Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-01-14
G. B. G. of Westerly.
NED HANLoNs START
IN BASEBALL GAME
Played on the Old Arctics of Norwich
Born in MontviIIe.

Played on the Old Arctics of Norwich
Born in MontviIe.
"Onee upon time I was ball
player, and that is why 1 later became
a Manager" says Ned Hanlon. while
a player and captain of the Detroit
team I had the honor of leading my
mates to the championship of the
league and alse of the world. And, by
the way, few people today know that
the old Detroit team in 1887 won the
worlds championship in Baltimore.
Perhaps it was that fact which caus-
ed me to become attached to the city
Which has been my home since 1892,
and perhaps destiny saw fit to map
my plans SO that Baltimore would be
the scene of my greatest achieve
ments. AT any rate, it was in Balti-
more that / gathered together the
greatest bunch of baseball players
that formed the most wonderful team
that has ever played the game.
Born in MontviIIe.
"On August %. 1858, I was born in
Montville. CT, and it was on the back
lots of that town that I learned the
sort of baseball played in those days.
I went to school and played on the
lots just the same as all boys do. and
the only difference, perhaps, was that
I loved the game devotedly. / was a
little bit of a thin fellow and 1 got
along pretty well considering my size.
While L played every position, pitch
ing was my hobby, and it WAS as a
pitcher that l broke into the profess
sionaI ranks. I never shall forget the
first team that ever paid me money.
and We played games Saturdays. l
was the pitcher for the Arctics OF
Norwich. CT, known through the state
as one of the strongest amateur clubs
of its day. There were no gloves
then. The catcher stood back and
caught the ball with his bare hands
And the pitchers, mind you, could not
raise their arms above their hips
while in the act of delivering the BALL
The Arctics paid me 81 a game for
pitching, and we Travelled about the
state meeting all corners. While I had
formed the desire to become a great
ball player, it was not until I joined
the Arctics that I made up my mind
to play professionally if hard work and
study could land me in fast company.
Invited to Play With Providence.
Zone day when I was pitching in
New London, Billy Arnold came to me
and asked how I would like to play
with the Providence club, which was
then in the New England league. Bill
ly was to manage the team the fol-
lowing sea son, and signed UP imne-
diately at the salary Of SIG a, week
As a pitcher for the Arctics I had
learned to throw what was termed the
sroun dhoNsc' curve. 1t was q. wide
curving ball without break, and
occasionally I used ball with a. little
raise to it, Those We're about the on
1y deceptive balls a man could throw
in those days, when you had to throw
with that understand side-arm motion.
Well, after Billy Arnold offered me
that SIC per I started upon my pro-
fessional career. went to Providence
to report, and shall never forget the
reception the newspaper men gave
me. I weighed just about 126 pounds,
and when the scrfbes looked me over
they shook their heads and went away
with mournful expressions on their
faces. The next day the papers all
took a shot at me. They said Billy
Arnold should be ashamed of himself
for bringing a little consumptive boy
into the game.
Made Hit Catching Flies.
"Billy was little put out, gbut he
merely told them to wait until they
had seen me catch flies. In those days
a mans standing depended largely
upon his ability to catch high flies,
and there was much fungo batting
done. AS soon as the high flies were
created a. better impression, for l
could run like a deer and was a. sure
catch. When the team was made up I
was assigned to left field, and was re-
garded as the exchange pitcher. How
ever, it was my first season out, and
flies had made a hit with the news
paper men, at any rate. and felt that
I had made someheadway.
Connecticut Boys on Champion Team.
Providence won the championship
pennant winner I ever had anything
to do with. Strange to say, nearly all
of the players on that old team were
Connecticut boys. The following sea-
son went to Fall River, where j
played all the games, but in 1877 I
went to Rochester. Rochester did not
finish the season, and / was sent to
Albany, both of those teams being in
the New York Stae league, and i re-
manned with that team until 1880,
when / was sold to the Cleveland club,
then of the National league.
A Great Team in Albany.
I'VE had a great team In Albany.
The betting odds always favored our
club at about 100 to rs. After winning
26 straight games, Providence, my
first love. trimmed us, and who do you
thing turned the trick? 1t was John
Montgomery Ward. Destiny arrang-
ed that his life and mine should be
strangely linked together in baseball
Before he signed up with Providence,
Ward came to me and asked my adj
vice. 1 told him to take the position,
for knew he would make good. One
year in Cleveland was about enough,
and in 1881 Twas sent to Detroit, which
was then in the National league. For
eight years I played on the Detroit
club and was its captain for some
time. In those times the captain had
more duties to perform than he has
now. He was a sort of gio-between,
standing between the players and the
manager to some extent.
Studied tho Bunting Game.
Il did all the talking to the players
about the sort of a game they should
play, and I always studied the finer
points of the game. I was q left
handed batter and a fast runner, so l
practiced bunting a. great deal. The
art Of dropping one in front of the
plate was not so well developed then,
but it was easier to get away with
But / was always trying to figure ous
how could pull Off the unexpected.
The idea was TO set the hop on the