The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-01-31
PADDY RYAN IN BENNINGTON
Former Bennington Base Ball Player is
Now a Pipe Dressma ker''

BENNINGTON, Jan. 81 John
paddy Ryan. who played center field
on Bennington S first professional base
bali team back in 1910. is in town and
will probably make his headquarters
here during the next three weeks The
former whirlwind baserunner is now iii
the employ of a firm which makes a
speciality of putting asbestos cover
ings on heating pipes and is known as
n pipe dressmaker. He has been
sent to Bennington to work on con
tract which his firm has at the new ad-
dition to the Z L Waist company s
plant on Gage street.
Ryan was one of the most popular
members of Bennington s most popular
baseball club. 1t was the first pro-
fessional aggregation managed by Ed
ward s. Higgins, now the Bennington
county fish and game warden, and il
was some ball team.
The league that year was composed
of teams representing Bennington
North Adams, Pittsield and Schenecta
dy. The season ran beyond the middle
OF September and Bennington finished
in second place. Ryan batted for PSI
that year, led the team in baserunning
and iielded his position with q percent
age of .931.
From the Bennington club Rvar
went to New Britain of the Connecticut
league. He became the Ty Cobb of tn,
circuit, stole more bases than any Other
player IN the league and acquired tn,
sobriquet of speed RYAN. At tn,
close of the 1911 season Ryan wa
drafted by Roger Bresnahan, manage
of the st. Louis Nationals and playe,
in the last few games of the schedule
He was considered one of the Promis
ing outtielders connected with the hi.
show. = The following winter he .joine
a transforming aggregation that mad
a tour of the island OF Cuba and Their
met with the accident that closed TN
! door of opportunity. Whire sliding i'll
! to third base in a gam at Havana h
broke both bones of a leg just abov
| the ankle The injury mended bu
, broken bones have never been know
to push ball player up the ladder o
fame. The accident came at critica
point in his career and ended hi
chances to make place for himself i
the major leagues. Later he played i
the Connecticut league and in tn
Twins State, and last season was wit
Glens Falls.
Ryan is just as confident today as h
was in 1911 that but for the accid IN
he would have made good with 5
Louis. He recalls the incident wit
regret but no bitterness. He doll
up the heating pipes in their asbesto
gowns with the same speed that dt
lighted the fans at Morgan and TudC
parks seven years ago and at the en-
OF the month peck It's the good-size
pay check of a fast workman. He ha
changed but little in appearance sine
he drew his week 5 salary from Tcea
urer Mortimer G.. Townsend. and veal
the same wide smile that won him
place in the friendship of every bas
ball fan in one of the best baseba
towns of its size on the map.
Rvan lives in Fitchburg Mass. While
is the home of another member of Be-
nington 5 1910 club. Pitcher Johnny
Bosk. who had more control of IL
; horsehide covered sphere than any ma
who ever curved them over the pan
9 this neck of the woods Bosk. who
an expert tool maker. has good job
Fitchburg. He was married short
/, after leaving Bennington and has
, family OF several children.