New Britain herald., 1928-06-16
NEW BRITAIN ONCE BASEBALL PARADISE
Rabid Fans Yelled Themselves
 Hoarse 20 Years Ago

HV6lO6 ~ l1dlS hSV
 Twenty years ago this summer New Britain was sizzling with base
 ball enthusiasm. having a profcs- sional team in the conneciicu:
 league. six teams in the Ward
 league, and a team in the Valley league. while the normal activity
 among the boys of the city on the l sandlots was. of course, taking place. Had there been anyone with sufficient courage or foresight or
 whatever might have been needed
 to predict accurately the situation in
 local sports circles within Q decade,
 he probably would have been
 howled down with derision and
 nlockery Were he to dare suggest or l even hint that for many years be-
 tween 1908 and 1928. the Hardware City would not be represented in q professional league, with the chances for such a step becoming
 less as the years passed and the city grew and expanded.
 Cubans Were O,, Their Toes The New Britain team in the Connecticut League in 1908 was
 one of the greatest drawing cards in the circuit, which included Hart ford. New Haven, Bridgeport, Wa terbury. Springfield, Holyokc and
 Meriden. The famous Cubans, AL
 meida, Cabrera and Marsans, were
 in the game every day. being in.
 valuable cogs in the machine that
 kept all the other clubs in the
 league on their toes. while Louis
 Iadron. fourth of the dark skinned
 quartet. pitched and played in the
 outfield when needed, in addition to
 being the pinch hitter. Almeida was
 nifty third bascman and one of the best hitters in the league. Mar sans covered more ground in left
 field than any other gardener in the
 league and was a good hitter. His
 base stealing propcnsities were ex- ceptional and the fans of that period
 well remember the speed with which he used to dash from first to third on a sacrifice tap in front Of the plate. Cabrera, who was af- iectlonately known Us "Cabby," cov- cred the short field and hit fairly well, while Padron was one of those sluSgers who was likely break up ball game any time. The late Nick Kufianse was first string catcher. The late John Bunyan was first baseman. with Johnny Burns on second Swat" McCabe. now of Bristol, and "Sox" Waterman in the outfield. "Chappie" Ward, Reggie" Brown. Freddy Reiger and others of high standing in the game, were on the pitching staff. Paddy" 0 Mara. now q police sergeant in this city. caught for a while. as did Doe Kerr. The first game O'Mara caught with :he professionals at
 Electric Field resulted in New
 Britain victory. Dan Coughin of Bristol pitched for the locals and the work of the battery was ono of the features.
 Fisher Had "InIian" Sign
 The Connecticut League wa. good circuit and was fairly we'll patronized. Electric Field where the local team held forth when at home. was in the town of Plainville. q few miles from New Britain. Bris- tol and Southington. and many q hot contest was staged there, es- pecially when Manager From" Con- 1,ic rf hcre on q holiday. The bleachers and grandstands were filled to ca pacity and the fans were perched on top of the fences all around the ! park long before starting time on those occasions.
 Hartford's star twirler was Ray" Fisher, who later starred with the | Hlghlanders of the American l League, the Highlanders being fore runners of the Yankees. Fisher was a fast ball pitcher and his "bean ball' with which he used 10 drive ] limid hitters away from the plate was a terror. Connery invariably l saved Fisher for New Britain and l the records show that the "Nermont l school master" as he was known 1 about the circuit. generally beat the locals.
 COnnery Heads St. Paul Club
 Many of the star players Of that | league are living. Connery has had l a successful career in baseball at | present being president of the St. 1 Paul club. Walter Ahcarn, one of | the catchcrs with Waterbury and ! other clubs. Is a policeman in Wa terbury. swat McCabe has lived in ! Bristol for several years and u,Iii | two years ago was a member Of the | Bristol Endees, playing his old posi- | ton in the outfield. After retiring from active participation, he became an umpire. much to the surprise or | the fans who remember his bclliger- cnt carriage on the ball field. not ably the day at Electric Field when | he almost choked Red" Rorty into for calling what he con- sidcred bad decision. "Hilr' Luby. one of the leading hitters of the league. is q practicing attorney in Meriden. He pitched and played the outfield for Springfield and his long