New Britain herald., 1929-12-20

Sometimes it takes a death 10 stir the a.emory and draw back the cur tain that EJ1es from view the events O. ycstory,tr or lao stage of long ago, and again d gathering of men gIo like 10 live over thu days of their youtb and recount the thrills that came ID them in the field Of sports can excite inc interest 10 d high dcSreH. Recently. in New Brit ain. both conditions prsentod jhom- s'lvys. tGg death Of a prom.ucrt athlete and World War h.ro. and an iuformol ldufpst during which much Of the activity ot another day in the roller hockey game Was ruIl- ed ot having followed ~ucl other in close order
 Thomas J. lBusyJ Smith rau- noubau lui"r ol the suullots O. "Nisger Hill" two decades ago. be- fore he or anyone in his station Of life foresaW the dark days Of the World War rom which he emerged an outstanding hero, died. Out Of his death came memories which the sports fraternity ot New Britain shared, tor cEcn heior, he was the decorated hero Of the battleticlds. he Was coIoIful ball player.
 The heights 10 which he would have asceuded had he chosen to make baseball his lilv's work can. Of course, only be spcculated upon. but the men who were boys when he was one Will never forget his speed, his coolncss Us he stood in the center Oi l ball diamond with the bases filled and nobody out, the grim determination Of him at bat and atIeld. And hc needed all the courage he possessed, for the camp bells the Mangans. the Moskils, the Clevelands. the Miilcrs and the Guenthers Of "Niggyr Hill" were q hard riding lot of athletes and the mate who showed the white feather in "Hocho's' lot was not likely to do much playing thereafter.
 Baseball on the Hill"
 Volumes could be written about Baseball on the hilL" where every Sunday afternoon from April to october saw the Npincs and the Mt. Peasants and other teams, too, Whaling the horschidc and chasing it. and where nine inning scores were like basketball finals Of the present day, If Red" Campbelrs team went into the ninth inning ten runs be- hind, nobody thought of going home. Before the last man was out, the trailing team might be a run ahead, and like as not. the ten run lead might be wiped out and ten or 60 dozen more added, for the Camp Bells, the Mangans, the Meskills the CleveIands and the others thought lot of their "raps" and the team that batted first tended the other team out, the score not withstanding.
 The late Bill" Roche was q pro- duet of the sandlots of the hill" lis day having come along before that of "Butsy" Smith. Roche was q left handed pitcher and was rcputed tO AitlN v lItlAl Oll' bl lIlt 4I4pfNI Ii >S~ ij- tive slow curves in baseball in this section thirty years ago. A young stcr who later made his mark on many ball field in and about New Britain was coming along at that time in the person of William 'Hod" Campbell a classy outfielder and q good hitter As he made his way down through the years he develop ed into an inficldcr and played with numerous teams, but shrcWd obserV- CTS Of the game always maintained that there would have been a high place for him in organized ball had he stuck 10 oulfieidlug.
 Incidentally. Campbell Was q stal iu one of the best outtield com hinations ever 10 grace a local field New Britain had H team in tn, Valley League some years back, ant Campbell played left field with Ed. ward "Cioolor' Conliu in ccntcr field and William Berry in rIgh riald. That trio could 20 far ou and come m, to 'he l,tt and right th" catches thry made in Eont@ch jcr's park. where the Iorai game were played. are still talked about
 The Outficid Trio
 When 'Hu~y" Smith pitched fo Jim LUhy's Independents some yrur latcr Campbell. Berry and Conlt N,rc again teammates. but "Ecd' had been shI1tnd to third base anl CouHn to second base and catch Ferry always stayed in the outfiolI Couiin was one 0: rha most versatile baseball players of that period. IT, thought aothiuL of catching q t-v innings and thnu going into the box Or it he MS u--1"d h@ could pla, second base with tho best Of lhrm He MS A ua-uul hitter. fl" kim every pllr.nr dreaded to >oe com luG IT, In . tight uIa..
 Gar,cy IIlcr'~ sock
 ''naHo' r...,lsui. " pi.nlcr au classy oatGrr.ur .e.u.a off "rn. mlI and played Ht. N..4@u ~Hh rl coamron II.u War3 rsam ar, other ag-r. -1lnr-. G-or-- o'GroH Nho also lI5yaa with tuo lIM Ward team, Was aHo'hor product c that srrIoM and Charley Miller star of the tas' hatI field and basket faN court toI I number or year. got his start tl.rae. too. Bascha lovers never f3i to mention th tremendous clout made by Miller i Ward League game at WaIuu Hul park, when hc sent a ball soar ing ovrr inc .op Of ,he Jig tree ] right field Of diamond No. J hu some tme prior 10 that he h.t on