ty cobb - Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League

Aug 16 7:00 PM McKenna Field Rainbow Graphics 2 M&T Bank 6	Aug 20 7:00 PM Palmer Field Bristol Greeners 1 M&T Bank 4	Aug 21 7:00 PM Palmer Field M&T Bank 2 Vernon Orioles 1	Aug 22 7:00 PM Palmer Field M&T Bank 2 Vernon Orioles 6	Aug 24 6:30 PM Palmer Field West Haven Twilight League 4 GHTBL All-Stars 3

More than a hundred years ago, Tyrus “Ty” Cobb, center fielder of the Detroit Tigers visited Hartford on three separate occasions. Like many players of baseball’s Golden Age, Cobb made appearances in cities and towns across the United States for additional income. Before Cobb’s first visit to Hartford in the fall of 1916, he was already known as the game’s best hitter. He had won the batting title nine times in a row and was named Most Valuable Player of the American League in 1911. Nicknamed “The Georgia Peach” by sportswriter, Grantland Rice as an ode to Cobb’s home state, Cobb was a ferocious competitor with a short temper, great speed, hitting ability and a split-handed batting style.

Prior to Cobb’s arrival in 1916, the America was preparing for what would become World War I. Hartford held its largest public gathering to date – a Preparedness Parade in response to heightened conflict in Europe. The city had 100,000 residents as well as the nation’s top insurance, banking and manufacturing firms. Per capita, Hartford was one of the wealthiest cities in the United States, and baseball was by far Hartford’s most popular sport. There were more baseball fields in Hartford than any other city in New England. This included Wethersfield Avenue Grounds, where the Hartford Senators of the Eastern League hosted games, and where a new grandstand was constructed in 1912.

WWI *Preparedness Parade*, Main Street Hartford, Connecticut, 1916.

When a 30 year old Ty Cobb first came to Hartford, it was after his dominating 1916 campaign. Cobb’s .370 batting average, 68 stolen bases and 113 runs scored led the Majors. The Detroit Tigers won 87 games and lost 67 under manager Hughie Jennings, finishing third in the American League. After the season, Cobb began to barnstorm New England with independent clubs like the New Haven Colonials for a guarantee of $300 per appearance. Alongside Cobb on the Colonials side were former New York Yankees pitcher, Ray Keating and Philadelphia Athletics shortstop and Torrington High School alumnus, Joe Dugan.

New Haven Colonials vs. Brooklyn Robins at Lighthouse Point, New Haven, September 10, 1916.

On Tuesday, October 24, 1916, Ty Cobb delighted a small crowd of 800 fans at Wethersfield Avenue Grounds. The game was not well publicized in advance but onlookers would not be disappointed. Cobb and the New Haven Colonials faced off against the city’s best semi-professional club, the Hartford Poli’s. He played center field, first base and served as relief pitcher. Cobb had two hits, showed off his speed in a run-down and pitched 3 innings of one-hit ball. He gave up a double to the Poli’s catcher, John Muldoon, a future professional from Hartford who had three hits on the day. Cobb and Colonials shut out the Hartford Poli’s by a score of 7 to 0.

Ty Cobb and the New Haven Colonials defeat Hartford Poli’s, Hartford, October 24, 1916.

When the United States entered the Great War in April of 1917, baseball clubs began drilling as if they were military units, including Ty Cobb’s Tigers. He became eligible for military service earlier than most professional ballplayers when he applied to the Augusta, Georgia Draft Board on May 23, 1917. Baseball was played throughout the war and Cobb went on to win two more batting titles with the Tigers before being drafted into the United States Army in late 1918. That year, he won his 11th batting title, hitting .382 in a shortened season due to hostilities in Europe between the Allies and the Axis Powers.

Christy Mathewson and Ty Cobb in Army uniforms, 1917.

Captain Ty Cobb in his Army uniform, 1918.

Signed portrait of Ty Cobb in Army uniform, 1918.

A week before the 1918 season ended, Cobb made his second cameo in Hartford. On August 25th, the Detroit Tigers and the St. Louis Browns staged a benefit game to support American Expeditionary Forces who were deployed on the Western Front. The Tigers and the Browns arrived in Hartford by train. The Browns featured their first baseman George Sisler, a gifted batsman and a Hall of Fame player in the making. Sisler was seven years younger than Cobb and he revered the Georgia Peach. “The greatness of Ty Cobb is something that had to be seen,” Sisler said, “and to see him was to remember him forever.”

Cobb and Sisler to play in Hartford, August 11, 1918.

George Sisler and other players of the St. Louis Browns, Hartford, 1918.

The benefit game drew more than 6,000 fans who filled the grandstand and lined the perimeter of Hartford’s Wethersfield Avenue Grounds. Ty Cobb wore a Cornell College baseball uniform because the team’s luggage was accidentally left at Union Station. Cobb’s play on the field was described as resplendent. He cracked two hits and made a one-handed catch in center field to save two runs. George Sisler had a ground rule double to left field and led his team in putouts. By the end of nine innings, Sisler and the Browns beat Cobb and the Tigers, 3 runs to 1.

L to R: Mayor Kinsella, U.S. District Attorney Thomas Spellacy and Ty Cobb, August 25, 1918.

In October of 1918, Cobb was drafted and assigned to the Army’s Chemical Warfare Services division. He simultaneously announced his retirement from baseball even though Cobb continued to play in benefit games. Before shipping out to France for 67 days, he made his final visit to Hartford on October 5, 1918. He returned as a member of the New Haven Colonials to play for the “semi-pro state championship” against Hartford’s top company team from Pratt & Whitney. Before the game, Cobb gave a speech in front of Hartford’s Liberty Loan Cottage encouraging people to buy war bonds. Pratt & Whitney ended up winning the contest 5 to 3 in windy weather over Cobb and the Colonials.

Ty Cobb in Detroit Tigers uniform, 1918.

Hartford Courant excerpt, October 3, 1918.

Ty Cobb featured in the Hartford Courant, October 4, 1918.

Liberty Loan Cottage, Hartford, Connecticut, 1918.

Ty Cobb’s second and third game in Hartford raised over $3,000 for the Bat and Ball Fund headed up by Clark Griffith, Manager of the Washington Senators. The fund supplied active United States soldiers of World War I with baseball uniforms and equipment. Hartford Soldiers Athletic Committee Chair and former professional ballplayer, John F. Gunshanan corresponded with Griffith to organize the Tigers versus Browns matchup. As the end of the war neared, the baseball goods were gifted to American soldiers in France and Italy. When Armistice Day arrived, people flooded Main Street for the greatest parade the city ever saw. As for the veteran Cobb, he returned home from military service wouldn’t officially retire until 10 years later as a member of Connie Mack’s Philadelphia Athletics.

Armistice Day parade, Main Street, Hartford, November 11, 1918.

Clark Griffith’s Bat and Ball Fund, 1919.

U.S. Soldiers recieve baseball goods from the Bat and Ball Fund in France, 1918.

After 22 Major League seasons, Ty Cobb set 90 statistical records. These included highest career batting average (.367) and most career batting titles with 12. He held many of these records for almost a half century or more, including most career hits (4,191) until 1985 most career runs (2,246) until 2001, most career games played (3,035), at bats (11,434) until 1974 and the modern record for most career stolen bases (892) until 1977. Not surprisingly, Cobb has retained the career record for stealing home (54 times) and for stealing second base, third base, and home in succession (5 times). He ranks fifth all-time in games played and first in errors committed by an American League outfielder with 271. In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame ballot with 222 out of 226 votes.

A retired Ty Cobb at his home in Atherton, California, 1957.

Ty Cobb’s National Baseball Hall of Fame plaque.

Sources:

Hartford Courant on Newspapers.com
Baseball-Reference.com

Learn more about Cobb from Charles Leerhsen’s
“Ty Cobb’s Character: What We Know That’s Wrong” on YouTube:

Learn more about Ty Cobb in “Ty Cobb’s Character: What We Know That’s Wrong” by Charles Leerhsen.

The Hartford Poli’s burst onto the amateur baseball scene in 1905. They were formed by the energetic management and employees of Poli’s Theatre, a hub of vaudeville entertainment on Main Street. Backed by the iconic venue, the team brought together skilled players aged 18 to 30 and quickly earned a reputation as Hartford’s “fastest” club. Their popularity would peak around World War I when they hosted Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth for several benefit games.

Poli’s Theatre, Main Street, Hartford, Connecticut, 1903.

In contests that included major leaguers, the Poli’s drew large crowds and respectable challengers from across New England. Their fiercest rival was a crosstown team from Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company. The popularity of the Poli’s baseball club amplified the prestige attached to the theatre. Behind it all was their founder, Sylvester Z. Poli, a renowned theater magnate who established venues in Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Waterbury, and cities throughout the Northeast.

Sylvester Zefferino Poli, (December 31, 1858 – May 31, 1937) an Italian immigrant to the United States who became a world famous theatre magnate.

In their early years, the Hartford Poli’s were the cornerstone of the Poli Baseball League, an intercompany circuit formed by employees. The Poli’s quickly established themselves as a dominant force. In 1908, they clinched the league championship in dramatic fashion, crushing the New Haven Poli’s 18-6 in the title game. Their victory was crowned with a championship cup, presented in a grand ceremony by Sylvester Poli himself.

Poli’s Theatre employees form a baseball league, 1905.

Building on their success, the Hartford Poli’s outgrew the company league, and emerged as one of Connecticut’s premier independent teams. In their early seasons, they were managed by R. J. Kelly and captained by first baseman, Fred Jendron. Their top hitter was a man named Hockers Gamerdinger. The theatre’s doorman, Curtis Gillette, was the Poli’s assistant coach and second baseman.

Hockers Gamerdinger, Hartford Poli’s, 1912.

Gillette was promoted to superintendent of the theatre as well as manager of the team in 1913. He appointed first baseman Ed DeVanney as captain. The Poli’s had a remarkable season, winning 26 of 31 games against opponents like the Hartford Royals, Hartford Olympias and East Hartford Pastimes. The employee of Poli’s earned multiple amateur state titles and solidified their reputation as one of Connecticut’s elite independent clubs.

The Poli’s scouted local greats such as pitchers Ed “Smiler” Oppelt and Jack Vannie, infielder Joe Griffin and a potent two-way player named Rex Islieb. These players formed superior lineups that often overpowered the competition. About ten years into the franchise, the Poli’s were a centerpiece of amateur baseball in the capital city. Their home fields included Colt Park and Wethersfield Avenue Grounds.

Poli Theatre expanded its baseball presence in 1915 by constructing Poli Field in East Hartford. Spanning ten acres, the park featured a grandstand that extended from first to third base. Wire netting was installed behind home plate to protect spectators from foul balls. With a new home and a talented hometown roster, the Poli’s were a main attraction, drawing massive crowds and hosting some of baseball’s biggest stars.

On Tuesday, October 24, 1916, legendary Detroit Tigers outfielder, Ty Cobb arrived in Hartford to take on the Poli’s. As a guest star for the New Haven Colonials, Cobb showcased his all-around ability as a center fielder, first baseman, and relief pitcher. He tallied two hits, flashed his trademark speed in a rundown, and pitched three innings of one-hit ball. Cobb’s only blemish on the mound was a double by Poli’s catcher John Muldoon, who racked up three hits. Despite Muldoon’s efforts, Cobb and the Colonials shut out the Poli’s and their guest star, Benny Kauff, with a decisive 7-0 victory. Perhaps because it was a Tuesday afternoon, the exhibition drew an intimate crowd of 800 fans.

Manager Gillette recruited New York Giants pitcher Benny Kauff to face Ty Cobb and the New Haven Colonials, 1916.

Joe Griffin, Shortstop, Hartford Poli’s, 1916.

Babe Clark, Captain and First Baseman, Hartford Poli’s, 1916.

Lester Lanning, Outfielder, Hartford Poli’s and Wesleyan University graduate, 1917.

Rex Islieb, Shortstop, Hartford Poli’s Baseball, 1917.

New York Bloomer Girls play against the Hartford Poli’s, 1917.

Then in mid-September of 1918, the Poli’s welcomed recent World Series champion George Herman “Babe” Ruth of the Boston Red Sox. Ruth appeared in a benefit game for American troops fighting overseas in World War I. His arrival in Hartford was met with a wave of excitement, as cheering fans lined the streets to catch a glimpse of the Babe. Poli’s manager Curtis Gillette drove Ruth to the Hotel Bond on Asylum Street, where Ruth was immediately swarmed by reporters eager to capture every moment of his visit.

Hartford Poli’s Baseball Club with Babe Ruth (back row, third from right), 1918.

Ruth and the Poli’s faced off against the Fisk Red Tops of Chicopee, Massachusetts, on Sunday, September 15, 1918. Ruth pitched and batted third in a stellar performance. He recorded two hits, including a double that ricocheted off the “Bull Durham” tobacco sign in center field. On the mound, he dominated with a complete-game shutout, allowing four hits. The Poli’s edged out the Red Tops 1-0, thanks to Ruth’s Red Sox teammate, catcher Sam Agnew, who drove in the game’s only run. Opposing them was another Red Sox star, Dutch Leonard, tossing for the Red Tops. The Red Sox players dazzled over 5,000 spectators at Wethersfield Avenue Grounds, and Ruth earned $350 for his appearance.

Bill Kopf, Shortstop, Hartford Poli’s, 1918.

New Haven Colonials vs. Hartford Poli’s, 1918.

Al Mamaux, Pitcher, Hartford Poli’s guest star, 1918.

Fred Rieger, Pitcher, Hartford Poli’s, 1918.

Joe Briger, Catcher, Hartford Poli’s, 1918.

John “Boggy” Muldoon, Catcher, Hartford Poli’s, 1918.

A week later, Ruth returned to play for the Poli’s in a Sunday doubleheader at Wethersfield Avenue Grounds. The Poli’s went toe-to-toe with Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in a pitcher’s duel. Five Major League players, including Ruth, appeared that day. Ruth recorded a quality start but was outdueled by Pratt & Whitney’s ace and Red Sox teammate, “Bullet” Joe Bush. Despite Ruth’s strong performance, the Poli’s were narrowly defeated 1-0.

Ruth to play at the Hartford Grounds with Poli’s, 1918.

In the second game of the day, Ruth and the Poli’s confronted a former Hartford Senators pitcher turned New York Yankee, Ray Fisher. Fisher was the headliner for a Fort Slocum team who ended up besting the Poli’s. Ruth played first base, had a base hit and scored their lone run. A crowd of more than 3,000 were in attendance for the occasion; a doubleheader featuring Babe Ruth in Hartford.

The following year, on September 28, 1919, Babe Ruth reprised his role with the Hartford Poli’s in a game against the New Britain Pioneers. Hartford Mayor Richard J. Kinsella threw out the ceremonial first pitch and posed for a famous photograph with Ruth. The Great Bambino hit two homers over the right field fence, but due to a “short porch” ground rule, he was only allowed one base for each long ball. Earlier in the day, Ruth had hit a batting practice home run said to travel over 500 feet. The Poli’s shut out the Pioneers in front of more than 6,000 fans at Poli Field in East Hartford.

Hartford Poli’s vs. New Haven Nutmegs, 1919.

Mayor of Hartford, Richard J. Kinsella and Babe Ruth, 1919.

The Hartford Poli’s convinced Babe Ruth to make an encore appearance in 1920, following his first season with the New York Yankees. On October 2, 1920, Ruth starred for the Poli’s in a game against New Departure at Muzzy Field in Bristol, Connecticut. Batting cleanup, he played nearly every position and went 4 for 4, with three singles and a double. Despite Ruth’s standout performance, New Departure shut out the Poli’s, thanks to crafty pitching from Gus Helfrich, a minor league spitballer from the New York State League. To accommodate the massive crowd, extra trains and trolleys were scheduled to Bristol that Saturday afternoon, drawing 10,000 fans to witness Ruth’s final game with the Hartford Poli’s.

Ruth Four Hits at Bristol for the Hartford Poli’s, 1920.

Babe Ruth in the batter’s box, Muzzy Field, Bristol, CT, 1920.

Babe Ruth tagged out, Muzzy Field, 1920.

Babe Ruth playing first base, Muzzy Field, 1920.

Ruth accepts honorary gift, Muzzy Field, 1920.

For more than 15 years, the Hartford Poli’s were a top-tier amateur baseball club. By 1920, the team had developed some of the best talent in Hartford, including standout third baseman Rex Islieb, left-handed ace Bill Pike, and hard-throwing pitcher Jim O’Leary. In 1921, the Poli’s disbanded and evolved into a new team, the All-Hartfords, with a roster largely made up of former Poli players. Though a century has passed since the Poli’s played, their contributions remain culturally significant, serving as a source of entertainment and civic pride for the city.

The Man Behind the Poli’s

Poli’s baseball clubs were sponsored by Sylvester Zefferino Poli, a theater mogul, vaudeville pioneer, and entertainment proprietor. Born in 1853 in New York City to Italian immigrant parents, Poli initially gained recognition as an expert wax sculptor in 1881. His successful wax figurine business set the stage for his future ventures in vaudeville. Poli went on to become a major figure in the theater industry, pioneering vaudeville theaters throughout the northeastern United States.

In 1903, he opened Poli’s Theatre on Main Street in Hartford. By 1916, Poli was celebrated as the largest individual theater owner in the world. Upon his retirement at age 70, he had amassed 28 theaters, 3 hotels (including the Savoy in Miami), 500 office buildings, and two major development sites. Poli’s influence in the entertainment industry left a lasting legacy, especially in Connecticut.

The summer home of Sylvester Z. Poli and his family, “Villa Rosa” Woodmont, Milford, Connecticut, 1910.

“The Fortune Hunter” at Poli’s Theatre, 1912.

Poli’s Palace Theatre, Main Street, Hartford, CT, 1914.

In July of 1928, Sylvester Poli merged his company with Fox New England Theaters, retaining majority interest in the newly created Fox-Poli’s. However, in May of 1934, Loew’s Theatres purchased Poli’s remaining theaters, which were rebranded as Loew’s-Poli Theaters. In his final years, Poli resided at his summer home, Villa Rosa, in the Woodmont section of Milford, Connecticut, a palatial estate named in honor of his wife, Rosa Leverone.