The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-01-30
"PADDY" RYAN IN TOWN
Former Bennington Base Ball Player
Is Now "Pipe Dressmaker".

John paddy Ryan, who played
center field in Benningtons first pro-
! fessional baseball 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 in the employ of
firm which makes specially of put
ting asbestos coverings on heating
pipes and is known as pipe dress
maker" He has been sent to Ben
nington to work on a contract which
his firm has at the new addition to
the Z Waist companys plant on
Gage street.
Ryan was one Of the most popular
members of Benningtons most popu-
lar baseball club. 1t was first profes-
sional aggregation managed by Ed
ward S. Higgins, now the Bennington
county fish and game warden, and 1t
was some ball team.
The league that year was composed
of teams representing Bennington,
North Adams, Pittsfield and Schenec-
tady. The season ran beyond the
middle of September and Bennington
finished in second place. Ryan bat
ted for PSF that year, led the team In
baserunning and fielded his position
with percentage OF .9S1.
From the Bennington club Ryan
went to New Britain of the Connec-
ticut league. He became the Ty Cobb
of the circuit, stole more bases than
any other player in the league and
acquired the sobriquet of Speed
Ryan. At the close of the 1911 season
Ryan was drafted by Roger Bresna-
han, manager of the st. Louis Nation
ais and played in the last few games
of the schedule. He was considered
one of the promising outfielders con-
nected with the big show" The fol-
lowing winter he joined a barnstorm-
ing aggregation that made tour OF
the island of Cuba and there met with
the accident that closed the door OF
opportunity While sliding into third
base in a game at Havana he broke
both bones of leg just above the
ankle The injury mended but brok-
en- bones have never been known to
push ball player up the ladder OF
fame. The accident came at criti-
cal point in his career and ended MS
chances to make a place for himself
in the major leagues. Later he
played in the Connecticut league and
in the Twin-State league and last
season was with Glens Falls.
Ryan is just as confident today as
he was in 1911 that but for the acci-
dent he would have made good" with
St Louis. He recalls the incident
with regret but no bitterness. He
dolls up the heating pipes in their
asbestos gowns with the same speed
that delighted the fans at Morgan and
Tudor parks seven years ago and at
the end OF the month pockets the
good-sized pay check of fast work
man. He has changed but little in
appearance since he drew his weeks
salary from Treasurer Mortimer G.
Townsend and wears the same wide
smile that won him place in the
friendship of every baseball fan in
one of the best baseball towns of its
size on the map.
Ryan lives in Fitchburg, Mass,
which is the home of another member
of Bennington's 1910 club. Pitcher
Johnny" Bosk, who had more control
of the horsehide covered sphere than
any man who ever curved over the
pan in this neck Of the woods Bosk,
who is an expert tool maker has a
good job in Fitchburg. He was mar
ried shortly after leaving Bennington
and has family of several children.