In the world of baseball, a top-notch catcher is like finding a unicorn—rare and game-changing. Elite backstops not only excel at calling games, preventing wild pitches and controlling the basepaths, but they also contribute offensively, making them a double threat. With a great catcher behind the plate, the game flows more smoothly, reducing the chaos and boosting chances of victory. However, exceptional catchers are few and far between.

The likes of Josh Gibson, Yogi Berra, Johnny Bench, Ivan Rodriguez, Buster Posey, Yadier Molina, and Adley Rutschman are some of the game’s greatest anomalies.

So what about catchers from Connecticut? Who’s been the best man with a mitt from the Nutmeg State?

Maybe it was one of the following major league catchers: Brad Ausmus, Brook Fordyce, John Ellis, or Skip Jutze. Perhaps the title belongs to a lesser-known big leaguer such as Nick Koback, Mike Sandlock, Matt Sinatro, or P.J. Higgins. There are several unsung candidates from the minor leagues including Jim Sheehan, Roger LaFrancois, and George Enright.

Last but not least, many have called Wallace “Wally” Widholm one of the best. He is rarely remembered today, but Widholm dominated the local scene in the 1950s and 1960s. His mentees, GHTBL President Bill Holowaty and Vice President Andy Baylock, still rave about his talent and his control of the game. He’s certainly up there with Connecticut’s greatest catchers, and it’s fair to call Wally Widholm the best twilight backstop of all-time.

Let’s take a look at his life and athletic career:

Originally from Astoria, Queens, New York, Wallace R. Widholm was born on August 6, 1927. He grew up in the same Astoria sandlots as the famed southpaw, Whitey Ford. Widholm was Ford’s teammate and catcher. He once claimed that a broken finger prevented him from signing with the New York Yankees at the same time as Ford.

Then in 1946, the New York Giants signed Widholm to a professional contract at 18 years old, but Widholm opted to serve in the United States Navy. He briefly attended Ursinus College before transferring to the University of Connecticut in 1949 as a two-sport athlete. His college eligibility was called into question when newspapers reported on his one-time professional contract with the Giants, but a court ruling made him eligible.

To become UConn’s starting catcher, Widholm won a head-to-head competition in tryouts. Longtime Connecticut head coach J. Orlean Christian chose him over a returner named Walter Allen. Widholm ended up batting .325 on the season. He earned the role of captain and a First Team All-District selection. His commanding presence and his “lead-by-doing” approach were unmistakable both on and off the field. He took charge and set the standard for others to follow.

At 6’2″ Widholm was also key to the UConn Huskies on the basketball court. He manned the forward position and was a part of UConn’s first ever team to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Though the Huskies lost to St. John’s University at Madison Square Garden, he described the game as, “The biggest thrill I had at UConn.” Widholm played three basketball and baseball seasons for the Huskies.

After graduating, he began working at Hamilton Standard – a propeller maker in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. He was one part ballplayer and one part employee. Hamilton teams were nicknamed the “Propellers” or “Props” and Widholm was their field general behind the dish. He was known for timely line-drive hitting and for blocking nearly every ball in the dirt.

His performance spurred the Props to a second place finish in the 1952 Hartford Industrial Baseball League (known as the Dusty League for short). Then the Props won four pennants in 1953: the Dusty League, the Connecticut State Semi-Pro, the Connecticut Industrial, and the Bi-State (Connecticut and Rhode Island) championships. Hamilton Standard also established a basketball team, and Widholm guided them to yet another Dusty League title that winter.

Widholm soon assumed the captain role for Hamilton Standard. He was highly regarded and heavily scouted as a top catching prospect in New England. Because of this, he was sought after by local amateur and semi-pro clubs. The Puritan Maids of the Hartford Twilight League recruited Widholm, with whom he earned an All-Star selection. He also made appearances for the Portland Brownstones of the Middlesex County Baseball League.

Widholm had many highlights in ’53, but none more memorable than his trip to Dallas, Texas. Hamilton Standard athletes were flown to the Lonestar State to oppose airplane manufacturer, Chance Vought in a series of contests: baseball, basketball and bowling. Both Hamilton Standard and Chance Vought were divisions of Pratt & Whitney Aircraft at the time, and Chance Vought had relocated from Stratford, Connecticut, to Dallas, Texas a few years prior. The interstate competition allowed the divisions to meet and negotiate labor union contracts.

In the lead up to Texas, the Hartford Courant splashed Widholm’s face across the sports page. The captain and his fellow employees were photographed as they boarded a United Aircraft Convair at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut. On September 12, 1953, the counterpart companies did battle at Burnett Field in Dallas. Chance Vought edged Hamilton Standard 2-1 and held them to one hit.

Many of Widholm’s Props teammates were longtime Hartford Twilight League players. They were William Landers, Harold Lewis, Charlie McMeans, Ed Kukulka, Joseph Haberl, Thomas Delucco, Daniel Ambrosio and others. Some of these men, at one time or another, were minor leaguers, and Widholm would follow suit. In 1954, he signed a contract with the Milwaukee Braves organization and was designated to the Miami Beach Flamingos of the Florida International League.

Managing Miami was a 3-time World Series Champion, Pepper Martin. Of the Miami club, Widholm once said, “That was the best team I ever played with.” He banged 6 home runs in 80 games with a 2 to 1 strikeout-to-walk ratio for Miami in 1954. He was a 26 year old rookie who showed flashes of brilliance on defense. His bat proved to be full of contact, but he lacked consistent home run power.

When the Miami Beach Flamingos folded midseason, Widholm was sent to the Quebec Braves of the Provincial League. He performed at a high level in Quebec, batting .347 in 29 games played. The only catcher with a better batting average was Dick Brown of the Sherbrooke Indians. Somehow, during his torrid streak in Quebec, Wiholm managed to avoid hitting a home run.

To squeeze more homers out of Widholm, the powers-that-be of the Braves organization sent him to work with Hall of Famer, Paul Waner (113 MLB career home runs). Waner considered Widholm an “arm hitter” and claimed it was too late to change styles. Widholm recalled the memory in a 1976 Hartford Courant interview stating, “I didn’t believe him then, but I did later in my second year when I batted .292 with no homers.”

Widholm’s brief professional career came to an end in the state of Mississippi. There he played 117 games with the Chicago Cubs-affiliated Vicksburg Hill Billies of the 1955 Cotton States League. He may have forgotten, but Widholm swatted 4 home runs and finished third on the team in RBI (45). Knowing the big leagues were out of reach, he decided to make a new life back in Connecticut.

Widholm married his fiancé Joyce Papetti, then settled down in East Hartford and later in Glastonbury. He went back to work and play for Hamilton Standard. In addition to the Props, he started at catcher for the Meriden Merchants and the Bloomfield Athletic Club. For the next decade plus Widholm was a mainstay in statewide tournaments, the Hartford Industrial League and the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League.

His Hamilton Standard team of 1958 remains one of the greatest in GHTBL history. The Propellers lost only one game in the Regular Season to capture the league title, and they swept the Playoff Tournament. Widholm called nearly every pitch that season. A year later with the Meriden Merchants, he was named Most Valuable Player of the 1959 Merchants Invitational Tournament at Ceppa Field.

For most onlookers, there was no catcher in the state with more ability than Widholm. His physical traits on the field were unmistakable and long-lasting. His right arm stayed healthy enough to afford him occasions on the mound as a relief pitcher into his later years. Widholm had his most dominating season in 1966 when he served as player-manager for Hamilton Standard and won Most Valuable Player at 39 years old. Former big leaguer and manager Frankie Frisch presented him the award at Stonehaven Restaurant in West Hartford.

Widholm suited up in the Twi-loop until the age of 43. He switched clubs a few times from the Hamilton Props to Herb’s Sport Shop, and to the Manchester-based super team, Moriarty Brothers. He collected 7 Season Titles and 8 Playoff Championships in the GHTBL. Widholm retired from playing in 1970 as a member of Moriarty Brothers. Afterwards he became a successful head baseball coach for East Hartford’s Post 77 American Legion.

After an impressive athletic career and a full life, Wally Widholm passed away on March 4, 2005, at age 77. He was survived by his wife Joyce and their two children, Leslie and Wallace. Today, Wally Widholm is remembered fondly by old friends and fans. His character reflected the archetype of a well-rounded athlete. He was a great catcher, a power forward, a family man, an animal lover, a generous soul, a gentleman, and a quiet leader of men.

The greatest thing about sports is the people and the ballplayers. It’s a healthy environment. You get to know a lot about yourself.

Wally Widholm

Other star catchers of the GHTBL:

– Francisco Ascensio, Meriden Merchants
– Andy Baylock, Hamilton Standard
– Bob Blinn, Herb’s Sport Shop
– William “Sonny” Carroll
– Dennis Casey, Riley’s Redlegs
– Bill Chapulis, Moriarty Brothers
– Dave Chicon, Bristol Cassins
– Art Clune, Hartford Knights
– Kyle Cooney, Meriden ProCare
– Edward “Red” Cox, East Hartford Anchors
– Theodore DeMaio, Herb’s Sport Shop
– John Dione, Columbia A.C.
– Marek Drabinski, Newman Lincoln-Mercury
– Walter Dunham, Savitt Gems
– Douglas G. Elliot, Malloves Jewelers
– Douglas S. Elliot, People’s United Bank
– Ray Fagnant, Vernon Orioles
– Max Festa, Ellis-Slavkins
– Jake Fournier, Bill’s Sport Shop
– Allan Garray, Society for Savings
– Willie Gonzales, Bank of Boston
– Simon Greenbaum, Tuckel’s Radio Rhymers
– Mike Gulino, Record-Journal Expos
– Matt Hackney, Bristol Merchants
– Dan Hickey, Ferguson Waterworks
– Albert G. Huband, Savitt Gems
– Matt Hukill, Society for Savings
– Skip Jutze, Valco Machine
– Ronald “Rollie” Johnson, Hartford Orioles
– William “Hank” Karlon, Savitt Gems
– Stanley “Mickey” Katkaveck
– Nick Koback, Puritan Maids
– Ronald Kozuch, Wethersfield A.C.
– Mike Leonard, Vernon Orioles
– John Liptak, Valco Machine
– Michael J. Lombardi, Check Bread
– Felix Lupia, People’s United Bank
– Kevin MacIlvane, Vernon Orioles
– Richard Magner, Volkswagon
– Justin Morhardt, People’s United Bank
– Bill Nardi, Hartford Imagineers
– Jim O’Connor, East Hartford Jets
– Frank Orefice, Tuckel’s Radio Rhymers
– Jim Penders, East Hartford Jets
– Ron Pizzanello, Vernon Orioles
– Matt Pliszka, Hamilton Standard
– Jeff Rustico, People’s United Bank
– Sebby Salemi, Hamilton Standard
– Guy Settino, Yellow Cab
– Thomas Shortell, Mayflower Sales
– Zac Susi, Foss Insurance
– Dick Teed, Herb’s Sport Shop
– Chris Thomas, Malloves Jewelers
– Jim Tucker, Superior Auto
– Francis “Woody” Wallett, Savitt Gems
– Edward Wojcik, St. Cyril’s