Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-08-22
BASE BALL
Some "Reminiscences of Days Long
 s4.sss. Gone By. g@

SOuLnlngIOn, Aug zZ.-ln+ lHe days when Tim O'Keefe umpired and Donnie O'Keefe scored for the Southington team, baseball in. this town had reached fever heat. That was back in 'SS and 1t is doubtless If any small town in the country put out so many. major league play I, CTS as did Southington that year. Among them were Candy Lachance, the famous Boston National player, Tommy. Leahy, who made good with St Louis, Red Donahue, for years the crack St Louis pitcher and ,kRennecker of the Jersey City team. Those who didn't have the fortune to get in the big league were Joe Began, who played with the Bridge. port State league, Joe Thiesen, the ! old Bristol and Meriden leaguer, and Cunningham who went to All bany. ....... 7. s@ It was without a doubt as fast as any town team in the country and H played teams from all over New England, even to the Boston asso. A citation. The local team defeated Y Holyoke twice that season when Tom Dowd was playing center field Sand Dan O,Neil first base. The Hartford tteaml was also among the number of their victims that year when John M. Henry, now Hart, ford detective, played with that az es gnegation. >t 't sls. It was just after Henry had re- tired from his tryout with the New York Nationals and the local fans had heard of foot race he had he just run in New York. It seems that Henry was somewhat of run ner and. when he went to New York, Mike Herman then of the New York team. challenged him 10. a 100-yard dash for s100 side. Henry took the bet and handed a diamond pin which be, was wearing to friend in the grandstand to hold while he would run. The result was that Z, Henry never saw the diamond pin and when he showed up on the local diamond the local fans jollied him so much about the pin that he could not play the game and South ington won. " Etsi-
 fa Donnie o'Keefe, who by the way Is responsible for this story, tells a pretty good one on his brother Tim. The latter was umpiring game be- tween the Meriden Resoiutes and sathe Southington team. A decision was given by Tim and the Meriden catcher yelled out, "Ah, give us a show How can I when my sym pathy is with, the local team?" came back immediately from the famous baseball wriier. --..-
 However, the greatest rivalry ex- isted between the Southington and Plainville teams and the first game s in sSS was of the warmest variety. Steve Lambert umpired. the game. Candy Lachance and Red Dohahue walked in from Waterbury, nine miles, and over the highest noun ss tain fin these parts. When the two Waterbury boys walked in they
 were covered with red dust from khead to foot. Why didn't you come around by Plalnville?" was o directed toward Candy by one of his Southington friends and, not ashamed. of the reason, Lachaneesre- piled. "Ah. We didn't have the price" Lachance had brought Red Donahue along to pitch in case Carey. the regular pitcher was hit rsvery hard. but Donahue's services were not needed as the Plainyille 2 boys covadn't see Carey's benders fssnd were mercilessly defeated. The battery for Plainyille that day was NsJack Lawson, who afterwards raugfIr for New Britain State league. and Hird. now Plainville grocer. Waterbury had very strong team that year and hearing of the prow- '. ess of the local nine, they invited n them to their city. The challenge IT was accepted, and most of the To- sscal team went in a bus. The game was started. and the Southington boys began to pile up the runs Stones. sticks and water were thrown but nothing could prevent the Southington team from win . ming. Then the Waterbury crowd took a novel plan 10 get even They filled the bus with hay and set fire to it. Ii would be hard tO describe the ensuing struggle but the South. ington crowd managed to save the bus.
 When. the Boston association came here this aggregation defeated the local team but they had in their ! lineup some of the greatest ball ; players on the diamond. The bat tery for the Boston team was Ruff fngfou and Haekett. and In the { O'Brien. Duke Farrell. Morgan Murphy. Cub Siricker and Paul Radford- Nike Mulvey Of Cheshire requested tEat he be placed ia the boH that day instead Of Carey. His reeueet was granted and he wzs 7 stcmhed np frequently during the rane and southington lost
 That waz lrdoEbfedly the great e<t bali team Southfnzton ever dIf ar will have Al the ciose of the season different managers from the hfk teams cana here and took the pixyerE eczz1f Lzeza1cs found kis