The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-11
JoE5 CONNOLLY, CHIEF snUGGER OF BOSTON
 BRAVES, 27 TODAY

Joe Connolly, slugger-in-chief of the Boston Braves and the hard-hit ting hero of the Miracle Mans Worlds Champio11s.g is one of three natives of NGassach usetts< on the roll of that immortal aggregation of ball players. Joseph is unusually credit ed to Rhode Island, but, like Mitchell and Maranvil1e, he made his nun dane debut in the old Bay State. South SmithfieId boasts of being Joe's birthplace, but he started his base ball career across the state line at Woonsocket, R. l., where he played with semi-pro clubs.
 Connolly will be twenty-seven years old tomorrow. He first got into the limelight while playing with tournament. Joe was largely tnstru- mental in winning the honors for Providence, and his fame was nofsed abroad. It spread, indeed, as far as Ohio, and resulted in an offer from ] the Zanesvi1Ie club, which Joe ac- cepted. He played part of the sea- son of 1910 with the Ohio team, and then went to Terre Haute, Ind, where he made a great reputation for himself Like most incipient ball players, Joe wanted to shine in the box, but he was early convinced that as a twirIer he-was an excellent out fielder.
 Conno1ly's next rise in the world was with the Montreal club. The l Cubs bought him from Terre Haute, I4but sent him to the Canadian me- tropolis for further seasoning. By 1912 Joe was considered ripe for an- other chance in the big show, and he had trial trip with Washington. The Senators turned him over to the Braves, and in Boston Joe really ar rived. Last season he was the only Boston regular to bat over the 300 mark, and he was responsible for a no inconsiderabIe proportion of the runs which gave Boston the National League championship and the chance to go against the Athletics for the worlds baseball honors.
 Connolly and George Whitted are the optirnfsts of the Braves. When it comes to facing diversity with a smile Joe and George are there with the goods. The sunny smiles of this i pair of charter members of the O. B-JoyfuI club have i11umined many a dark day for their fellow Braves.
 The wild night life and glittertng lights of the great cities of which he
 makes the rounds in the good old summertime have no attractions fo1 Joe. The back-to-the-f farm stuff has hit him hard, and when not engaged in praeticfng his profession he spends his time in the bucoHc pursuits of an agriculturist on his farm near Woon- socket.
 Connolly is five feet six and a hall 4nches in altitude. He isn't any speed demon in getting around the
 bases, and his fielding, while good
 is not spectacular His throwing arm
 might be better. but his swatting eye
 puts him in 3 class by himself among hthe Braves. He bats left-handed and
 throws. right-handed. StalIngs us ually takes him out of the 1ine-uI
 when the opposing pitcher. is z
 southpaW. He did this in the second game of the worlds series, when o1C Eddie Plank was on the mound fol ] the Athletics. In the three games h, played in the mem norab1e series Joel batting eye wasn't functioning quitt : as well as usual, and he got only on hit in nine trips to bat.
 , Connolly has had long, har'
 fight to get to the top of the baseball ladder, but now that he is perchet
 on the pinnacle, he may be expected to remain quite some time.