Tag: eastern

Coach Penders Family Baseball GHTBL Article Connecticut
by Weston Ulbrich

Baseball Bloodlines: The Penders Family

Among New England’s greatest coaching families, the Penders name reigns supreme. The Penders family tree has produced a dynasty defined by athletic excellence, cold-weather competitiveness, and deep roots in Connecticut baseball. Their lineage is peppered with ballplayers and nationally acclaimed coaches at the high school and college levels.

The Penders line includes three generations of men named James (Jim W., Jim E., and Jimmy), along with brothers Thomas (Tom), and Robert (Rob)—including wives, sisters, daughters, sons, and grandchildren, including Hank Penders, starting catcher at Eastern Connecticut State University and a recent member of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League.

1965 c. Tom and Jim E. Penders
L to R: Tom Penders & Jim E. Penders, UConn Baseball, 1965.

The Hit-by-pitch

The family’s athletic prowess is legendary in Connecticut, but one overlooked detail forever altered their path: a single hit-by-pitch. The event occurred on April 6, 1963, in a game between UConn and the University of Maryland in College Park. UConn second baseman Jim E. Penders was ready to hit, but he was unable to evade a fastball b-lined for his head. The pitch struck Penders under his batting helmet.

The situation was serious. He suffered a fractured skull and blood clot, requiring a three-hour emergency surgery. His speech was temporarily affected, but he made a full recovery. Jim E.’s return was highlighted by leading UConn to the 1965 College World Series alongside his brother, Tom.

1963 Jim E. Penders UConn Player Undergoes Brain Operation
Jim E. Penders of UConn Baseball undergoes brain operation, 1963.

While recuperating in Stratford, Connecticut, Jim E. Penders spent much of his time at Stratford High School, where his father, Jim W. Penders, was the longtime baseball coach. There, he formed the start of a lifelong bond with Joan Cholko, a student intern for the team. She was the daughter of his Little League coach, Sal Cholko, who happened to be a seasoned catcher in the Bridgeport Senior City League.

2002 Sep 8 Jim and Joan Penders Hartford Courant scaled
Joan & Jim W. Penders, Hartford Courant, September 8, 2002.

Six years following the injury, Jim E. and Joan were married. They raised three sons, two of whom carried the coaching torch: Jim F. “Jimmy” Penders, the winningest coach in UConn history, and Rob Penders, all-time wins leader at St. Edward’s University in Texas. Without that fastball to the head, the next generation of Coach Penders might never have been. In total, five family members have become high-profile coaches.

1965 c. Jim W. Penders Stratford High School Baseball
Jim W. Penders, Head Coach, Stratford High School, 1960.

Jim W. Penders

The family patriarch, Jim W. Penders, built the foundation as head baseball coach at Stratford High School. His teams won four state titles, and the diamond was named in his honor. A dedicated physical education teacher and mentor, he instilled leadership that echoed through generations. Coach Penders passed in 1981, but his memory endures in the annual “Penders Game” between Stratford High and East Catholic High School—a rivalry now in its fifth decade.

Sylvester 22Sal22 Cholko Bridgeport Connecticut Baseball Catcher American Legion State Champion
Sylvester “Sal” Cholko, maternal grandfather of Jim and Rob Penders.

Jim E. Penders

The eldest son, Jim E. Penders, graduated from UConn and became a revered head baseball coach at East Catholic High School in Manchester, Connecticut. Over 43 seasons (1969–2012), he led the Eagles to four state championships. Jim E. earned National High School Baseball Coach of the Year honors in 1996, and East Catholic named the ballfield after him. He also had the opportunity to coach his sons, Jimmy and Rob, before they went on to college baseball.

1990 Jim Penders East Catholic GHTBL
Rob Penders, Jim E. Penders & Jim F. Penders, East Catholic High School, 1989.

Tom Penders

Tom Penders, Jim E.’s brother, forged an unorthodox but exceptional coaching path. He was a gifted dual-sport athlete in both baseball and basketball. In basketball, he won three Yankee Conference titles with Wes Bialosuknia and Bill Holowaty and had two NCAA Tournament appearances. Then Tom transitioned to coaching basketball.

1965 Tom Penders UConn Basketball edited
Tom Penders, UConn Basketball, 1965.

In fact, Tom Penders gained the nickname “Turnaround Tom” for his habit of revamping basketball programs. He took the University of Rhode Island to the Sweet 16 and the University of Texas to the Elite Eight. In 1987, he was named Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. His career win-loss record in college basketball stands at 649–437.

1977 Tom Penders Raybestos Cardinals Softball East Hartford
Tom Penders, Raybestos Cardinals 1977.

Over four decades, Coach Penders led seven college programs, including Tufts, Columbia, George Washington, and Houston. He was revered for his strategic methods, and many noted him as a great mind among basketball coaches. Tom was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Tom Penders University of Texas Basketball
Tom Penders, Head Coach, University of Texas, 1995.

Jimmy Penders

Jim F. “Jimmy” Penders (Jim E.’s son and Tom’s nephew) continued the family tradition in a similar fashion. Originally a catcher for UConn and a two-time member of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League with the East Hartford Jets, Jimmy earned All-Big East honors before moving on to a coaching career. He served as an assistant coach and was promoted to Huskies head baseball coach in 2003.

1991 Jim Penders East Hartford Jets and Frank Mohr Society for Savings
Jim F. Penders dives in safely, East Hartford Jets, 1991.

Jimmy Penders managed to transform the program and cement UConn’s place among elite NCAA competition. “HookC” (UConn Baseball) has made ten NCAA tournament appearances, three Super Regional appearances and four conference titles with Penders at the helm. In 2019, he surpassed his mentor, Andy Baylock, in all-time coaching wins.

2016 Jim Penders Douglas Elliot UConn Baseball
Jimmy Penders & Doug Elliot, Sr., 2016.

The 2023 campaign was particularly notable, as the Huskies captured 44 wins and back-to-back 40-win seasons for the first time in program history. Due to consistent stewardship of the team, Coach Penders has elevated the prestige of UConn Baseball. He has matriculated more than fifty UConn players to professional baseball, including MLB All-Stars George Springer and Matt Barnes.

2019 Andy Baylock Jim Penders Becomes Winningest Coach in UConn History scaled
Andy Baylock & Jim F. Penders, 2019.

Rob Penders

Rob Penders, the middle son of Jim E. and Joan, carved out his own impressive chapter in the family dynasty. Rob was a two-time, all-state shortstop at East Catholic High School and a basketball player. He appeared in the GHTBL with his brother Jimmy aboard the 1991 East Hartford Jets before shipping off to Wake Forest University as a third baseman.

1992 Rob Penders East Catholic High School Baseball
Rob Penders, East Catholic High School, Manchester, CT, 1992.

Rob was a four-year letterman at Wake Forest and team captain his senior year. In 1995, he suited up for the Hyannis Mets in the Cape Cod League. Becoming a coach after college, he made assistant coaching stops at San Jacinto College and the University of Texas, and then he accepted the head baseball coach role at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, in 2007.

1992 Jun 25 Rob Penders Hartford Courant Feature
Rob Penders, East Catholic High School, Manchester, CT, 1992.

Over fifteen seasons, Coach Penders became St. Edward’s all-time wins leader with a 507-276 record. The Hilltoppers made eight NCAA Regional appearances, captured nine Heartland Conference titles, and sent eighteen players to professional baseball. Known as a program builder, Rob, like his uncle Tom, extended the Penders coaching legacy far beyond New England.

Rob Penders 500 Victories St. Edwards University
Rob Penders St. Edward’s University, 2021.

Hank Penders

Hank Penders, great-grandson of Jim W. Penders, is the starting catcher at Eastern Connecticut State University. Penders has had a monumental career at Eastern, with 16 home runs, 100+ RBI and a .344 batting average. Hank is an outgoing senior and captain of the team.

Hank Penders Vernon Orioles GHTBL Baseball Player
Hank Penders, Vernon Orioles, 2023.

After decades of successful program-building, it’s clear that the Penders clan have a special ability to cultivate talent. Their coaching dynasty is as timeless as it is and impressive. Nowadays, the words, “Coach Penders” are synonymous with Connecticut baseball.

“I was feeling a pull to do what my dad did.”

Coach James F. “Jimmy” Penders

Bonus material – Play the clip below: UConn Baseball 1959 & 1965 College World Series Highlights

Sources

  1. “Penders Honored for Contributions to Stratford Baseball.” Patch, 28 July 2021, patch.com/connecticut/stratford/stratford-honor-memories-community-pillars-baseball-game.
  2. “Penders Leads UConn to Continued Success.” CT Insider, 14 May 2023, www.ctinsider.com/sports/uconn/article/jim-penders-huskies-baseball-18129914.php.
  3. “Penders Leads Huskies to Historic Success.” UConn Today, 10 May 2023, today.uconn.edu/2017/04/quiet-genius-coach-penders.
  4. “Tom Penders Inducted into National Basketball Hall of Fame.” Wikipedia, 2021, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Penders.
  5. “Tom Penders: A Connecticut Legend.” CT Insider, 15 November 2021, www.ctinsider.com/sports/uconn/article/UConn-baseball-coach-Jim-Penders-shares-emotional-17227943.php.
  6. “She Found Jim In a Gym, With a Little Coaching Help.” Hartford Courant, 8 Sept. 2002, https://www.courant.com/2002/09/08/she-found-jim-in-a-gym-with-a-little-coaching-help.
  7. “Tom Penders Named to Hall of Fame.” UConn Magazine, University of Connecticut, 11 Feb. 2021, https://magazine.uconn.edu/2021/02/11/tom-penders-named-to-hall-of-fame.
  8. “The Quiet Genius of Coach Penders.” UConn Magazine, 18 Aug. 2017, https://magazine.uconn.edu/2017/08/18/the-quiet-genius-of-coach-penders-2/#main

2025 Holowaty Family Field Renaming Ceremony GHTBL 9
by Weston Ulbrich

Holowaty Family Field Named for Hall of Fame Coach

Eastern Connecticut State University Honors Coach Bill Holowaty and Family at Naming Ceremony

On Saturday, June 28, 2025, Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a heartfelt Naming Ceremony to celebrate the remarkable legacy of Head Baseball Coach, Bill Holowaty. For 45 years, Holowaty led Eastern baseball to unparalleled success, securing four NCAA Division III National Championships while developing the potential of countless student-athletes. The event paid tribute not only to his professional achievements but also to the enduring influence that the Holowaty family—Bill’s wife, Jan, and their children, Jason, Jennifer, Jared and Michael—left on the baseball program. Congratulations to the entire Holowaty family for this momentous recognition!

2025 Holowaty Family Field Renaming Ceremony GHTBL 1
Former Eastern Connecticut Coach Bill Holowaty talks to press at Holowaty Family Field

Holowaty Inspires Generations of “Bulldogs”

Known for his intensity in the dugout, Holowaty’s coaching style embodied a relentless, unyielding approach to competition, or as he put it, “being a bulldog.” His remarkable record of 1,412 wins (2nd most all-time in Division III Baseball) and a .725 winning percentage is impressive, but it’s his fiery determination that defined his tenure. He not only coached his players to victory, he pushed them to exceed their limits, and he inspired them to achieve greatness.

2025 Holowaty Family Field Renaming Ceremony GHTBL 2
Coach Bill Holowaty (center) & South Windsor Phillies Manager Ron Pizzanello (lower right) at Holowaty Family Field.

Holowaty often uses to the term “bulldog” to describe the players he admires. “Be a bulldog” or “He’s a real bulldog,” were phrases that echoed around the baseball complex, which he established in 1998. The ECSU Warriors played hard for Holowaty and in return, his players became stronger, more tenacious and more courageous in the face of adversity. You could say that he ran “bulldog” factory. To be called a “bulldog” by Holowaty is more than praise—it was the ultimate compliment, a testament to a player’s willpower, hustle, and unwavering commitment to the game. Win or lose, he respects grit and perseverance above all.

2025 Holowaty Family Field Renaming Ceremony GHTBL 6
Coach Holowaty’s #22 painted behind home plate.

A Family’s Lasting Impact on New England Baseball

Beyond his Hall of Fame coaching career, Holowaty has continued to stay engaged by serving as the President of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League since 2017. He is sort of “Mr. Baseball Emeritus” of Connecticut along with his friend and GHTBL Vice President Andy Baylock, who also attended the Naming Ceremony. Bill and and his wife Jan have been longtime residents of Columbia, Connecticut. They often attend college games in Florida for Spring Training, and then they come back north to support college programs, youth leagues and the twilight league.

2025 Holowaty Family Field Renaming Ceremony GHTBL 7 1
Jan Holowaty gives remarks at Holowaty Family Field.

Holowaty’s dogged coaching style was only outmatched by the support of his family. Jan has been a rock through thick and thin, and she was a major part of Bill’s success at Eastern. Her warm and hopeful attitude has been a perfect foil to Bill’s uber-competitiveness. Jennifer, Jared and Michael Holowaty were each Eastern graduates and made significant contributions to the baseball program. Altogether, the Holowaty’s have served selflessly, and the field was aptly named to recognize the entire family.

2025 Holowaty Family Field Renaming Ceremony GHTBL 3 3
The Holowaty Family at Holowaty Family Field

Fun fact: Under Coach Holowaty Eastern Connecticut pitcher John Caniera was named an All-American three times (1972, 1973, 1974) and went on to reach Major Leagues with the California Angels.

2025 Holowaty Family Field Renaming Ceremony GHTBL 5 2
Placards identifying Eastern Connecticut’s All-Americans.

Photo source: Bob Molta, https://www.flickr.com/photos/140786037@N04/.

Holowaty Family Field featured on NBC Connecticut report.

ECSU Athletics official press release: https://gowarriorathletics.com/news/2025/7/1/baseball-alumni-turn-out-en-masse-for-holowaty-field-naming-ceremony.aspx

Full video: Holowaty Family Field Naming Ceremony (Eastern Connecticut State University YouTube channel)
2022 GHTBL Eastern Connecticut World Series Collegiate D III
by Weston Ulbrich

Eastern’s World Series Winners

Recently, five GHTBL alumni were victorious on the national stage for Eastern Connecticut State University. Bryan Albee, Jack Rich, Zach Donahue, Aidan Dunn and Andres Jose earned a D-III College World Series Championship ring over LaGrange University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Congratulations to Head Coach Brian Hamm, who has captured Eastern’s fifth national title. Guided by Hamm, Albee, Rich, Donahue, Jose and Dunn have become proven winners, on and off the field. GHTBL is grateful to have these men as representatives of our league.

Graduating senior Bryan Albee plans to pitch for the East Hartford Jets, who are currently in first place in the GHTBL standings. Albee nabbed the Mike Abbruzzese Award for Outstanding Playoff Pitcher last season with the Jets. Jack Rich is also aboard the Record-Journal Expos as their perennial all-star outfielder. Last year, Jack was the Frank McCoy Award winner for Most Valuable Player in the league.

Want to rewatch the clinching World Series game? CLICK HERE

1990 Basilio Ortize Eastern Connecticut State University Baseball 1
by Weston Ulbrich

Hartford All-Timer, Basilio Ortiz, ECSU Warrior Turned Professional

Basilio “Bo” Ortiz was a sensational outfielder with power, speed, arm strength and defensive ability. Ortiz grew up on Charter Oak Terrace in Hartford, Connecticut, and attended Bulkeley High School. In his junior year, he led the Maroons in batting (.467), RBI (17), home runs (3) and stolen bases (8). He had similar numbers in his senior year as captain of the team and became the first Bulkeley player to achieve All-State honors. By the end high school, his coach, Pete Kokinis called him, “One of the best to ever wear a Bulkeley baseball uniform.”

1988 Basilio Ortiz Bulkeley High School Hartford Connecticut scaled
Basilio Oritz, Bulkeley High School, 1988.
1988 Basilio Ortiz Bulkeley High School Baseball Stealing Second Base
Ortiz steals second, 1988.
1988 All Conference Team Class LL Connecticut Basilio Ortiz
Class LL All-State Team, 1988.

Ortiz was drafted out of high school by the San Francisco Giants in the 40th round of the 1988 MLB June Amateur Draft. Instead of signing, he accepted a scholarship to Eastern Connecticut State University. After his freshman year at ECSU, Ortiz made waves in the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League for the Newington Capitols. Ortiz batted .333 during the 1998 twilight league season and earned the Rookie of the Year award.

1990 Mar 28 Ex Bulkeley Star Hopes to Play in the Majors Basilio Ortiz GHTBL scaled
Hartford Courant features Ortiz, March 28, 1990.

As a sophomore leadoff hitter in 1990, Ortiz batted a team-high .370 in postseason play. He helped the Warriors win seven straight tournament games for the 1990 NCAA Division-III national title. That year, he batted .434 with 76 hits, 68 runs, 11 home runs, 41 RBI and 134 total bases en route to 1st team Division-III All-America laurels. In the summer, Ortiz suited up for the Orleans Cardinals of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

1991 Basilio Ortiz Baseball Swing ECSU
Basilio Ortiz, Eastern Connecticut State University, 1991.
1991 Basilio Ortiz Eastern Connecticut State University Baseball
Basilio Ortiz, Eastern Connecticut State University, 1991.

Then, as a junior at ECSU, the 5’11”, 170-pound Ortiz batted .448 with 78 hits, 12 home runs, 62 RBI, 62 runs and 138 total bases. Again he was awarded the NCAA Division-III National Player of the Year. Ortiz was also recognized as one of five New England Division-III Athletes of the Year. At the conclusion of his college career, head coach Bill Holowaty praised Ortiz as, “the best player we’ve ever had.”

1991 Sep 17 Basilio Ortiz New England College Athletic Conference Awards
Basilio Ortiz accepts New England College Athletic Conference award, 1991.

Ortiz was selected in the 30th round of the 1991 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. In the summer of 1991, Ortiz had a successful start in the pros. In 56 plate appearances, he hit .307 in rookie ball for the Bluefield Orioles in the Appalachian League. He was quickly promoted to Single-A with the Kane County Cougars in the Midwest League. Ortiz spent the next two years between Single-A on the Frederick Keys and Double-A on Bowie Baysox.

1991 Basilio Ortiz Bluefield Orioles
Basilio Ortiz, Bluefield Orioles, 1991.
1992 Basilio Ortiz Frederick Keys Baseball Card
Basilio Ortiz, Frederick Keys, 1992.
1993 Basilio Ortize Frederick Keys Baseball
Basilio Ortiz, Frederick Keys, 1993.

The best season of “Bo” Ortiz’s professional career came in 1994 for Bowie Baysox of the Eastern League. He compiled a career high .309 batting average with 10 home runs, 56 RBI and an .860 OPS. Towards the end of the season, Ortiz was traded to the California Angels organization and reported to central Texas, to play for the Midland Angels. In 1996, he was named to the Texas League All-Star team. After an injury-riddled season in 1997 with the Harrisburg Senators of the Montreal Expos organization, Ortiz played his last 60 games as a professional.

1995 Basilio Ortiz Hartford Twilight League
Basilio Ortiz, Midland Angels, 1995.
1996 Basilio Ortiz Midland Angels
Basilio Ortiz, Midland Angels, 1996.

In 2007, Basilio Ortiz was inducted into the Eastern Connecticut State University Athletics Hall of Fame. Ortiz is regarded as the best outfielder, and among the best position players in program history. Ortiz ranks thirteenth all-time at ECSU with 204 career hits in three years, second all-time in career batting average (.415), first in slugging percentage (.729), fifth in home runs (29) and runs (180), sixth in doubles (43), tied for sixth in stolen bases (63), and seventh in total bases (358).


Sources
1. Hartford Courant database on Newspapers.com
2. Baseball-Reference.com

1986 Coach Bill Holowaty Eastern Connecticut State University
by Weston Ulbrich

Bill Holowaty, Local Sports Legend

May 26, 2020

Bill Holowaty is the current President of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League and the former head coach at Eastern Connecticut State University. Holowaty coached for 45 years (1968-2013) at Eastern and became one of the most successful coaches in New England intercollegiate athletics.

2010 Bill Holowaty ECSU Baseball
Coach Bill Holowaty, 2010.

He led the Warriors to the postseason 39 out of 45 times, appearing in 14 Division-III College World Series and winning four championships (1982, 1990, 1998 and 2002). He was named Division-III National Coach of the Year four times. Coach Holowaty completed his career record with 1,412 wins, 528 losses and 7 ties – a winning percentage of .725, and third in all-time wins by a Division-III coach.

1965 Bill Holowaty UConn Basketball
Bill Holowaty (center), UConn Basketball, 1965.
1965 Uconn Basketball Team BIll Holowaty
1965 UConn Basketball Team
1967 UConn Basketball Team Bill Holowaty
1967 UConn Basketball Team
1967 Connecticut Baseketball Bill Holowaty
Bill Holowaty (left), UConn Basketball, 1967.

William P. Holowaty was born on March 6, 1945 in Little Falls, New York. He was a gifted athlete with good size. He starred in football, basketball and baseball at Mohawk High School in Mohawk, New York. As a top basketball recruit, he visited Dean Smith’s University of North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest before deciding on the University of Connecticut. Coach Fred Shabel’s Huskies included UConn greats like Toby Kimball, Wes Bialosuknia and Tom Penders. Holowaty played basketball at UConn from 1964 to 1967, winning three season titles in the Yankee Conference and was later recognized as a member of the UConn Basketball All-Century Ballot.

1969 Eastern Connecticut Baseball Bill Holowaty
Bill Holowaty, ECSU Baseball Coach, 1969.
1970 Bill Holowaty Eastern Connecticut
Bill Holowaty (right), ECSU Head Baseball Coach, 1970.
1970 Eastern Connecticut State University Baseball Team 1
1970 Eastern Connecticut Baseball
1971 Bill Holowaty with Basketball Coaches 1
Bill Holowaty, ECSU Basketball Assistant, 1971.

As a college athlete, Holowaty entered the Hartford Twilight League in the summer of 1966 with the Hamilton Standard team. Great local players like Wally Widholm and Hal Lewis were teammates and mentors. Then he became head baseball coach at Eastern Connecticut State College in 1968 (renamed Eastern Connecticut State University in 1983) and quickly turned the program into a competitor.

1979 Bill Holowaty 300 Wins
Holowaty earns 300 wins, 1979.
1979 Bill Holowaty Eastern Connecticut Fenway Park
New England All-Star Game at Fenway Park, 1979.

By 1973, he was also assistant coach for the Chatham A’s of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Holowaty was a guiding force for instituting the NCAA Division-III national baseball championship in the mid-1970s. While coaching, he also served as ECSU Athletic Director for 15 years.

1980 Eastern Connecticut State College Baseball Team
1980 ECSU Baseball Team
1980 Bill Holowaty ECSU Baseball Santa Hat
Coach Holowaty celebrating the holidays, 1980.
1982 Bill Holowaty Eastern Connecticut Baseball
Bill Holowaty, ECSU Head Baseball Coach, 1982.
1983 Holowaty Tough on Eastern Players
Holowaty featured in Hartford Courant, 1983.
1984 Bill Holowaty Eastern Connecticut Baseball
Bill Holowaty and Jason Holowaty, 1984.
1985 Bill Holowaty ECSU Baseball
Bill Holowaty, ECSU Head Baseball Coach, 1985.
1986 Bill Holowaty Eastern Connecticut State University
Bill Holowaty, Eastern Connecticut, 1986.
1987 Coach Bill Holowaty 2
Coach Holowaty, Eastern Connecticut, 1987.
1987 Coach Bill Holowaty
Coach Holowaty, Eastern Connecticut, 1987.
1988 Alliance Taps Holowaty ESCU Baseball
Holowaty receives Gold Key, 1988.
1989 Bill Holowaty Eastern Baseball Coach
Coach Holowaty, Eastern Connecticut, 1989.
1990 Bill Holowaty ECSU Baseball
Coach Holowaty, 1990.

He built his coaching legacy upon competitiveness, consistency and fundraising. His vision for success included Varsity and Junior Varsity teams, Spring Training trips to Florida and a state-of-the-art ballpark in Willimantic, Connecticut. The ECSU Warriors posted at least 30 wins in 28 seasons under Holowaty leading to four national championships.

1993 Eastern Connecticut State University Baseball
1993 Eastern Connecticut Baseball
1993 ECSU Baseball Bill Holowaty
1993 Eastern Connecticut Baseball
1998 Bill Holowaty Head Baseball Coach Eastern Connecticut State
Coach Bill Holowaty, 1998.
2000 Holowaty Eastern
Nick Tempesta and Bill Holowaty, 2000.
2000 Coach Bill Holowaty ECSU
Coach Holowaty wins 1000th game, 2002.
2002 Bill Holowaty Eastern Connecticut State University Baseball
Eastern Connecticut wins D-III College World Series, 2002.

In 2003, the Warriors lost the Division-III College World Series championship game in the bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded. Afterwards Holowaty said, “We’ll be back again. It’s like putting on a Red Sox uniform; you are hoping to win a World Series. You put on a Yankee uniform and you are expected to win. You put on an Eastern uniform and you’re expected to win.”

2015 Bill Holowaty National College Baseball Hall of Fame
The Holowaty Family at National College Baseball Hall of Fame Induction, 2002.
2003 Bill Hololwaty ECSU Baseball Head Coach
Coach Bill Holowaty, 2003.
2012 Coach Bill Holowaty ECSU
Bill Holowaty, ECSU Head Baseball Coach, 2012.

In the final stage of his career, Holowaty continued to win. His Warriors had a streak of 11 consecutive 30-win seasons into 2012. The team fell one win shy of extending that streak in 2013. As a result of his success, Coach Holowaty earned several accolades and was inducted into the following Hall of Fame organizations: ABCA, Greater Utica Sports, National College Baseball, NEIBA and the Eastern Connecticut State University Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a co-founder of the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA). He served as ABCA President, was a longtime member of the ABCA All-America committee and the ABCA Board of Directors.

2014 Holowaty Baseball Camp
Holowaty Baseball Camp, Pomfret, Connecticut, 2014.
2016 Bill Holowaty Baseball Camp
Holowaty speaks to Connecticut Mustangs AAU program, 2016.
2016 Bill Holowaty Golfing
Coach Holowaty playing golf, 2016.
2017 Holowaty Family
The Holowaty Family, 2017.
2017 Evan Chamberlain and Bill Holowaty Marlborough Braves
Evan Chamberlain and Bill Holowaty at Dunkin’ Donuts Park, Hartford, 2017.
2017 Bill Holowaty Twilight Baseball
Bill Holowaty, GHTBL President, 2017.
2018 Bill Holowaty and Andy Baylock
Andy Baylock and Bill Holowaty, 2017.

Bill Holowaty remains a fierce competitor to this day. He enjoys watching baseball and playing golf regularly with friends and family. He spends much of his time with his wife Jan Holowaty, his children Jason, Jennifer, Jared and his grandchildren. Jason and Jared Holowaty played professional baseball in Australia after college and carved out their own careers in baseball. Bill attributes much of his family’s success to his wife Jan and often mentions their shared love of sports.

2018 Bill and Jan Holowaty
Bill and Jan Holowaty, 2018.
2018 Bill Holowaty Dunkin Donuts Park GHTBL
GHTBL donates to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, 2018.
2018 Bill Holowaty NEIBA Hall of Fame
Jan, Bill and Jennifer Holowaty at the 2018 NEIBA Hall of Fame induction, 2018.
2019 ABCA Conference Holowaty Corbin scaled
Coach Holowaty (right) with other college coaches at the annual American Baseball Coaches Association conference, 2019.
2019 Bill DePascales Bill Holowaty scaled
Bill DePascale and Bill Holowaty, 2019.
Coach Holowaty inducted into the National Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame

Jimmy Schult Eastern Featurette Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League
by Weston Ulbrich

Jim Schult Named to D3 Team of the Decade

Schult, an Eastern Connecticut Baseball Alum and GHTBL Champion.

WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The No. 5 stitched to Jim Schult’s uniform as a four-year member of the Eastern Connecticut State University baseball program may very well have stood for ‘5-tool’, as in ‘complete’ player.

This past week, Schult — voted the Division III National Player-of-the-Year in 2011 — represents Eastern on D3baseball.com‘s second all-decade team this century, the 2010s All-Decade Team.

An honorable mention selection at the utility position, the Wappingers Falls, NY native was one of 82 players named to the team, which also includes first, second and third teams which were voted upon by D3baseball.com staff and their colleagues at The Podcast About Division III Baseball. Players had to have played at least two seasons to be eligible for consideration in the decade.

“It’s definitely a big honor to be on this (all-decade) team… it’s nice to be thought of,” admitted Schult, when reached by telephone Friday afternoon.

Eastern, a four-time NCAA Division III national champion, was represented on the first all-decade team of the century (released in 2010) by three players: first-teamers Ryan DiPietro, a left-handed pitcher, and utility player Shawn Gilblair and second-teamer Dwight Wildman, an outfielder.

During their careers, all four of Eastern’s all-decade selections were named Player or Pitcher-of-the-Year by either the American Baseball Coaches’ Association (ABCA) or National College Association (NCBWA), or both. Schult was the only one of the four named to both.

2009 Jimmy Schult Eastern Connecticut Baseball GHTBL
Schult (right) in an elimination game of the 2009 NCAA New England Regionals at the Eastern Baseball Stadium, with battery mate Steve Cammuso stifled Husson University to 7 hits and the Warriors advanced to the championship. The pair also combined for 5 hits, 4 runs scored and 3 runs. Schult’s  2-out HR set the tempo for the 18-3 win.

In his four-year career (2008-11) as a right-handed pitcher, outfielder and DH, the six-foot, 200-pound Schult led the Warriors to four straight NCAA tournaments, at least a share of two Little East Conference regular-season championships and one LEC tournament title, and a 72.7 winning percentage. He batted third in the order in each of his final three years — playing primarily right field — until moving to DH as a senior tri-captain.

As a first-team ABCA All-America and National Player-of-the-Year in 2011, Schult set personal career-highs and led his team in most every statistical category. At the plate, he batted .392 with 76 hits (currently tied for tenth all-time in a season) while starting all 47 games for the 34-13 Warriors. He stole 20 of 21 bases that year with 138 total bases (tied for fifth all-time in a season) and 64 RBI (sixth) and his combined total of 120 RBI and runs scored currently equals the sixth-most in a season in program history. On the mound, he was 10-1 with 92 strikeouts in 87 innings with a 3.31 ERA., his only loss coming in one of his two relief appearances.

During that final season, Schult was credited with four of the staff’s five complete games, his final one coming in a five-hitter with 12 strikeouts in a 2-0 win – the only shutout of his career — over the College of Brockport in the NCAA regional tournament opener in the final pitching appearance of his career. It was that game, where he walked five batters and hit one and stranded ten runners – seven in scoring position —  that Schult feels defined his career. “I think if you had to sum me up in a single game, I think that game would probably tell you what you needed to know about me. I didn’t have great stuff that day — I think I threw about 165 pitches — but I was able to get out of (jams nearly every inning).”

2010 Jimmy Schult Eastern Connecticut Baseball GHTBL
A third baseman at John Jay High School in Hopewell Junction, New York, Jim Schult worked hard to make himself a solid right fielder at Eastern, 2017.

In his career, Schult threw complete games in both of his regional tournament starts, also going the distance in an elimination-game win against Husson University in the 2009 regional that moved the Warriors to within a win of advancing into the championship round.

In a 20-13 win over the University of Chicago in Chandler, AZ as a sophomore in 2009, he became the sixth player in program history to hit for the cycle (tripling in the ninth inning to complete the feat), tying program game records in the process with six hits and six runs scored.

A pitcher and third baseman (shortstop was taken by future major league Gold Glover Joe Panik) in high school, Schult was sent to right field on the first day of his first fall season at Eastern to replace a teammate who failed to appear. In that game, hit a home run in his first fall at-bat, and he spent the majority of his career – when not pitching — at that position. After struggling defensively as a freshman, he spent the summer playing center field in a local league at home, honing his craft under the tutelage of Negro League legend Willie Mack. He committed only one outfield error as a sophomore and subsequently led the team in outfield assists each season thereafter.

Schult says that he is most proud of his teams’ three LEC titles and the Warriors’ prodigious power-hitting teams of 2009 and 2010. The 2009 team batted an astounding .355, won its first 13 games, was ranked No. 1 nationally for three consecutive weeks, carried a 14-game hitting streak into the NCAA tournament, and finished as the national leader in doubles and was second in runs and hits. Those two teams set season records in six offensive categories that remain today.

“We stepped on the field with so much confidence, knowing that we were going to do whatever we needed to do to win that game from an offensive standpoint,” Schult recalls of his sophomore and junior seasons.  

A .371 career hitter, Schult today ranks among the program’s all-time career Top Ten in 12 offensive categories, including second in doubles (63), third in total bases (417) and fourth in runs (199) and RBI (189). As a pitcher, he fell one win shy of being one of 13 hurlers in program history with 20 career wins. He finished 19-2 with two saves and a 3.24 ERA in 203.0 innings. Among pitchers with a minimum of ten career decisions, his career winning percentage of 90.5 ranks sixth all-time.

Schult says that he turned down several Division I offers out of high school because Eastern afforded him the opportunity to play every day, as well as pitch.

While freshmen rarely cracked the starting lineup on veteran teams stocked with All-America players under Hall of Fame coach Bill Holowaty, Schult was an exception. Appearing in 40 of 49 games in 2008, he batted .301 with 23 RBI and 30 runs scored, then blossomed as a sophomore by batting .388 with 122 total bases and 58 runs score. “I always thought of  myself as a competitor and  somebody who would rise to that level of competition,” says Schult of his fast start.

Schult believes that a series of adjustments throughout his career were the keys to his success, from learning the nuances of the outfield and being able to hit a curveball after his freshman year, to mastering the art of opposite-field hitting and to learning to ‘pull the trigger’ early in the count as his career progressed. “Every time something got exposed with me, I spent the summer and the winter working on that weakness,” he recalls. “I think, really what it was, was just being willing to learn.”

2011 Jimmy Schult Eastern Connecticut Baseball GHTBL
Over his final three seasons, Jim Schult stole 35 of 37 bases, 20 coming in 21 tries in 2011.

In addition to his baseball accomplishments, Schult was a two-time CoSIDA Academic District I selection and Eastern Outstanding Scholar-Athlete qualifier in both years of eligibility and LEC All-Academic qualifier in all three seasons of eligibility.

Schult grew up in a baseball family, with his grandfather, Art (Dutch) Schult, enjoying a five-year MLB playing career with four organizations in the 1950s and 60s as a 1949 New York Yankees signee, and his father, Jim, being a 33rd-round MLB draft pick of the Texas Rangers as a power-hitting outfielder in 1981. Schult’s younger brother, Jeff, played four seasons at Western New England University as a centerfielder and DH, earning all-region and all-conference honors before graduating in 2014. Like Jim, he was also a CoSIDA academic all-district selection.

After earning his B.S. Degree in Business Administration from Eastern in 2011, Schult spent three summers playing in independent leagues and a winter season as one of the top pitchers in the Australian Baseball League with the Brisbane Bandits before retiring after tearing his UCL and undergoing Tommy John surgery.  In the summer of 2019, he came out of retirement at the request of Holowaty – the current president of the Greater Hartford Twilight League–  to resuscitate a struggling East Hartford franchise. As a player-coach, he helped lead the Jets to the GHTL championship this past summer.

In 2018, Schult earned a B.S. Degree in Accounting from Marist College and is employed at Blum Shapiro as a senior consultant, and resides in Simsbury.

2020 Jimmy Schult East Hartford Jets GHTBL Championship Winning Run
Jim Schult (center) and his teammates had plenty to celebrate after he scored the winning run when the East Hartford Jets won the GHTBL title this past summer.

ARTICLE FROM GOWARRIORSATHLETICS.COM

1911 Hartford Senators
by Weston Ulbrich

Hartford’s Minor League Club Part II: The Senators (1902-1915)

The Hartford Senators remain Connecticut’s most enduring baseball franchise of all-time. For more than three decades (1902-1934) the Senators were Hartford’s headliner club. The minor league team became an elite training ground for players on their way to the Major Leagues. Legends like Lou Gehrig, Jim Thorpe, Leo Durocher and Hank Greenberg honed their skills in Hartford.

This chronology recounts the Senators during their early years (1902-1915), when minor league championships were a source of local pride. Since the start of organized baseball, the City of Hartford had been deprived of a championship pennant, but the Senators would change that.

Minor Leagues

Championship Seasons

  • 1909
  • 1913
  • 1915

Notable Hartford Senators of the early years

In 1902, Hartford joined the Connecticut League behind their club owner, Charles A. Soby. The team was headquartered at Soby’s cigar store at 867 Main Street. Home games were held at Wethersfield Avenue Grounds, also called Hartford Baseball Park. They likely drew the nickname “Senators” from sports editors at the Hartford Times newspaper.

1901 Charles Soby Hartford Base Ball Association
Charles A. Soby, Owner, Hartford Senators, 1902.

Two-time World Series champion catcher of the Philadelphia Phillies, Ira Thomas played his rookie season for the Senators. Frank “Doc” Reisling was Hartford’s player-manager and guided them to a fourth place finish. Reisling later sued the club over unpaid wages after being fired for recruiting players to a team in Toledo, Ohio.

1902 Ira Thomas Hartford Senators
Ira Thomas, Catcher, Hartford Senators, 1902.
Doc Reisling, Manager, Hartford Senators, 1902.
Doc Reisling, Manager, Hartford Senators, 1902.

In 1903, the Hartford franchise was purchased by magnates William J. Tracy of Bristol and Thomas Reilly of Meriden. They rejoined the Connecticut League and Reilly acted as manager. The team consisted of a fresh roster, except for Ira Thomas who returned as catcher. New signees were Walter Ahearn of New Haven, Bill Luby of Meriden and Billy Derwin of Waterbury. The infield featured Larry Battam at third base and captain Bert Daly at second base. They struggled in a rebuild year and ended up last in the league.

1903 Thomas L. Reilly Manager Hartford Senators
Thomas Reilly, Manager, Hartford Senators, 1903.
1903 Walter Ahearn Hartford Senators
Walter Ahearn, Catcher, Hartford Senators, 1903.
1905 Dr. Burton Daly Hartford Senators
Dr. Bert Daly, Second Baseman, Hartford Senators, 1903.
1903 Bill Luby Hartford Senators Baseball Player
Bill Luby, First Baseman, Hartford Senators, 1903.

Before the 1904 season, Thomas Reilly was elected Mayor of Meriden and sold his shares in the Hartford club to William J. Tracy. As sole owner of the Senators (and later President of the Connecticut League), Tracy appointed his friend and Bristol-based barber John E. Kennedy as manager. The only regular to reappear the following season was second baseman Bert Daly. Bill Foxen, Bill Karns and Tom Bannon entered the fold but the Senators had a losing record (53-61).

1906 William J. Tracy President Connecticut Baseball League
William Tracy, Owner, Hartford Senators, 1904.
1904 Apr 23 Thomas OHare Hartford Senators
Thomas O’Hare, Outfielder, Hartford Senators, 1904.
1905 John E. Kennedy Hartford Senators Manager
John E. Kennedy, Manager, Hartford Senators, 1904.
1904 Hartford Senators Team Photo scaled
1904 Hartford Senators

September of 1904 marked the era of James H. Clarkin, proprietor of the Senators for the next 24 years. Tracy decided to sell the club, and Clarkin and Daly stepped in. Clarkin leased Wethersfield Avenue Grounds for the six years at $600 per year. Hartford fans took special trolleys to a well-kept and a well-respected Wethersfield Avenue Grounds. Stars of the team were pitching prospect, Pete Wilson of Springfield, Massachusetts, and shortstop Harry Noyes of New Haven, Connecticut. In Clarkin’s first season as owner, the 1905 Senators turned in a winning record (58-55).

1905 Owner Tracy Sells Hartford Ball Team
Hartford Courant excerpt, 1905.
1905 James Clarkin Hartford Senators Baseball Club Owner
James Clarkin, Owner, Hartford Senators, 1905.
1905 Hartford Base Ball Club Connecticut League
Lajoie’s Base Ball Guide excerpt, 1905.
1905 Peter Wilson Hartford Senators 1
Peter Wilson, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1905.
1905 Harry Noyes Shortstop Hartford Senators
Harry Noyes, Shortstop, Hartford Senators, 1905.
1905 Neal Doherty Hartford Senators
Neal Doherty, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1905.
1905 Frank Doran Catcher Hartford Senators
Frank Doran, Catcher, Hartford Senators, 1905.
1906 Glastonbury Line Trolley to Ball Game
Hartford trolley assigned for ball games, 1905.
1905 Hartford Senators
1905 Hartford Senators

In the offseason, Clarkin sold his top pitcher William Foxen to Providence for $250. The sale of Foxen was the first of many transacted by Clarkin, who acquired a reputation for selling top players. In 1906, Bert Daly served as player-manager until midway through the season, when he left to practice medicine in his hometown in Bayonne, New Jersey. Clarkin became sole owner and Harry Noyes was named player-manager. Hartford signed Herman Bronkie of Manchester, Connecticut, a rookie third baseman who later made his American League debut with the Cleveland Naps.

1906 Hartford Senators Baseball
1906 Hartford Senators
1906 Group of Three Hartford Players
Group of Three Hartford Players, 1906.
1906 Hartford Senators Baseball Players
New players on the Hartford Senators, 1906.
1906 Hartford Senators Baseball Club Photo Connecticut League
1906 Hartford Senators
1906 Bert Daly Hartford Senators Base Ball
Bert Daly, Player-Manager, Hartford, 1906.
1906 The Hartford Baseball Team
1906 Hartford Senators

Despite another lackluster season, Hartford retained its core. Harry Noyes held on as player-manager and Pete Wilson returned as ace. Career minor leaguers Charlie Fallon, Ed Justice and Billy Luyster came back, while newcomers included first baseman Jack Rothfuss and outfielder Izzy Hoffman. Owner Clarkin recruited all-time minor leaguer a Dutch immigrant and an , Jack Lelivelt on a tip from Philadelphia manager Connie Mack. That year, Clarkin offered the Senators a $100 bonus for a five game win streak. While popular with players, the bonus scheme failed and Hartford finished fifth in the Connecticut League.

1907 Hartford Senators Baseball New Players
Three New Hartford Players, 1907.
1907 William Luyster Pitcher Hartford Senators
Billy Luyster, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1907.
1907 Jack Lelivelt Hartford Senators Baseball
Jack Lelivelt, Outfielder, Hartford Senators, 1907.
1907 Izzy Hoffman Hartford Senators Outfielder
Izzy Hoffman, Outfielder, Hartford Senators, 1907.

Proprietor Clarkin sought to retool Hartford by hiring veteran leadership for 1908. During the offseason, Thomas Dowd, a big league journeyman and assumed managerial duties and all baseball operations. Dowd lured players such as Ray Fisher, a pitching phenom, Hank Schumann, a reliable strike-thrower and Bob Connery, a muscle-bound first baseman. There was also Earle Gardner, a second basemen destined for the New York Yankees and Chick Evans, an 18 year old who threw a perfect game for the Senators on July 21, 1908. Hartford had its finest team to date, but lost to Springfield by a half game in the last days of the season.

1908 Hartford Senators Baseball New Players
New Hartford Senators, 1908.
1908 Hartford Baseball Team
1908 Hartford Senators
1908 Hartford Senators
1908 Hartford Senators
1908 Hartford Base Ball Grounds scaled
Hartford Senators at Wethersfield Avenue Grounds, 1908.

A disappointing conclusion to Hartford’s 1908 season lit a fire under the Senators in 1909. Clarkin appointed Bob Connery player-manager in place of Thomas Dowd who reportedly struggled with alcoholism. New additions Jimmy Hart and Jack Wanner led the squad in batting. With masterful pitching and defense, Connery’s crew captured first place. Hartford outlasted second place Holyoke and finally won their first championship. On September 13, 1909, the Senators were honored with a parade on Main Street, a ceremony outside Connecticut’s Old State House, a musical performance at Hartford Theater and a late night banquet at Hotel Garde.

1909 Hartford Senators
1909 Hartford Senators, Connecticut League Champions.
1909 Hartford Senators Team Photo
1909 Hartford Senators
1909 Jack Wanner Hartford Senators
Johnny Wanner, Second Baseman, Hartford, 1909.
1909 Hartford Senators Baseball Players at Park
Quartet of players, Hartford Senators, 1909.
1909 Mike Wadleigh Catcher Hartford Senators
Michael Wadleigh, Catcher, Hartford, 1909.
1909 Apr 7 Hartford Senators Yesterdays Additions to Baseball Squad
New players for the Hartford Senators, 1909.
1910 George Metzger Hartford Senators Baseball
George Metzger, Third Baseman, Hartford Senators, 1909.
1909 Hartford Senators Team Photo James Clarkin
1909 Hartford Senators, Connecticut League Champions.

In 1910, the Senators were the envy of the Connecticut League. A pennant flag flew over the pristine Hartford Baseball Park. The venue had a smooth playing surface, player clubhouses and concession stands. Meanwhile, Clarkin further delegated his duties by creating the Hartford Baseball Club Board of Strategy. The group devised plans and scouted players like pitchers Buck O’Brien and Carl Lundgren. Though it was player-manager Bob Connery who picked up a rookie from St. Louis, Wally Rehg who was later dubbed the world’s sassiest player. Amid high expectations, the Senators underachieved to fourth place – six games behind first place Waterbury.

1910 Hartford Senators Baseball Squad First Days Workout
First day’s workout, Hartford Senators, 1910.
1910 Hartford Senators Baseball Club Workout Connecticut League
Senators at Hartford Baseball Park, 1910.
1910 Hartford Senators 1
1910 Hartford Senators
1910 John Vann First Baseman Hartford Senators
John Vann, First Baseman, Hartford Senators, 1910.
1910 Walter Regh Hartford Senators
Walter Rehg, Utility, Hartford Senators, 1910.
1910 Buck OBrien Pitcher Hartford Senators
Buck O’Brien, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1910.
1910 Hartford Baseball Club Board of Strategy
Board of Strategy, Hartford Senators, 1910.
1910 Carl Lundgren Pitcher Hartford Senators
Carl Lundgren, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1910.
1910 WIlliam Moore Hartford Baseball Park Groundskeeper
William Moore, Groundskeeper, Hartford Baseball Park, 1910.

Before the 1911 season, Connecticut League officials increased the championship purse from $25 to $100 to attract better talent. That year, rookie outfielder Hugh High rose to local stardom by hitting for a .302 average in 431 at bats. Former Boston Doves pitcher Tom McCarthy only played half of the season, yet he twirled 15 wins. A low point for the club came when they were caught drinking alcohol on a Sunday at Lighthouse Point in New Haven. Arrest warrants were issued for nine Hartford players including manager Connery but the charges were later dropped. The Senators fell short of a title but finished in a respectable third place.

1911 Hartford Senators Baseball Club
1911 Hartford Senators
1911 Clint Ford Hartford Senators Baseball
Clint Ford, Outfielder, Hartford Senators, 1911.
1911 Hugh HIgh Hartford Senators
Hugh High, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1911.
1911 Robert Henry Ray Hartford Senators
Robert Henry Ray, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1911.
Nick Lakoff, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1911.
Nick Lakoff, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1911.
1911 Hartford Senators John Hickey
John Hickey, Outfielder, Hartford Senators, 1911.
1911 Herman Shincel Hartford Senators Baseball Catcher
Herman Shincel, Catcher, Hartford Senators, 1911.
1911 Hartford Senators
1911 Hartford Senators

As winter descended on Hartford, Jim Clarkin renewed his lease of the Wethersfield Avenue Grounds for ten more years. He then built the largest grandstand in the league to seat more spectators. When the 1912 season began, Bob Connery suited up for his last managerial campaign. Connery would later discover Rogers Hornsby as a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals. Hartford also added Benny Kauff who batted .321 in 53 games. Hugh High led the Connecticut League with 145 base hits and 5 homers. Si McDonald served as primary catcher and captained Hartford to second place.

1912 New Grandstand at Wethersfiled Avenue Grounds Hartford Baseball Park
A new grandstand at Hartford Baseball Park, 1912.
1912 New Players on Hartford Senators scaled
New Players of the Hartford Senators, 1912.
1912 Tom Connery Hartford Senators Baseball Club Manager
Bob “Tom” J. Connery, Player-Manager, Hartford Senators, 1912.
1915 Lefty High Hartford Senators
Hugh High, Outfielder, Hartford Senators, 1912.
1912 Hartford vs. New Haven Wethersfield Avenue Grounds
New Haven vs. Hartford, 1912.
1912 Hartford Senators Baseball Players
Members of the Hartford Senators, 1912.
1912 Aug 16 Waterbury vs. Hartford Senators at Wethersfield Avenue Grounds
Waterbury vs. Hartford, 1912.
1912 Si McDonald Hartford Senators
Si McDonald, Catcher, Hartford Senators, 1912.
1912 Bill Powers Hartford Senators
Bill Powers, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1912

At an offseason meeting, President Jim O’Rourke and Connecticut League officials renamed the loop the Eastern Association, reflecting the inclusion of three Massachusetts clubs. In preparation for the 1913 season, the Senators announced Si McDonald as Hartford’s player-manager. Important acquisitions were shortstop, Bill Morley, second baseman, Jim Curry and first baseman, Mickey Keliher. Center fielder Benny Kauff had one of the Senators’ best seasons, leading the league with 176 hits and a .345 batting average. Behind superior hitting and pitching, Hartford won 83 games and another triumphant league championship.

1913 Hartford Senators Baseball Club
1913 Hartford Senators
1913 Benny Kauff Hartford Senators
Benny Kauff, Outfielder, Hartford Senators, 1913.
1913 Gus Gardella Hartford Senators Baseball Captain
Gus Gardella, Shortstop, Hartford Senators, 1913.
1913 Hartford Senators Team Photo scaled
1913 Hartford Senators
1913 Eastern Association Standings
Eastern Association final standings, 1913.

Most of Hartford’s title winners appeared again in 1914. Si McDonald became full-time manager while Hartford-born Jack Muldoon was promoted to starting catcher. Eventually McDonald was deposed by owner Clarkin, who assigned the job to a veteran manager, Dan O’Neil. New arrivals Ed Barney and Jack Hoey were Hartford’s most productive hitters. Pitchers Clyde Geist and Fred Rieger carved out brilliant seasons and were among the league leaders in wins. When the Eastern Association wrapped, the Senators had completed a tenth consecutive season with a winning record.

1914 Hartford Senators Baseball Club scaled
1914 Hartford Senators
1914 Dan ONeil Manager Hartford Senators
Dan O’Neil, Manager, Hartford Senators, 1914.
1915 Maurice Kennedy Hartford Senators
Maurice Kennedy, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1914.
1914 Jimmy Curry Hartford Senators
Jimmy Curry, Second Baseman, Hartford Senators, 1914.
1914 Jack Hoey Hartford Senators Baseball
Jack Hoey, Outfielder, Hartford Senators, 1914.
1914 Roger Salmon Hartford Senators
Roger Salmon, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1914.
1914 Edward Goeb Hartford Senators Baseball
Ed Goeb, Outfielder, Hartford Senators, 1914.
1914 Mickey Keliher Hartford Senators Baseball
Mickey Keliher, First Baseman, Hartford Senators, 1914.
1914 Murray Parker Hartford Senators
Murray Parker, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1914.
1914 James Crowley Hartford Senators
James Crowley, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1914.

In 1915, proprietor Clarkin abandoned the Eastern Association. Instead, he entered Hartford into the Colonial League, loosely affiliated with the infamous Federal League. Shortly before the season, 36 year old infielder Jim Delahanty was named player-manager. He mashed a .379 batting average, earned MVP of the league and led the Senators to the Colonial League pennant. Other players on the squad were former Federal Leaguers with the Brooklyn Tip Tops and the Newark Pepper. A mix of outcasts won Hartford its third pennant during a span of six years.

1915 Hartford Senators
1915 Hartford Senators, L to R: Back Row – Mike Simon, George Textor, Dennis Gillooly, Gus Helfrich, Gil Whitehouse, Aime Proulx and Fred Trautman. Front Row – Blondie Sherman, Henry Demoe, Jim Delahanty, Jack Murray and Ray Werre.
1915 Gil Whitehouse Hartford Senators
Gil Whitehouse, Outfielder, Hartford Senators, 1915.
1915 Clyde Geist Hartford Senators
Clyde Geist, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1915.
1915 Bill Jensen Hartford Senators
Bill Jensen, Pitcher, Hartford Senators, 1915.
1915 Hartfords New York Americans
Hartford Senators on the New York Yankees, 1915.

Sources

  1. Hartford Courant via Newspapers.com
  2. Hartford Times microfilm collection at Hartford Public Library
  3. Baseball-Reference.com
  4. Statscrew.com
  5. Bob Connery SABR Bio by Steve Steinberg

1911 Connie Mack and William J. Tracy 1
by Weston Ulbrich

Bristol’s Baseball Magnate, William J. Tracy

Bristol, Connecticut, is home to Muzzy Field as well as a distinguished baseball history. One the most significant figures in Bristol’s baseball chronicles is William J. Tracy; the man who prompted the construction of Muzzy Field. Also known as Bill Tracy, he was baseball club owner, executive and friend of legendary managers Connie Mack of the Philadelphia Athletics and John McGraw of the New York Giants. A photograph of Tracy and Mack at the 1911 World Series has been curated by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

1893 Map of Bristol Connecticut
Map of Bristol, Connecticut, 1893.

William J. Tracy was born in Bristol on January 1, 1869. He spent his youth working at the Central Meat Market on North Main Street. Eventually Tracy became sole proprietor of the meat market, later called the Bristol Beef Company. As a respected young man around town he was elected Constable of Bristol in 1894. However, Tracy’s real passion was the national game of baseball. So when the meat business paid off, he decided to finance a top-rate Bristol club in the Connecticut League.

1900 Apr 4 Bristol Rejoicing Over Baseball News William J. Tracy 1
Hartford Courant, 1900.

In 1900, Bill Tracy became an of the Bristol Baseball Association. He joined fellow proprietors, State Representative Otto F. Strunz and a barbershop owner named John E. Kennedy who later became the state’s chief umpire. The town was overjoyed to have a team in the Connecticut League with Tracy at the helm. While in charge of the club, he also acted as umpire on multiple occasions. The following season cemented Bristol’s admiration for Tracy when he led Bristol to the 1901 state league championship.

1905 John E. Kennedy Hartford Senators Manager
John E. Kennedy, Bristol, 1900.
1900 State Representative Otto Strunz of Bristol Connecticut
Otto F. Strunz, Bristol, 1900
1901 Jun 15 Bristol vs. Meriden Baseball Connecticut League
The Journal (Meriden, Connecticut), June, 14, 1901.

Bristol was the smallest town in the Connecticut League circuit, yet they conquered the competition. Bill Tracy’s club of 1901 won the pennant over second place Bridgeport. Bristol featured player-manager and pitching ace Doc Reisling who went on to play major league ball for the Brooklyn Superbas and Washington Senators. There was also Ted Scheffler an outfielder from New York City, Red Owens an infielder from Pottsville, Pennsylvania, and Andy Anderson, a catcher from Detroit, Michigan. Connecticut’s baseball community praised Bristol for winning the league in honorable fashion.

1901 Sep 7 Bristol Wins Connecticut League
Hartford Courant, September 7, 1901.
1901 Sep 17 Brisol Baseball Club Report Manager Tracy 1
Hartford Courant, September 17, 1901.
1899 Doc Reisling Hartford Baseball Club
Doc Reisling, Pitcher, Bristol, 1901.
1901 Andy Anderson Bristol Connecticut State League 2
Andy Anderson, Catcher, Bristol, 1901.
1901 Connecticut League Standings
Connecticut League standings, 1901.

In spite of their first championship, Tracy’s club was not invited back to the Connecticut League in 1902. League officials cited revenue issues due to the small size of Bristol. Tracy wholeheartedly disagreed with the snub of his championship team. Hall of Fame player-manager Jim O’Rourke of the Bridgeport club was reported to have headed the cabal who dismissed Bristol. President of the Connecticut League, Sturges Whitlock upheld the decision. Tracy was only temporarily discouraged and held no grudge against O’Rourke. The next summer Tracy funded a Bristol squad, “The Flats” in the Town Amateur Baseball League.

1906 James H. ORourke Secretary Connecticut Baseball League
Jim O’Rourke, Secretary, Connecticut League, 1901.
1906 Sturgis Whitlock President Connecticut State League
Sturges Whitlock, President, Connecticut League, 1901.

When presented the opportunity, Bill Tracy returned to the Connecticut League in 1903 by purchasing the Hartford Senators franchise. After two unremarkable seasons as head of the Hartford club, he decided to pursue a position as a league officer. He sold his ownership stake in the Hartford Senators to would-be longtime owner, James H. Clarkin and the team’s captain, Bert Daly for $5,000. In 1905, Tracy was appointed Vice President of the Connecticut League, the forerunner of the Eastern League. By October of 1906, Tracy was voted in as President.

1904 Hartford Senators Team Photo
1904 Hartford Senators

The Connecticut League was a professional association whose teams were unaffiliated with Major League clubs. The minor leagues were classified by playing level on a scale of Class A to Class F. Bill Tracy was president of the Class B Connecticut League until 1912. His role consisted of disciplining players and settled disputes between clubs hailing from cities like Hartford, Meriden, Bridgeport, New Haven, New London, Norwich, Springfield and Holyoke. He was also tasked with managing relationships with big league clubs who often signed state league players known as “contract jumpers”.

1906 William J. Tracy President Connecticut Baseball League
William J. Tracy, President, Connecticut League, 1906.
1910 May 26 President Tracy Suspends Manager Connery Hartford for Sending Insulting Letter 1
Hartford Courant, May 26, 1910.

Outside of baseball, Bill Tracy was appointed to the Bristol Trust Company Board of Directors in 1907 and to the Bristol National Bank Board of Directors in 1909. Tracy served as a charter member of the Bristol Board of Park Commissioners and as superintendent of Bristol Parks for 15 years until his retirement in 1935. In this position he was instrumental in the acquisition and development of Memorial Boulevard, Rockwell Park and Muzzy Field – named after Adrian J. Muzzy of Bristol, a prominent businessman and State Senator who donated land for the ballpark in memory of his two sons who died young.

1904 Hon. Adrian J. Muzzy
Adrian J. Muzzy, 1904.
2015 Muzzy Field Plaque Tracy Driscoll
Commemorative plaque at Muzzy Field, 2015.
2016 Bristol Muzzy Field
Muzzy Field, Bristol, Connecticut, 2015.

Like Adrian Muzzy, Bill Tracy aggressively sought to improve Bristol while capitalizing on business opportunities. He founded a real estate and insurance company that later became Tracy-Driscoll Insurance. At 68 years old, Tracy passed away on December 1, 1937 after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. He is remembered as a baseball executive, businessman, public servant, philanthropist and family man. Tracy was married 43 years to Ellen Lacey Tracy. They had 4 sons, Paul, Joseph, Francis, and William E. Tracy; all of whom played baseball.

1925 c. William J. Tracy Bristol Baseball Magnate 1
William J. Tracy, 1925 (c.)

Francis “Tommy” Tracy was a clever pitcher who captained the Dartmouth College ball club. William E. Tracy founded Bristol Sports Promotion who owned and operated the Hartford Bees of the Eastern League in 1947 and 1948. William J. Tracy and his family pioneered for Bristol a lasting reputation as one of the great baseball towns in America. In 2002, Tracy’s many contributions were honored when he was inducted into the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame.

1958 William E. Tracy Bristol Connecticut
William E. Tracy, 1958.

Sources:

  1. Hartford Courant database (Newspapers.com)