The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-07-07
This
Sporting
World
A Doy Within
The "Biq House"
By JOHN A. CLUNEY


More than week ago, your oh.
server de sports, could hardly have
expected to spend the greater part
Of July 9Th, which happened to be
the l68th anniversary Of the birth
Of LIBERTY in this great, grand
and glorious country Of ours-amcng
some 500 boys, young and old men,
whose liberty has been denied them
for periods Of one year to LIFE.
Yet, there was, watching q pretty
good baseball game in the morning,
seeing two home runs hit over q 80
foot high concrete wall more than
300 feet distant, and, In the after
noon eventually officiating as ref
cree Of seven boxing bouts between
the inmates, whose equipment con-
sisted Of is ounce gloves or Pill
LOWS, as they are known to the
cauliflower trade, and friendly but
fighting spirit that produced plenty
OF red-hot action. All during the
afternoon, when running and Jump
ing events preceded the boxing,
hundreds were milling around the
yard eating pies, Ice cream and
drinking lemonade; others were
playing card games with DOMIN-
OES, not cards while so to 90 lust
sat In the shade Of the big stone
wall taking in the sports at q dis
lance.
On the baseball team, tagged the
GOLD SOX, there are two color
ed boys, who, incidentally, were
the pair who hit over.the-wall
home runs during the game with
Hamden, won by the esp team IL
to 8. One Of the darkieS, HIGH
POCKETS to his teammates,
started as the Gold Sox catcher,
finished the last four innings as
a pitcher and hit home run as
his "bit" for the day. He is a high
school graduate, and, one day.
may find his niche in the baseball
Hall Of Fame with the famed
Negro team, Kansas City Mon
archs, whose number one pitcher
is the far-famed Satchel Paige.
He has been called to the atten-
ton of the Monarchs manage
ment when they played in Hart
ford last season, and the Negro
club is definitely interested In him.
He's batting 500 plus.)
The other boy, a tall, raw-boned
but extremely active lad has the
speed Of an antelope on the base
paths, and in the outfield, but
plays third base If the regular hot
corner guardian is injured. In the
afternoon, he won the 100 yard
dash by 20 yards in ll.3, and with
out running shoes or track shorts.
He won the high jump, gsbut
sprained his ankle doing 1t. Asked
about his phenomenal speed Of
foot, he drawls: well, all learned
to run down Virginny way, where
we hunted rabbits-just run up
along side Of EN- and feel their
fur, and If they was nice fat ones,
we just reached over and grabbed
EN-"
A wrestling bout later In the after.
noon, before the main 60 In the box
ing program, featured an American
Indian VS. a tall but strong Negro
while the referee was a Greek, who
has boxed In Hartford several times
You should see the two wrestlers put
on the ACT known to every mat far
In the country.
On the baseball team, one Of thu
Gold Sox Is known as Pepper Mar.
tim because Of his hustle and BEL.
LYSLIDE into q bag, as he woulc
knock down q building rather thar
get caught between bases. Another
player was "in" Sor 20 to 80, re-.
oiled, but is back again, and therei
nothing left for him now but hi
time.
One Jap is numbered among TIN
prison population" Of about $50, o.
which 1876 are at the state prison
farm at Enfield, near the Conn.,
Mass line. The Jap can take a piece
Of paper and make some of the most
beautiful floral designs imaginable
A touch Of home was provided
by Rev. Fred Clark. Waterbur-
ian from the east end. now pastor
of st. Roses church, Wethersfieid.
He was staunch friend Of the
late Matt Fenerty of Stamford,
whom both of US admired. Prison
chaplain, Father Landrigan, .
New Haven clergyman. is the type
OF rugged square-jawed, warm
hearted individual Who would be
welcomed anywhere ct amy time.
Reminds me great deal OF Spene
Ger Tracy the movie man. when
he played the now-famous Father
Flanagan role that made such .
great hit throughout the country.
The sports program, in charge Of
Tony Randall, is something to mar
vel at, as there is no gymnasium at
Wethersfield; and Mr.. Randall has
developed some great football. bas-
ketball and baseball teams almost
every year he has been there since
1895. The men In the big house
get out to the yard one hour day
Monday through Friday: 4 hours on
Saturday and on sunday can Sc
baseball game with "0utside" teams
playing their Gold Scx: thougb
many of the inmates ride" theb
own players throughout the game.
The big house, What a study u
human nature It can provide ~
matter of minutes