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Farewell to Ted 'Baz' Bazinet
By Ron Coderre
One of Putnam and northeastern Connecticut’s most talented and underrated athletes died on July 23. Theodore “Baz” Bazinet passed away fighting for his life, as he did when he was playing sports, following a valiant battle with pulmonary fibrosis. He was 83.
Ted Bazinet’s journey through life could easily be transformed into a novel or even a movie.
As a young man he grew up in a loving family literally living on the other side of the tracks. To say “Baz” had a chip on his shoulder would be an understatement. He fought for everything he had as a young man. But it was the baseball diamond and basketball court that eventually provided him the venue to demonstrate exactly who he was and what he could do.
Although by his own admission he wasn’t the best student and didn’t appreciate the confines of the classroom, he later became a very successful individual, working at National Chromium and Kaman Aerospace. But his lack of interest in school led him down another path in life.
Ted joined the U.S. Air Force in 1954, a move that proved to be a life changer. He succeeded as an airman and as an athlete, playing on championship teams that traveled throughout Europe. Ted was a fiery third baseman who could stop anything that came his way at the ‘hot corner.’ He was also a contact hitter with speed to burn on the base paths.
Upon his discharge he returned to Putnam where he had another life-altering experience. He met and married Lorraine Lamoureux with whom he enjoyed 57 years of wedded happiness. Ted dreamt of returning to Europe and showing his bride the land that he had experienced during his time in the military. He and his bride enjoyed traveling through 22 European countries and visiting their favorite city, Paris, five times.
Back home, Ted was one of the most competitive third basemen in the history of Putnam softball. In fact, his fiery spirit often “got him ejected from games” relates his closest friend Peter Aucoin. He’s remembered as a staple in Putnam softball history.
Ted’s desire to succeed at all he endeavored earned him a ‘Silver Snoopy’ award when he was employed at Kaman Aerospace. The award, which was presented to less than 1 percent of the aerospace workforce annually, was presented to Ted by Space Shuttle Endeavor astronaut William G. Gregory.
Approximately three years ago, while living at his winter home in Sarasota, Fla., Ted was informed that he had a lung disease and had but three weeks to live. He returned to Putnam and being the fighter that he was, visited doctors at Day Kimball Hospital who prolonged his life. In fact, following his Florida death notice, Ted lived a fairly comfortable life for three more years until the time of his death.
In Ted’s journey through life he left some very big footprints in sports and in his everyday life. He left footprints of kindness and love, courage and compassion, honor and inspiration, joy and faith and spike marks around the third base area on the softball diamond at Murphy Park. He left memories of a young man with little in life who grew to be a loving husband, endearing friend, American patriot and a great guy whose exploits on earth will not be forgotten by those who knew him and loved him.
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