New Britain herald., 1928-10-09


nine which captured the champion
ship OF the City Baseball league for
the 1928 season by defeating the
Pirates in a playoff game. 2 to /.
The work of the West Ends, both in
the field and at bat, was brilliant all
during the season and brought the
team Its first championship.
At the beginning of the season.
bill" Cormier went about the city
and picked up a team that was COM
posed OF former stars and it was
conceded little chance of winning
the pennant. The Burritts and the
Pirates We're the favorites to crash
through. The Burritts failed miser-
ably, however, while the Pirates
paced the West Ends from the start.
In the first game of the season
the West Ends. with Tommy"
Blanchard. the veteran OF Is cam
paigns. in the box, surprised the
league by defeating the Burritts, the
1927 champions and outplaying them
In every department OF the game.
The Rurritts had team of all-stars
and We're confident Of scoring an
easy victory.
Many thought that the West Ends
and Tommy" Blanchard had play
ed over their heads but as the sea-
son rolled on and the West Ends
continued their brilliant playing,
fans began to realize that cormier's
nj hoo tin,
After winning three straight the
West Ends met the Pirates and
after a bitter battle emerged to-
winner.
They ended the first half of the
league with a victory over each team
In the league. The West Ends met
its first beating OF the year in the
first game of the second half with
the Burritts. After outplaying the
Burritts throughout tie entire game.
uhe West Ends by ID freak play. lost
in the seventh. With the score ]
TO 0 in favor of the West Ends, a
Burritt batter hit line drive to
Wojack at short that should have
been an easy double play. Rlan-
chard had used q spit ball on the
play and as Wojack attempted to
throw the batter out at third the
ball took peculiar twist and floated
slowly through the air
Win Next Two
Undaunted. the West Ends came
back and won their next two games
with display OF steady playing.
In the second game with their
closest competitors the the Pirates,
the West Ends went into the ninth
inning with a 1 to l lead. The
/ Pirates rallied and scored three
| runs to tie the score. Two hits in
| succession gave the Pirates a win In
the nth inning.
When the season ended the stand
ings showed the West Ends and the
/ Pirates tied for first place with
eight wins and two defeats each.
Then came the play-off game. Be
| fore a crowd of 500 fans the West
Ends rose TO their greatest heights
: and after touching up Carlson for
two runs in the first inning, pro-
ooeded TO play a defensive game
worthy Of big leaguers. Carlson
was invinsible after the first but the
smart veterans on the West Ends
matched their wits with the bats
of the Pirates and emerged VIC
torious.
Tommy Blanchard pitching for
his 18th season, proved that he has
more than enough IN his ancient
whip TO fool the batters in the
league. Not once all season did
blanchard falter in the box. He
pitched II complete games and out
side of brief relapscs was practical
ly invincible.
S:Oncwall on Defense
John Smithwick, healy catcher,
proved to be IL stonewall in the
pinches. His steady catching and
bullet throws to second together
with his rapid fire talk proved q
great asset 10 the West Ends. The
infleld of G. Campbell, Sheehan.
Wojack and the one and only Red"
Campbell. worked to perfection all
season. George Campbell was 4
steady man in a pinch and his spirit
inspired the others and kept them
on the jump. Sheehan, although
handicapped with bad arm, took
care Of his position nicely, and hit
the ball hard throughout the sea
son. Willie" Wojack found the
going tough in the first part OF the
season but he gradually found him.
self and proved to he the star In
the play-otf game, his wonderful
stop in the fifth inning with two
on saving the West Ends.
Campbell Still Going
IN spite of his so or odd years the
veteran RED" Campbell, while a 1T.
l fa 81 in a.