The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-06-01
WATERVuLE
SPRACUE SCHOOL
 NINE TITLISTS
Crescents Lead the Park League-MemOrial Exer=
 ciseS Held at School

against the walsh SchOol team win ners of the major league circuit and defeated them to l for the cham pionship of all public schools in Waterbury, the only grammar school team to come through the 1881 sea- son undefeated.
 Miss Ella Congdon, assistant prin- cipal of the school states that too much credit cannot be given Ber- nard O'Rourke. coach of the team. MT O'Rourke devoted much volun- teer time and effort to the Sprague team and developed one of the smoothest working grammar school baseball teams ever appearing in either major or minor league.
 The team was led by Henry CYoung Hank") Gagain, whose fighting leadership and heavy hit ting were strong factors in the teams success. He is the son or Hank" Gagain, well-known State League catcher. Several years ago a younger brother. William, was also a regular member of the team. Other regulars were Kenneth Bren- nan, Vincent Polo, William Moore, younger brother of "Johnny" Moore of the Chicago Cubs, James Me- Donald, Raymond Gruber, Walter Buell., and Robert Stevens. The sub stitutes were Frank Paffney. John Unikas, Walter Droy. Hiebert Bor- owy and Reinold Book.
 WatervilIe Cresccnts Lead Park
 League.
 Swinging their bats to collect a total of twenty-two safeties, five of them for extra bases the Waterville Crescents got away to flying start in the Public Parks league by cap turing the first two games on the schedule over the week end. They celebrated the opening day festivi- ties at Hamilton Park on Memoria day by defeating the Recreations by q 13 to score and yesterday at Fulton Park, took the Colts into camp, 9 to 2.
 The opening game with the Rec reation was featured by unusually heavy hitting on the part of the Crescents who gathered fifteen safe ties while driving two of the op- posing pitchers to cover. Blair, To- cal centerfielder led the attack with four safe blows in five trpis to the plate. O'Rourke, the second base man garnered three out of four chances, as did Kraft. the third baseman, while W. Ryan, catcher and Young Hawk" Gagain, left fielder. obtained two each. Bouley, the Waterville first baseman. knock ed out the only homer of the con test.
 B. Ryan the Waterville allowed the Recreations but five hits and struck out four men.
 The RecreationS scored two runs in the opening frame but the locals came back quickly to score run in the second, two in the third and three in the fourth, to take a G. lead which was reduced to 6-5 when the Recreations came back with three runs in their half of the fourth. The locals big inning was the seventh when the base hit barrage forced five runs across the plate. Two more runs were added in the eighth and the losers added another run in the same frame.
 Yesterday at Fulton Park, Man ager Ryan started Gardner against the Colts. Although hit farily freely he was able to keep his hits well scattered for eight innings and with the assistance of excellent support on the part of his team mates, kept the opposition well in hand. The Colts scored once in the second and
  third. Two were runs were added in the sixth, but in the same in ming and the next, the Crescents bats started swinging to score four runs in each inning and to take a Q to lead. The lead was needed, for in the first of the ninth the ninth the Colts finally managed to bunch hits off Gardners delivery and had pushed four runs across the plate before B. Ryan took over the relief pitching role to stop further scoring. Kraft led tho local batting attack getting two of his teams eight hits, one of them a double. Blair came through with a triple. Gardner, the winning pitch CT, is credited with nine strike outs
 As the result of the weekend contests the Crescents are tied with the North Squares and Acmes Tor the league leadership. They will be idle next Sunday, meeting the H'll All-Stars on June IA in their next league game.
 Memorial Services at SpraSuc School
 The pupils of Sprague grammar school presented their annual Me morial day exercises at the school gymnasium on Friday afternoon with many parents and friends in attendance. Miss Congdon as sistant principal, and announced the following program, each number oi which was unusually well done; Song: soldier Boys"-First Grade
 Pupils.
 Violin duet "The Rose of No Mans
 Land'-Robert De Gaustino and
 Henry Seeback
 Poem: Memorial Day'-Fifth
 Grade Pupils.
 Song: "Our Flag g'-Second Grade
 Pupils.
 Interpcrative dance: Spirit of '7G'
 (a) Call to Arms
 (b) The Battle
 Co Celebration of Victory.
 Ralph Gulliver
 Song: Independence day"-Third
 Grade Pupils.
 Recitation: "The American Creed'--
 Betty Wilson.
 Song: America the Beautiful -
 Sixth Grade Pupils.
 Violin duet: "A Patriots Wish '---
 Joseph Andriano and Wallace De
 pon.
 Recitation: Lincoln's "Gettysburg
 ddress"-Lorraine Patton.
 Following the exercises the chil- dren lisened to brief remarks rom veterans. Captain C. Arthur )u' Bois of the American Legion spoke on the origin and significance oi Memorial day and General James R Young, of the Grand Army of the Republic, narrated some interesting experiences which he had gone through as a mounted orderly dur ing the Civil war.
 Watcrvillc Participants in Program
 Waterville was we'll represented on the Memorial day program whici took place at the Palace theater iol lowing the parade on saturday morning. Rev John w. Dodson, pas tor of Grace Methodist church, re