The Connecticut Association was a Class D level minor league baseball league that played in the 1910 season. The four–team Connecticut Association consisted of franchises based exclusively in Connecticut . The Connecticut Association, also called the Eastern Connecticut League , folded during their charter season.
15-573: The Connecticut Association began play in the 1910 season, formed as a Class D level league, with Daniel Dunn serving as league president. Dunn also served as manager of the Willimantic Colts . The 1910 Connecticut Association was a four–team league that began play on May 10, 1910. The league was formed with the Middletown Jewels , New London Whalers , Norwich Bonbons and Willimantic Colts as charter members. On July 10, 1910,
30-597: A contract with the Boston Red Stockings , with whom he played until 1878. On April 22, 1876, O'Rourke had the first base hit in National League history. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1887 with an LL.B. , practicing law in Bridgeport between early playing stints, and earning the nickname "Orator Jim" because of his verbosity on the field, his intellect, and his law degree—uncommon in
45-562: A game regarded as a rough immigrant sport at the time. After leaving the major leagues following the 1893 season he continued to play in the minor leagues until he was over 50 years old. Returning to the Park City fulltime, O’Rourke helped organize the Connecticut State League in 1895, serving as league official, team owner, manager, and player. As a direct result Bridgeport retained a professional baseball team for over
60-468: A third of a century. Proximity to Yale allowed Jim to umpire Ivy League ball games and he also devoted his expertise to consulting baseball hierarchy at the national level. Jim is credited with signing Harry Herbert in 1895, Bridgeport’s first African American to play pro ball. In 1904, he made a final appearance with the New York Giants under manager and friend John McGraw , becoming at age 54
75-466: Is that his signing by the Mansfields in 1872 was conditioned on the team finding someone to take over O'Rourke's chores on his parents' farm. O'Rourke has made a brilliant record for himself as an outfielder, being an excellent judge of a ball, a swift runner, and making the most difficult running catches with the utmost ease and certainty. As a thrower, too, he stands pre-eminent, being credited with
90-677: The Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945 as one of the earliest inductees from the 19th century. His older brother John O'Rourke and his son Jimmy O'Rourke also played in the majors. One legend concerning O'Rourke is that he was asked to drop the "O'" from his last name when he signed a contract with Boston and its Protestant backers. The son of Irish immigrants and the husband of a woman born in Ireland, O'Rourke refused, saying "I would rather die than give up my father's name. A million dollars would not tempt me." Another legend about O'Rourke
105-571: The Connecticut State League , was a professional baseball association of teams in the state of Connecticut . The league began as offshoot of the original Connecticut State League, which dates back as far as 1884. In 1891, the Connecticut State League included the Ansonia Cuban Giants , a team made up of entirely African-American ballplayers, including future Hall of Famers Frank Grant and Sol White . In 1902, it
120-1397: The Southern New England League ) New Britain disbanded September 8 1888 Connecticut State League President: J. Howard Taylor Bridgeport transferred to Stamford in May, then disbanded June 27. Danbury disbanded June 5. The league disbanded July 25. 1891 Connecticut State League President: A.W. Lang Hartford disbanded June 10; Portland disbanded June 10. 1894 Connecticut State League Standings unknown 1895 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke 1896 Connecticut State League President: D.W. Porter (aka Naugatuck Valley State League) 1897 Connecticut State League President: Sturgis Whitlock 1898 Connecticut State League President: Sturgis Whitlock New Britain disbanded June 23. Derby disbanded June 25. 1899 Connecticut State League - schedule President: Tim Murnane No Playoffs. 1900 Connecticut State League President: Sturgis Whitlock No Playoffs. 1901 Connecticut State League President: Tim Murnane No Playoffs. 1902 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke / Sturgis Whitlock No Playoffs. 1903 Connecticut State League President: Sturgis Whitlock No Playoffs: 12 Holyoke games (8-4) were deducted after
135-663: The Norwich Bonbons disbanded. The Norwich team was transferred to Meriden, Connecticut on July 15, 1910, with the franchise playing as the Meriden Doublins . Meriden disbanded on July 24, 1914. The Connecticut Association permanently disbanded on August 4, 1910. The New London Whalers were in first place when the Connecticut Association folded on August 4, 1910. New London finished with a record of 32–25 under manager Charles Hupmhrey. New London
150-590: The oldest player ever to appear in the National League , and the oldest player to hit safely in a major league game. O'Rourke is one of only 29 players in baseball history to appear in Major League games in four decades. In 1912, he returned to the field to catch a complete minor league game at the age of 60. O'Rourke died of pneumonia at age 68 in Bridgeport, Connecticut . He was elected to
165-1054: The season due to ineligible player violations. 1904 Connecticut League President: Jim O'Rourke Worcester (26-11) moved to Norwich June 21. No Playoffs. 1905 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke No Playoffs. 1906 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke No Playoffs. 1907 Connecticut State League President: W. J. Tracey No Playoffs. 1908 Connecticut State League President: W. J. Tracey No Playoffs. 1909 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke No Playoffs. 1910 Connecticut State League - schedule President: W.J. Tracy] No Playoffs. 1911 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke Northampton and Holyoke disbanded June 26. No Playoffs. 1912 Connecticut State League President: Jim O'Rourke New Britain (12-22) moved to Waterbury June 15. No Playoffs. Jim O%27Rourke (baseball) As manager James Henry O'Rourke (September 1, 1850 – January 8, 1919), nicknamed " Orator Jim ",
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#1732787462226180-579: Was a Class D league with teams in eight cities. In 1905, the league became Class B , which lasted until 1913, when the league became the Eastern Association due to several teams outside of the state entering the league. Also a Class B league, it survived two more seasons, then folded after the 1914 season. 1884 Connecticut State League Willimantic expelled September 3. The league played two games each week: Wednesdays and Saturdays 1885 Connecticut State League (Continuation of
195-564: Was an American professional baseball player in the National Association and Major League Baseball who played primarily as a left fielder . For the period 1876–1892, he ranks behind only Cap Anson in career major league games played (1,644), hits (2,146), at-bats (6,884), doubles (392) and total bases (2,936), and behind only Harry Stovey in runs scored (1,370) (Stovey was a younger player; Anson played five seasons and O'Rourke four prior to 1876.). In 1945 , O'Rourke
210-687: Was followed by the Middletown Jewels (26–24), Norwich Bonbons / Meriden Doublins (19–25) and Willimantic Colts (19–28) in the final league standings. The Reach Official American League Guide publication (p.553) listed Middletown as the Connecticut Association winner with a 35–30 record, citing the season ending on September 10,1910. The Connecticut Association did not return to play after folding in 1910. Norwich (19–12) disbanded July 10 and moved to Meriden July 15; Meriden disbanded July 24. The season officially ended August 4. Willimantic Colts The Connecticut League , also known as
225-744: Was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame . O'Rourke was born in East Bridgeport , Connecticut , and worked on his family's farm while playing youth league and semi-pro baseball. He began his professional career as a member of the Middletown Mansfields in 1872, joining the one-year-old National Association team as a catcher. The Mansfields were not a top-tier team, and folded in August, but O'Rourke had impressed other teams sufficiently enough to be offered
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