The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-01-09
JAMES H. 0'ROURkE FAR-FAMED
 BALL PLAYER DIES 0F PNEUMONIA
One of Most Famous Players In History of Base
 ball ILLNESS LASTED
 BUT FEW DAYS He Is Survived By a Son, James, and Six Daugh-
 terS

James H. O'Rourke one of the greatest baseball players that ever trod the diamond, succumbed to an attack of pneumonia at his home, 274 Pembroke street, yesterday, after a few days illness. MT. O'Rourke had been in failing health for the past two years and on New Years day he caught cold, which quickly developed into pneumonia, ending as the direct cause of MT. O'Rourke's death.
 MT. O'Rourke was 66 years old and was active in business affairs until shortly before his death.
 Jim O'Rourke was a native of Bridgeport, the exact date of his birth being rather obscure. He first played ball in what was known as the ,old Sixth ward, a section of the city that has produced some of the best ball players in the country. His first team of any prominence was the Osceolas, of Stratford, where he held down the catcher's position. It was here that he first obtained the reputation for batting that he upheld for more than a score of years.
 From the Osceolas O'Rourke went to the Middletown team in 1873, playing with them for a full season. It was while he was with this team that Harry Wright, then managing 1 the famous Red Stockings of Boston, heard of him. Harry immediately opened negotiations and secured O'Rourke's services in the fall of '73. | O'Rourke remained on the Red 1 Stockings who were several times 1 champions, from 1873 until 1878, when he left for the Providence team, then under the management l of George Wright, a brother of liar | ry.
 It was due in great part to his work that the Providence team won the championship of what was then l the National League in the year of 1879.
 O'Rourke then went to the Buffa- i To, N. Y, team where he held the position of manager. This team, al though never a pennant winner. was considered one of the strongest in the country, a fact which was in great part due to O'Rourke's playing and batting ability, In 1883 the New i York team was formed and offers were made to O'Rourke to join that | aggregation.
 At this time there were no con tracts made for players, most of the players playing under gentlemen agreements" O'Rourke, although offered S1 300 more a season in sal arv by the New York club, refused to leave the Buffalo club in the mid
 dle of the season, regarding his word to the president of the latter club as
 equally binding as a written agree
 ment. At the end of the season, however
 he secured his release from the Buf- falo club and went to the New York
 team. This was in 1884. It was then that Jim led the whole country in batting and as long as he was g member of that club he always rank ed near the top of the heap in pill
 pasting. This was the first great club that the New Workers ever had
 under the leadership of Mutrie and 1t contained players that fill the old time fans with enthusiasm even to
 these days
 O'Rourke remained with the New
 fork club until the famous Brother hood war He later managed and played on the Washington team, tried umpiring for a time but did not find the work ccngenial and then returned to New England. He organized the old Victor league in which his team won the pennant and later organized the State League. He ran team In Bridgeport with varied success until
 1910 when he sold the team. He was very active in New England baseball after his return to this section of the
 country and was for considerable
 time president of the league, his last year as chief official being 1914. ORourke was always recognized ! as one of the greatest baseball play CTS that the country has turned out and is regarded even today as perhaps , the most versatile player that ever donned a glove. He could play every
 position on the team with the excep-
 lion of pitcher and furthermore he
 could play them in a highly prof1cien 5 manner.
 His batting was almost phenome- l nal at times and during the l 8 years . that he was a member of the biz : leagues he batted well over 300 1T 5 R seasons. He was also one Of tho } best throwers that ever the game ) produced and had a record throw ol 3G7 feet.