Norwich bulletin., 1910-08-11
CONNECTICUT LEAGUE
 SECOND BASEMEN.
Many Good Ones During Past Decade Danny Murnhy. THobe Ferris, Bill Lord and Gus Soffel.

The Connecticut league has seen a lot or good second baSemen in the last ten years, and don't forget #. First l and foremost there was Earl Gardner, who graduated so recently that Hart ford fans particularly think thers never was another quite so good on this cir cult, and perhaps there wasn't, for k was pretty classy. At the same tid e. there have been some others. Hart ford also had Dr. Burt Daley a few years back, and Daley ranked pretty
 well as the second sackers go. There
 was pair of O'Rourkes, Joe or New London and Waterbury and Jimmy of
 Bridgeport. Joe was a rank failure at shortstOp, but he was a splendid second as he started out in this league he would have been in the big league to- day. Jimmy O'Rourke was one of the shining lights. He, too, tried another position first and did not make very good. His failure was made at third, where he played before Tommy Dow ney jumped his father, and when Uncle Jeems got Al Odeli Jimmy went to sec splendid ball player. It seems as though Jimmy ought to land Tn the big show in a season or two.
 But the kingpin of all the second game alone considered, was Frank Fitzpatrick. late of Holyoke. Spring field and New Haven. who made his first fame with Waterbury. Fitz was easily the smoothest fielding second sacker inAthis league in its T's'ory. He could cover more ground and do it. in better shape than any of the others. F1tz wasn't strong on the hitting and that drove him out of the league. but when man could field like Fitzpatrick he did not need to hit 300 to make good.
 Willie Keane, who played in Meriden under the name of Fallon and went to New Britain later, was a fine sec
 
 he hit well, but he, too, lost his bat ting eye, and the last year he was in the league, although he made splen- did record as a fielder he couldn't hit big Bill Lord for a season or two, and he was better than a big man usually is Victor Accorsini, who played about every position, played Second for the catching, and used to do pretty we'll Tom Stankard, who plays first base for Dan ONeil now, occupied the mid de station at Springfield d few years ago, and he certainly shone-.
 Lest we forget, there was Danny now of the Philadelpn pnia ~Ath- letics, who played with Norwich years and years ago. and Hobe Ferris, who likewise got b1s early baseball .educa- tion in the same town. Mike Hickey, who was broken down when Dan O'Neil gave him a job two or three seasons before he took to umpiring was one
  he played the bag in the New England league, and for part of one season he l did pretty well in this league.
 There are some pretty fair gen play | Ing the bag today. Gus Soffel of Hart i ford, the year that Norwich won the ! psnnant. did some phenomenal play | ing, and today he is about the most 2 valuable man the Ha artford team | and one of the best middle sack guard i ans on the circuit. Old Man Con- 1aushton of Waterbury was last year he wonder of the New England league. and he is fully living up to his repu- .ation this year. New Haven is using Tony Pastor at second because his irm has gone back so far he can no onger make the longer throws from short. In Baker. Holyoke has a man good enough to attract the attention of he big league scouts. He has been ever since he broke Into the eague, and Waterbury may well re- ,ret the day he was allowed to go be- ,ause he could not hit Jimmy Burns. who plays short for Hamp. IS pretty rood. and New Britain's Cuban, AL neida has few superiors. Taken all it looks though the Connec- icuts league had a reputation to main ain regarding second basemen. and t appears that the reputation is not ,eing allowed to suffer any this year. Hartford Post.