Billy Purtell Died 50 Years Ago

-
Toledo: 1918

Columbus, Ohio native William Patrick “Billy” Purtell died on this date 50 years ago in Bradenton, Florida at the age of 76. Purtell played his first season in the American Association as a member of the Toledo Mud Hens during the war-shortened 1918 season at the age of 32, playing shortstop and appearing in 40 games, batting .175. Purtell played professionally from 1904 to 1926, sandwiching in five seasons at the major league level and managing in the low minors for Vancouver in 1921 and for Hagerstown in 1928. He is buried at Mansion Memorial Park in Ellenton, Florida.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ballparks of Indianapolis, Part 2: Perry Stadium/Victory Field

-
Image
The American Association Almanac Volume 20, Number 1 Spring 2024 Perry Stadium/Victory Field and the Indianapolis Indians      The Spring 2024 edition of the American Association Almanac (print journal, just published) describes Perry Stadium (later Victory Field), the home of the Indianapolis Indians, in replete detail. The publication consists of roughly 28,000 words, comprising a 64-page booklet format with a color cover, and centerfold which includes home performance data for both the 1932 and 1948 Indianapolis Indians. It is set in 11-pt. Times New Roman and was completed March 26, 2024.      The long-time home of the Indians was built in 1931 by Norman A. Perry in homage to his brother, James Perry , who was killed in an airplane accident just outside Indianapolis in 1929. In the spring of 2023 the Almanac published Part 1 of this two-part series (please see separate blog entry). In 1942 the park was renamed Victory Field just a month after Perry s...
Read more

The First All-Star Game

-
Image
Eighty years ago this week the American Association put its first cadre of All-Stars on display. The event took place July 19, 1934 at hitter-friendly Nicollet Park in Minneapolis. Interesting how this anniversary corresponds with MLB's 2014 All-Star game to be played tomorrow night at Target Field in Minneapolis, just a few miles due north of where Nicollet Park once stood. The Millers defeated the All-Stars, 13-6. The 1934 American Association All-Star Team The contest pitted the American Association All-Stars against the Minneapolis Millers, the club which was in first-place on the pre-selected date. In the photo above are (with position played during game): BACK ROW:   GEORGE HOCKETTE (lhp), ALLAN SOTHORON (mgr), EARL WEBB (rf), MEL ALMADA (lf-cf), LIN STORTI (2b), ERNIE WINGARD (1b), FRED BEDORE (3b), and JACK KLOZA (lf). FRONT ROW:   TONY RENSA (c), GENE TROW (rhp), MILT GALATZER (cf), BILL BRENZEL (c), JOSE OLIVARES (ss), GARLAND BRAXTON (lhp), and AL NIEMIC (ss)...
Read more

Ed Kenna, the Poet Pitcher

-
Image
In 1905, the Louisville Colonels signed 27-year old Edward Benninghaus Kenna , a pitcher who started his professional career with the Toledo Mud Hens of the Interstate League in 1900. Kenna was an interesting figure in baseball's early days. He grew up in Charleston, West Virginia, the son of John Edward Kenna , a U.S. Congressional Representative and Senator (a sizable collection of his personal photographs may be viewed at the website for the West Virginia Historical Society through www.wvculture.org/history/wvmemory/photointro.html). A most intriguing aspect of Kenna's life was his ability as a writer. He was known in baseball circles as the "poet pitcher," something I've known for some time. Not until I was researching my latest issue of the Almanac did I discover that he was actually a published poet. After his baseball career ended in 1907 he became an editor at the Charleston Gazette . He would succumb to a heart condition at the age of 34. Kenna's bas...
Read more