New Britain herald., 1930-12-13

Now Britain baseball fans. espe clally those Of two decades ago. will follow the fortunes of the Boston Red Sox in the American league next season with interest because Of the selection of John (Shauno) Col lins as manager.
 Collins has many friends in New Britain and is remembered by oth- CTS who are not personally acqualn- ted with him, as a star performer with the Springfield team in the old Connecticut league when New Brit ain was in the circuit and played the home games at Electric Field just across the town line in Plain vile. He was in his early tWenties in 1908, which was one of his best years as d minor lcagucr, and 1t was i from the Springfield team that he went to the Chicago White Sox. | Collins started in baseball a s a pitcher but did not last long in that position. and when he broke into the Connecticut league he was a second baseman. He was one Of the best fielding players ever seen at | Electric field, and while he was not i a Babe Ruth at the bat he was | timely hitter and broke up his share of ball games. In the American ! league he was used as an outhelder, 1 covering the right garden for Chl- cago and Boston, and when he was sent to the Eastern league as play ! ing manager he took his turn tt l first base. putting up creditahle | game despite the fact that he WIS slowing up under the press of ad- vancing years.
 Fans all over the Connecticut i league circuit liked Collins, not only i for his ability but his personality. and he was tf ought so much Of m 1 the American league that he could ! have remained with Chicago or BoS- ton as long as he cared 10, as coach, scout or in some other capacity, i Whether the going was rough " | smooth. "Shauno" was always in there doing his best, and he was never known to quit however tight q place he might find himself in.
 He loves baseball. He always low
 cd it and played it as only a fello" can who wants to hold up his end at all times. Old time patrons of Elce- tric Field will recall how he dipped the ball around the bases, digging hard ones out of he dirt and spear ing the high ones for putouts. He
 was tall and rangy, which gave him a distinct advantage around the key stone sack and his catchcrs never hcsitatcd about throwing down to
 him, as they knew he would grab the ball if it was within reach It all.
 Collins made one Of the most scn- sational stops ever seen on any ball
 field in practice one afternoon at 1 Electric Field. He was the last Springfield player to leave the field after infield practice which preceded the game, and on his final play ha stood on second base and told Reg gic" Brown. New Britain pitcher. to
 hit q ball down between first and second. As '1roWn lifted his ba', Collins started towards first and to the amazement Of the fans he stop
 ped the sizzling grounder with his gloyed hand about ten feet from
 first base and twenty-five feet into short right field. The applause that greeted this bit of sterling ball handling re-echoing from the Plain vile mountain behind center field and Collins was the hero of the day
 At the age of 45. he will mak"
 his debut as a big league manager
 with the best wishes of thousands of baseball lovers throughout the
 country. That he will be out in
 front when the final bell rings is too much 10 expect, because his out