New Britain herald., 1928-12-29
JEAN CAUSED PANIC
IN OLD POLO DAYS
Refused to Play Until Dispute
Over $500 Was Settled

/ When the New Britain Panthers
of the American Roller Hockey
league We're fioundering about in the
cellar Il few weeks ago, and the fans
were clamorins tor the arrival of
KID Williams. star rush, to inject
the needed punch into the outfit, the
rooters Mo followed the game when
it was played in Hanna's Arlnory on
East Main street could not help
thinking back a decade and recall
an identical situation that was
brought about in 1908 when t'fed
Jean, present star OF the Bridgeport
Indians, had Il financial dispute with
the late Billy" Hanna and refused
to don the skates and pads until the
season was under way and the New
Britainites had lost several games.
just as the Panthers spruced ur
and started to wade through the
American league like fisherman
through Il knee deep brook as soon
rs Williams took his place In the
lineup, SO did the New Britain out
lit of 1905 rush to the front when
jean began welding his stick in a
hardware City uniform. Down
through the bleachers in the Stanley
Arena the fans have been heard dis
tusSlng the similarity between the
situations that were separated by a
span Of 20 years. and undoubtedly
hundreds of them had it brought
back TO memory on Christmas after
noon when Jean skated out in char
a"tcristic style for his first game in
NV Britain this season.
Random Enthusiastic In 1905
New Britain was as strong for roll
Ter polo in 1905 and Whereabouts as
il has been for basketball during the
past few years. but as the opening
OF the season approached and Jean
had failed to report. the fans be-
came dpprehensive Of the effect of
his absence. Ferdie Harkins who is
stlll in the game and going fine. was
among the first of the 1907 players
10 send word to Manager Hanna that
he would be on hand, and wild
lillI' DuSgan, who was at that time
tlIS iI'SIlNSt PIdNNl III t1It ANdtlOlldl
league. WAS straining at the leash in
his Impotence for the playing to get
under way. Still Jean did not show
up and Manager Hanna was over
Whelmed by demands for the low
down" on the situation.
1t developed that Jean claimed to
have been promised $500 by Mana-
ger Hanna for fulfilling commits
sion to round Up a team the season
j.etorc, and would not so into action
unless he was paid. On the other
'Iand, The management claimed that
tho debt Was not owed inasmuch as
Manager Hanna had assembled the
team without jeans assistance. Jean
made a statement that he had offer
d hls services to Mnager Hanna for
j a week less than he had been
p&id in 1907. nut Manager Hanna
wanted him to play for $40 a week.
Sack and forth went the dispute. and
inally a lad named Cummings was
secured to so on the rush line with
Duggan, While Harkins was shifted
10 center in Jeans place. Holder
ness and Pence were signed for the
halfback and goal tending jobs and
the season opened without Jean.
Home Team Weak
There was something missing,
though. at the armory, as the visit
ing teams skated circles about the
New Britain club, and everyone
knew what it was. 1t was not the
will to win. nor the spirit of compe-
titlon, nor lack Of clcverness or abil-
ity. for the New Britain team was
not bad club. 1t was nothing more
or less than a big black haired
I|rcnchman, who saw the games
from the spectators seats. and the
clamor that went up for him was
not to be denied. Back into harness
he came at last and up from the eel
lar came the team to a fighting po-
sition in the standing. incidentally.
the announcement was made that
Jean did rot get the 5000.
The National league in 1905 was
composed of New Haven. Pawtucket,
Bridgeport. Providence. Salem. Fall
River, Hartford. New Britain. Brock
ton and Worcester. The schedule
was so arranged that the appearance
of the several teams in any city were
widely separated and the interest
consequently was heightened in
strong contrast to the situation last
season when the scarcity of teams
necessitated frequent visits about
the circuit. The. New Britain Hart
ford rivalry was intense and when
the Capital City crew came to the
armory about mid season. every
available seat was filed long be-
fore the players appeared. in fact.
the amateur league had such an in
terosting race that he fans who
could possibly be OH hand in time
for the preliminary game would not
think of missing out.
wild RilI' Duggan star
wild Bill Duggan was the speed
king of the league. but he had con-
sidera bic competition for the honors.
He was a scrappy. aggressive player.
and had the deftest pair of feet of
that period 1t was not sufficient to
hook the ball away with a stick, for
puggan had the knack Of swinging