The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1942-10-17
FOLLOWING THROUGH
BY PEDRO AGUILAR


review of baseball in Key West
Prompted by the about effort,
to raise funds for the construc
ton of a Municipal Stadium or
city property in Flagler Avenue
the writer is now attempting t.
trace the activities of the nation.
al pastime since its inception
here.
Yesterday we told of the ar
rival of Cuban players here ir
the 1905 to introduce the game
and revealed we have been with
out baseball field and stadium
since the closing at Gato's Park
at Simonton and South streets
Cato Park was used for IS years
before it closed.
We also listed a number of
old time players of those days
who are still living.
Today, we start off with Pan
ther Pent, terror of the pitchers
He performed until 1920.
Panther was one of the best
players in Key West of all time.
He was the most outstanding
first baseman this city has pro
duced.
In 1908, the last of paid play
ers were brought to Key West.
Check, a catcher for Peoria, Ill;
HHgerun, pitcher who later play
ed in the big leagues with the
Chicago Cubs; Shannon, pitcher;
Cuthber1 second baseman, and
Moves, third, were the last of
the salaried athletes who per-
formed here. Along with Pan
Their on first, Evaristo Rodriguez
at short, Medina, Cheche and
Aguilar in the outfield, Tico
Garcia, Roy Fulford and Valen-
Zuela in the box. Stickney, Pab-
10 Guajiro and Chicho Rodriguez,
they went to Cuba and won two
games and lost one to Almen-
dares, champions of the Island
Republic.
The Almendares came here for
return games and Key West lost
three and won from them.
Cincinnati passed through Kew
West in 1908, stopping over long
enough to play two games at
Gato's Park. Mclean was catch
er, Dubec, Spade and Campbell
the pitchers, Hoblizell at first,
Higgins at short, Hans Lobert on
third. Hulwitt at second, Wingo.
Spade and Dubec alternating in
the outfield. Higgins later be-
came famous with the Yankees.
Tobert is manager of the Phil
adelphia Phillies. Tobert was the
fastest man to circle the bases in
his dav. In Kew West, he ran
around them in IS seconds. Agui-
lar of Key West did it in 10 and
one-tiftA seconds, Lee Pierce in
Is and two-fifths seconds.
The White Stars were the
champions for six years and in
1910 to 1914. Kellev's Sluggers
were the champs. Kelley had
Charley Sorordo, Milo Leon.
Brown, Perez Corcho from Tam
pa. They were hard to beat.
In 1912, Clements Jaycocks
gave them the only complete out
fit club has ever had in this
CITY. Safeguards, gloves, bats.
balls and suits were included.
Each player had a coat to 90
with his suit. 1t was one of the
best clubs, in my opinion, ever
to represent Key West. They
Travelled through the state and
beat everything they played.
Charlie Sorondo was catcher.
He had big league caliber. could
bat and had a rifle-like arm.
Mulo Sanchez was the pitcher.
Perez Corcho. Fred Dion, Brown
and Valenzuela took turns in the
box Father Pent covered first.
Milo Leon on second, Corcho
or Brown at third, and Manuel
Carballo. Kelly brothers and 9TH
ers also played. Fred Dion. our
present postmaster, PLAYED short,
second or pitched. Tomas Agui-
lar. southpaw of the team, with
Billillo Medina and Cheche Mira,
another portsider. made up the
outfield.
In 1912, the BROOKLYN team of
the bio leagues played those ia
nous Sluggers at the Army Bar
racks. Mulo held them score
less for nine innings but in the
last frame, with two outs. Otto
Miller hit one for the circuit and
broke up the game.
Casey Stengel and other big
league stars were on the Brook
lyn team.