The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-08-23
THEY PLAYED THE GAME ---
A Lost Kid From Green Hills AT Start,
Gardner Never With World Series Loser
Nfty-seventh of a series
BY HARRY GRAYSON
NEA Sports Editor

William Lawrence Gardner felt Ike lost kid
from the green hills when he jumped straight from
the Vermont campus to the Red Sox in the summer
Of his junior year, 1908.
Larry Gardner had never seen big league game
He had been to Boston few times and while there
held to the hand of older person for fear of
getting lost
Gardner not ready for the American League
at that time John l. Taylor owner of the club told
the youngster he could stay with the Red Sox and
learn by watching or go to Lynn and gain practical
experience playing shortstop The boys urge to play
took him to Lynn, where he bumped into second
baseman named OConner, who helped him no little.
Gardner wasn't Red Sox regular in 'O9 played
second base in 10 and in II took his place among the
great third baSemen.
Following 16 years in the majors and after man
aging couple of minor league clubs Gardner returned
to his alma mater as coach and is today rounding out
full life where he started it member of the
physical education department.
BIGGEST THRILL IN HIGH SCHOOL
World championships followed Gardner In four
sets, he never was with World Series loser. The
famous Red SoX of Speaker, Hooper and Lewis and
Ruth and a few more came down in front in IL and
49, repeated in I6 after Iris Speaker had moved to
Cleveland. When Gardner switched to the shore of
Lake Erie the Indians COPIED the glue in 20
saw Larry Gardner in an old-timers game in
Cleveland in 40, and he didn't look much different
than he did while batting in runs for the Red Sox,
Athletics and Indians He kept in shape coaching his
Catamounts to their share OF Green Mountain Con-
ference championships
165 pounds was left-hand batter He was not
distance hitter, but good one, left lifetime Amer
lean League average OF 289 He could ramble to first
base and was accomplished baserunner. Few played
third base quite as we'll. No got the ball away
away quicker, had a stronger more accurate arm.
Gardner had fine disposition, was the perfect
team man, grand competitor.
Like most outstanding ball players, Gardner started
as pitcher. He pitched Enosburg Falls, VT, High
School to the state championship in o5 He says start
ing double play with the bases full In the ninth that
beat Montpelier Seminary, 10, for the title is the
play that stands out most wildly in his mind.
"The men at the corner drug store talked about
that game for weeks" he beams.
GARDNER MUSICALLY INCLINED
Not all of young Gardeners spare time was spent
playing baseball when he lived at Enosburg. Evenings
found him sroking the guitar with Italian store
keeper who strummed the mandolin Gardner calls
those the happiest days of his life.
During the summer young Gardner played base
ball in the Franklin County League.
Vermont had better than average teams when
Gardner played third base and and shortstop
freshman, sophomore and junior. Big leagus scouts
caught up with Gardner and Ray Collins, the former
pitcher, when they played in the old Maine Summer
League George Winters of the Red Sox previously had