grew out of some differ- ence which the captain and manager had fin Springfield the other day. when one invited the other to take promenade around the grand stand, but for some reason or other Itwas not, accepted and probably 1t was decided to defer the fistic encounter and pull 1t off in the Brass city.
 It would be pretty difficult if not impossible to place the responsibility for striking the first blow on the right person. for some Insist that 0'Neill was spelling for fight and bumped into O'Hagan in such a way that the only thing left for him to do was to give him poke. The more impartial ones claim that when 0'Neill reached for O'Hagan's coat the latter thought he was going to hit him and defended himself in regular John l.. fashion. Anyway 1t was the most exciting affair that ever oc- cured on the public streets of Wa terbury and while it was witnessed by a big crowd 1t fs certain that if it had been advertised and the public apprised of 1t half the town would have been there and the whole police force would have to be called ont to maintain order.
 Talk about baseball drawing a crowd. but it isn't in 1t with a rough and tumble fight. especially when the men welding the sledge ham, mers are well and favorably known. not only on the spot where the battle takcs place but ali over the country.
 One mans explanation of the un- expected rumpus was that the whole thing was gotten up hy the manage ment and that o'Hsgan and O'Neill ucro onlv f.roifnU