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- Category: Past Issues
By Ron P. Coderre
Word of the news of the death of a well known Putnam resident filtered through the community, leaving those who knew Bob Bates saddened and shocked.
Bates, who had retired to Bonita Springs, Fla., with his wife of 61 years Ruth, succumbed after a battle with cancer.
A graduate of Brown University, Bates was a well respected teacher and coach in the Putnam Middle School for many years, after earning his master’s degree in education from Eastern Connecticut State University.
The story of Bob Bates as an athlete goes back to the late 1940s when he was a student at Putnam High School and playing for coach Jim Greenhalgh.
Bates starred in football, basketball and baseball for the Clippers.
He was a running back who could turn the corner on the gridiron. On the hardwood he was a shooter and strong inside rebounder.
And in baseball he was a first baseman, who possessed a keen eye at the plate and a potent bat from the left side of the plate. It was in baseball that he was most recognized.
At a time when there were numerous minor league teams and New England prided itself on many competitive semi-pro leagues, Bates was looked upon as a prized talent. He played for a couple of seasons in the competitive Blackstone Valley League.
Joining the education ranks in Putnam, Bates was an immediate favorite with the students. His strong but even-keeled approach in the classroom made his teaching methods effective in getting across to his students. There are numerous adults in the Putnam area today who fondly recall “Mr. Bates” as one of their remembered teachers.
During his tenure as a teacher he also undertook the role of coach of the baseball and basketball teams.
His knowledge of sports and style of coaching produced a number of athletes who later starred at Putnam High School.
Bates was the father of three sons, Mike, Marc, who was known as “Skip” and Alan.
All three were good athletes in their own right and gave their dad many opportunities to smiles as he quietly sat in the stands watching them play for the Clippers.
Later in life, he would enjoy playing in local charitable golf tournaments with the boys as a foursome.
Splitting his retirement time between Putnam and Bonita Springs kept Bates active athletically.
He was a member at Quinnatisset Country Club, where he enjoyed many rounds of golf with friends and former high school classmates.
In Bonita Springs he was one of the most feared hitters at Citrus Park “Field of Dreams,” where he played for almost 20 years.
A good Christian man, Bob Bates devoted many hours to the Congregational Church of Putnam. Every year in June, Bates and his wife were loyal volunteers at the church golf tournament.
Of course, he was so well known that golfers always took a moment to say hello and to ask how he was doing. A humble man of very few words, he was always personable with everyone he met and knew.
But unless you knew about his past, you would never know that he was an accomplished athlete, teacher and coach. Putnam says good bye to a faithful servant, Bob Bates.