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By Ron P. Coderre
This week’s RPC sporty shout out is sent along to Putnam chiropractor, Dr. Fred Barks. Involved in many aspects of community service, Dr. Barks is one of the main supporters of semi-professional football in northeastern Connecticut.
It’s been some time since someone from northeastern Connecticut has been involved with professional baseball. There was a time, many years ago, when Walter Dropo, the “Moose from Moosup” was the talk of Major League baseball. But today there are very few who recall Dropo and his exploits with the Boston Red Sox when he captured the 1950 American League Rookie of the Honors.
Then there was Bruce Boisclair from Killingly High School who became the premier pinch hitter in the National League when he played for the New York Mets. And of course there was Putnam’s Bob Auger who played minor league ball for a couple seasons before arm problems shortened his career. Later a pair of Tourtellotte diamond standouts Brian Murphy and Alan Leboeuf made their names in the minor league ranks.
Today we have to reach down to southeastern Connecticut to connect with anyone associated in Major League baseball. It was with great pleasure that we read on Bleacher Report about two local products, Pete Walker and Rajai Davis. Both are associated with the Toronto Blue Jays of the American League East Division.
Walker, who this year was elevated by the Jays from bullpen coach to pitching coach, has been retained by Toronto for next season despite the disastrous season that the Canadian franchise suffered this past season. Although some of the Toronto coaching staff was not retained for the 2014 season, Walker and Manager John Gibbons will be back in the spring as the Blue Jays aspire to correct things in the nest and once again contend for an AL East title.
Davis, who played at New London High School and UConn-Avery Point, is currently part of the Blue Jays organization but will become a free agent as soon as the World Series ends. The second leading base stealer in the American League this season behind Boston’s Jacoby Ellsbury, Davis is hoping to catch on with some team that will allow him to play every day. According to Bleacher Report, he may be able to demand a salary of more than $6.5 million with the right organization. There’s still a slim chance that Davis may sign with Toronto.
It’s unfortunate that northeastern Connecticut doesn’t have a Major League player to write about but with Walker, Davis and John McDonald, currently with the Red Sox and Matt Harvey of the New York Mets we have an opportunity, albeit somewhat long distance, to associate with players from Eastern Connecticut.
More News from Southeastern Connecticut…
Owen Coderre, “Big O” to his close friends, the son of former Putnam High School baseball and basketball standout Lance Coderre and his wife Lisa of Waterford, recently enjoyed an athletic experience that very few 11-year-old young men get to experience.
Coderre, along with two of his classmates, James Hodge and Connor Elci, traveled to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., home of the Jets and Giants for a very special sports-related day. The boys, all 6th graders at Clark Lane Middle School were guest of James Hodge’s stepdad who has a friend who works for the New York Daily News.
The Daily News was sponsoring a couple of flag football games at the stadium, one for kids and one for “big kids,” adults. In the kids game Owen was the quarterback for his team, and although they lost 14- 0, he had a blast. Following the games the participants were all treated to a dinner, where they got to meet two former Jets’ players, defensive back Bobby Jackson and running back/kick returner Bruce Harper. As an aside to deeply dedicated Jets and NFL fans, if you’ve ever seen a Jets fan on television known as “Fireman Ed,” he’s the guy wearing Harper’s #42.
Despite the thrill of playing in MetLife Stadium and meeting the former Jets’ players, young Coderre remains a loyal New England Patriots fan. Owen Coderre’s paternal grandparents are Moe and Pam Coderre of Putnam.
Chugging Along…
The Putnam Science Academy Mustangs got their basketball season off running, literally, as the team bonded with a 1-mile run at the St. Marie-Greenhalgh Athletic Complex. According to coach Tom Espinosa, “This was a great way to kickoff the 2013 hoop season.”
After shaking off the early morning cobwebs, the team took the four laps around the 440 track with Jalen Terry, who’s accustomed to running fast in the frigid Alaska weather, being the first player to cross the finish line. He posted a time of 5:39 a full 46 seconds ahead of second-place finisher Anthony Durham who hails from Pennsylvania. In third place one second behind Durham at 6:06 was Danny Upchurch from Bridgeport.
World Series Lucky…
Two Thompson residents were among the more than 40,000 chilly fans at Fenway Park in Boston on Thursday, Oct. 24 for the second game of the 2013 World Series. Kirby Cunha and John Lesniewski, a pair of avid baseball fans, although it’s possible they’re not necessarily Red Sox fans, were on hand as the BoSox went down at the hand of Cardinal rookie pitching sensation Michael Wacha by a score of 4-2.
Get Well Soon…
A rehab patient at Westview Health Care Center is former Plainfield businessman, all-around good guy and community servant Bob Quintal. The former owner of Quintal Insurance and ex-president of the Plainfield Chamber of Commerce, is in the rehab unit following surgery. Send Quintal a note and wish him a speedy recovery at Westview HCC, 150 Ware Road, Dayville, CT 06241. RPC is rooting for a quick recovery, Bob.
From The Annals of Putnam Sports History…
October 1903: Putnam has a pro basketball team and has joined the Connecticut Eastern League, which consists of teams from Mystic, Norwich, New London, Danielson and Willimantic. (Information contributed by Willie Zamagni)
RPC’s Closing Thought For The Day: “When I’m on the road, my greatest ambition is to get a standing boo.” Al Hrabosky, Major League relief pitcher.