Deedy.com Blog

Look up Deedy in Websters Dictionary and you will see the following definition - \Deed"y\, a. Industrious; active. [R.] --Cowper. But to me Deedy is simply my last name and not a very common one at that. My Father always said "find yourself in a strange city? Open a phone book, find a Deedy and give them a call - chances are they are a relative." So, for all the Deedy's out there hello and welcome.


Jack Barry's Wikipedia Page Project

My brother Conal sent me an email last week pointing me toward our great-uncle, Jack Barry's, wikipedia page. Wikipedia is a free, online encyclopedia that is collaboratively written and maintained by volunteers.

While it is great that a page has been dedicated to Jack Barry and his baseball career, the article itself is skimpy and as Conal pointed out to me - has some inaccuracies. This was the section he pointed me toward:
He played in the World Series in 1915 and 1916 for the Red Sox. Acknowledged as the team's on-field leader, he became a player-manager in 1917, leading the team to a 90-win season and a second-place finish to the Chicago White Sox. After sporadic play in 1918, he decided to retire rather than be sold away in another fire sale following Harry Frazee's decision to sell his shortstop back to the Athletics.
No mention is made of why he was only available for "sporadic play" in 1918 - he had enlisted in the army for WWI (along with many other players that year).



There is a lot more information about Jack Barry that can be added to the page and I propose launching a Jack Barry Wikipedia page project where we can be the volunteers to update, edit, and make the page much more accurate and complete. If you are interested in helping with this effort, please take a few moments to read the current version of the page and let me know what other information you feel is missing.

I think we should be able to create a much better page to honor Jack's memory!

Labels:

Being Jack Barry for a night

I found this curious story in the New York Times archives this evening - I wonder what my Great-Uncle Jack Barry thought of it at the time?
"Jack Barry" Gets Night's Lodging
New York Times
Feb 22, 1914

CHICAGO, Feb. 21. - By telling physicians at the West Side Hospital that he was Jack Barry, shortstop of the Philadelphia Athletics, a shabbily attired man last night enjoyed a good night's sleep in a clean bed. The man asked for free remedial attention and after declaring he was Barry, was given special attention in a private ward. Charles Kuhn, ground keeper for the Cubs baseball park, was called in by the physicians and identified the man as Barry. Later, however, the man admitted he was not Barry when he was confronted with photographs of the baseball player.

Labels:

Jack Barry in the Ken Burns Baseball Documentary

Jack Barry is seen and mentioned in Baseball - A Film By Ken Burns. Below is a clip from the 3rd Inning - toward the end you will see Jack Barry with the other members of the $100,000 infield.

Labels:

Jack Barry and Babe Ruth "bear" hunting in New Hampshire

I found this article in the December 1916 Baseball Magazine issue. It is a rather silly article, but that is why I liked it so much. It gives you a little peek into the relationship between Jack Barry and Babe Ruth, as well as how close the ball players could be with the media. In this article they are all vacationing together. The article also mentions Margaret McDonough Barry and other players wives. I would love to be able to find the film mentioned in the article, but I am not sure how to go about tracking it down. If anyone has any ideas let me know!

Baseball Magazine
December 1916

A Red Sox Outing
World's Champions Tour New England as Ed Maynard's Guests
By R. F. Potts

When the World's Series was over, we are told, that out at Fenway Park some considerable ghost walked, and that each Red Sox player tucked away in his kick a check for $3,700 or thereabouts. To be a member of the World's Champions baseball team, with $3,700 in your pocket as the result of five afternoons' work, is more good fortune than comes to the average person in a whole lifetime. Naturally, these much advertised young athletes are greatly sought after and about October each year become social lions in their respective home towns. Naturally, every one of them is anxious to go home after seven months' absence, so it is considered quite an achievement for the host who can corral any great number of World's Champ players when the big games are over.

Ball players take to hunting quite as readily as ducks to water, and are usually ready for an excursion of the type. But the biggest single bunch of Red Sox players to leave Boston after the last series was the party invited to Lake Squam, N.H., by Ed. Maynard of the Draper-Maynard Co.

Maynard makes it an annual hobby to carry a bunch of players to his beautiful camp for a week-end hunting outing. The party this year consisted of Jack Barry, "Babe" Ruth, Shotten, "Chet" Thomas, Hoblitzell, McNally, "Tilly" Walker, and "Doc" Greene, the Red Sox trainer. Before the trip ended the party was favored by a visit from Mrs. Jack Barry, Mrs. Hoblitzell, and Mrs. Ruth. Besides a few friends and relatives of several of the players, the party included also Arthur Duffy, the one time champion sprinter, and Mrs. Duffy; Tim Murnane, the Boston baseball writer; Paul Shannon of the Boston Post, and a member of the BASEBALL MAGAZINE staff, accompanied by a "still" photographer and a movie camera man.

The party left Boston by automobile, passing through Lowell, where the populace turned out to witness the famous players bedecked in their brilliant crimson sport coats. At Concord, N.H., the players were entertained at luncheon by the Elks Club. The next stop was Laconia, where Mayor Munsey was authorized to turn over the freedom of the town to the party, which he did, by presenting a large, seven-foot gold key. The speech accepting the Mayor's invitation was made by Ed. Maynard, age 31 representing one generation of the Maynard family - while two more generations were represented by John Maynard, Sr. age 71, and Master Maynard, age 3, who was dressed as the Red Sox mascot.

On reaching the camp at Squam Lake, the party found covers set for forty diners. Ball players were served individual steaks the size of a dinner plate. Each ball player ate a whole steak, while the less ferocious newspaper men were content with about one-quarter as much. Six roasted suckling pigs helped out the menu for the evening. The story is widely circulated that "Babe" Ruth ate a whole pig and wanted part of Jack Barry's, but to say he devoured but half a pig is nearer the truth. "Babe" just hates his stomach on a trip like this. The players slept on beds made of limbs of birch trees, with covers of army blankets and genuine sheep skins.

One day was devoted to a motor trip through the White Mountains and a visit to the famous Lost River. Here a noted New England guide, Frank Leah, served the party with a bushel of beans which had been baking in the ground for a day and a half - done in genuine backwood men's style.

One of the amusing scenes at the camp was a comedy "bear" hunt. This was staged for the benefit of the movie conductor. Dick Sears of Boston - the production to be released by the Hearst's International Film Service.

Here's a bit of the "scenario":

The open season for shooting had not arrived by October 18, so Trainer "Doc" Greene of the Red Sox, was elected to be the "bear." "Doc" donned a bear skin coat and crawled into the woods on his hands and knees. The "Doc" made a capital bear. But just as the camera man was starting to film his antics, he dropped flat. Hoblitzell with heroic courage ran to discover the cause. The "bear" certainly was suffering; no doubt about it; we thought he was shot. When the bear regained his speech we were greeted with a flood of picturesque language on the disadvantages of swallowing a cud of tobacco, which he had been chewing.

Anyway, we got the "Doc" fixed up again and went on with the picture. The bear hunt was followed by wrestling matches, tango dancing in the camp house and boxing bouts - the main event being between Ruth and Hobby. "Chet" Thomas acted as referee, and declared it a draw.

"Tilly" Walker seemed to be the social lion. Everybody wanted to see Tilly, who will be recalled as the lad who attempted to fill Speaker's shoes last season. Tilly's World's Series showing probably surpassed Speaker's last World's Series performance, even though he may have failed to equal Speaker's record for the 1916 as a whole.

Tilly, however, had his troubles. His brother, who looks exactly like his, was on the trip. Tilly had been in town on a former visit, and being unmarried, he, of course, met many of the young ladies of Plymouth. They are not the kind who forget a lad so good-looking as Tilly. Imagine his surprise then, when several of these young ladies 'phoned him the second day, asking why he had turned them down and refused to speak when passing on the street the previous day. They say Tilly lost several pounds in his efforts to explain. He finally proved by other members of the party that it was his brother they had met and not himself. Of course, he was reinstated in the good graces of all. Now Tilly is seriously thinking of settling in New Hampshire, and so is his brother.

A forenoon was devoted to showing the party through the factory of the Draper-Maynard Co., and at the close of the journey each member was presented with a beautiful souvenir. A reception was also held for the benefit of the children of the public schools of Plymouth and for the Normal and High Schools.

While the players were receiving, their wives sat in machines and looked on at the Normal School girls as they "complimented" the Sox on their brawn and good looks, or I should perhaps better say, their achievements in the baseball world.

Dick Sears, the movie man, focused his eyes on the wives of the players just then, and he seemed to detect a flash of displeasure on their faces. "Will you ladies be jealous if I have the girls shake hands with your husbands?" asked Sears. "No." they chirped in unison, and then one of them ventured. "Those girls won't have a look-in with our husbands, they have got to answer that 2 o'clock bell; but we'll be waiting here in the machines to welcome them."

No - Plymouth Normal Girls, you can't have Ruth; he's married. But there's "Chet" Thomas. Only 26, and gets $3,700 every October; at least, he has of late years. To be young and a World's Champion ball player, drawing down six to twelve thousand for seven months' work, it's a tough life. Every day now - clear up to April - he must take up his rifle, climb into a motor car and be driven to some hunting wood. "It's very, very hard to be a baseball slave."

Labels:

Jack Barry's Registration Cards

Jack Barry's registration records for WWI and WWII have been found and provide a couple of interesting tidbits. In the WWI Registration Card, Jack Barry lists his address as 1 View Street - so he and his wife Margaret were living with Mary Loftus McDonough. He indicates in the registration card that he is seeking a deferment for service due to his need to support his wife. He must have changed his mind later - since he enlisted in WWI, interupting his baseball career.

In the WWII Draft Card a scar is noted. This would be the famous scar Jack Barry obtained when Ty Cobb spiked him.

Labels:

Jack Barry used World Series money to buy car

Another Jack Barry article found - this one also mentions the O'Leary's.
Boston Daily Globe
November 28, 1911

PUTS PRIZE MONEY IN AUTO

Jack Barry of the Athletics Drives With His Wife to Worcester in New Machine - Is to Run a Garage.

WORCESTER, Nov 1 - In a new automobile, which he purchased with part of his share of the prize money resulting from the World's Series of baseball games, "Jack" Barry shortstop of the Philadelphia Athletics arrived in Worcester tonight with Mrs Barry to take up their home in a new flat on Vernon St.

So sure was Barry that the Athletics would win the series that he placed the order for the auto before the games were started and the day after the final game, which gave his team the championship, he had the machine delivered.

Coming to Worcester with Mrs Barry the couple made a short stay in Barry's old home in Meriden, Conn. They left there this forenoon and arrived tonight about 8 at the home of Mrs M.T. O'Leary, Mrs Barry's sister, with whom they will stay until their own home is ready.

Barry has invested money in a garage to which he will devote his time until ordered to report to Connie Mack next Spring.
I wonder if that Vernon street apartment was in the home owned by Thomas and Mary McDonough?

Labels: ,

Jack Barry enlisted in WWI

This picture is from a Dec 6, 1917 Boston Globe article and the caption under the photo reads: Insert - First-class yeoman Jack Barry, manager of the Red Sox, who made a strong plea for support for the Sailors' Relief Fund. At first I thought Jack Barry had been drafted. His WWI registration card asks for a deferment due to his need to "support wife". But this Dec 31, 1918 article: Red Sox Planning To Part With Barry indicates that he enlisted along with some of his team mates. Once enlisted, it appears he participated in a number of exhibition games and fund raising events.

Labels:

Sign of Jack Barry still visible in Shrewsbury house

Jack & Margaret McDonough Barry built their dream home in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. My Father has many fond memories of visiting the couple in their gracious home.

Here are some black&white photos of Jack and Margaret and their home my Father took during a visit in 1959 (we think).

On March 24, 2008 my Father and I stopped by the old Barry house in Shrewsbury, MA and took these photos. The wooden shutters with the custom detail of crossed baseball bats and ball are still there. Nice to see a lingering bit of Jack and Margaret's dream left its mark on the home.

Labels:

Jack Barry in the News again

Great-uncle Jack Barry was in this past Sunday's Boston Globe sports section. The globe created a special section which featured past Red Sox managers and then ranked them. Jack Barry was ranked #17.

Click on the individual images to see them larger. In the first image you can see Jack Barry's A's baseball card photo in the bottom row, second one in (above the B). In the second page you can see a larger view of that photo along with a short description of his career as a Red Sox Manager (he was also a successful Red Sox player before he became manager, then went off to WWI).

Labels:

Oops!

I just realized the Jack Barry Holy Cross book and the short story about Babe Ruth and Jack Barry did not make it onto the CDs I sent out. I will see about uploading them to the website for you to download or if more old family photos come in I will look into creating a Vol III CD and including the books/stories then.

Updated: Below are the two scanned stories I forgot to include in the CDs. Both are PDF files. If you have trouble downloading or viewing them please let me know.

How I got Babe Ruths Autograph by Jack Deedy

The Quiet Crusader

Labels: , ,

Jack Barry, Ty Cobb, and the spiking incident


The New York Times has opened up its archives to free searching and while testing the new access I came across this Letter to the Editor writen by my Uncle Jack Deedy about an incident between Ty Cobb and Jack Barry (my great-uncle).
September 29, 1985
A DARK MEMORY OF TY COBB
To the Sports Editor:

Don Dunphy's fond memories of Ty Cobb (Mailbox, Sept. 15) contrast with those of our family. Our uncle was Jack Barry, shortstop of Connie Mack's $100,000 Philadelphia A's infield, and he carried on his left leg a long, ugly scar from a spiking by Cobb. He would show it to his wide-eyed nieces and nephews rather as a medal winner might show off an old war wound. I don't recall though that any of us thought it a badge of honor. It made us think darkly of Cobb.

As Uncle Jack told the story, it was late August 1912, and the Athletics and the Detroit Tigers were playing in Philadelphia's Shibe Park. Cobb was on first and called over to Barry that he was coming on the next pitch. He did, spikes high and sharp. The throw from the catcher to Barry nailed Cobb, but Cobb spiked Barry. Barry remembered that he felt no pain, but that as he trotted back to his position he felt his stocking soaking up. He knew it was blood. Barry played out the inning, fearing that if he took himself immediately out of the game he might have triggered a riot. I secretly thought that was a bit of histrionics until I read in your paper some weeks back how much Cobb was disliked in Philadelphia and how he was once roughed up by passengers in a trolley car. In any instance, Barry was out for the rest of the season, and Philadelphia lost the pennant to the Boston Red Sox.

To my uncle's credit, he never suggested that the spiking was other than accidental. In fact, when he told the story of the spiking, he would invariably accompany it with the story of an incident that took place years later in a Philadelphia hotel lobby.

Philadelphia Athletic stars of previous teams were invited back for an old-timers night. Barry was one of them, and so, too, was Cobb, who, of course, finished out his long career with two seasons with Philadelphia.

Barry was off to the side of the lobby with two or three friends, when Cobb sighted him, came over, threw his arm around Barry's shoulder and said to all within earshot, ''Gentlemen, this is one man I was sorry I spiked.''

Incidentally, 1912 - the year of the spiking incident - was the only season from 1910 through 1916 that Jack Barry was not with a pennant winner. During that stretch, he played in six World Series - four with Philadelphia and two with the Boston Red Sox - establishing a record for World Series participation that stood until the ascendancy of the New York Yankees.

JOHN DEEDY

Rockport, Mass.

Labels:

College Baseball Hall of Fame Award

Tom Deedy (AKA Dad) made it back from Texas and the College Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony safe and sound. Here he is posing with the award he accepted on behalf of his late Uncle John "Jack" Barry.



He had a great time at the festivities and enjoyed meeting the inductees and their families.

Labels:

Jack Barry inducted in the College Baseball Hall of Fame

Yesterday John "Jack" Barry former Holy Cross coach and former Red Sox and Athletic's baseball player was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, Texas. Thomas Deedy was onhand to accept the honor on behalf of the family as well as Holy Cross College.

Inaugural Veterans Class Inducted into College Baseball Hall of Fame
The inaugural Veterans Class of the National College Baseball Hall of Fame was inducted this morning in a ceremony held in Lubbock, Texas. Jack Barry of Holy Cross, Lou Gehrig of Columbia, Christy Mathewson of Bucknell and Joe Sewell of Alabama comprised the class.

Barry, a player and later coach at Holy Cross, coached the Crusaders for 39 seasons, including a College World Series title in 1952. Representing Barry in the ceremony, which was conducted as part of the “Hall of Fame Showcase” at City Bank Texas, was his nephew, Mr. Tom Deedy. A video speech was played from Ron Perry, former Holy Cross athletic director and a player for Barry on the ’52 national champions, in which he spoke of Barry.

“Jack Barry stressed the fundamentals and he demanded that we be mentally alert at all times,” Perry said. “He did not hesitate to replace a player who was not attentive.”


Today an additional 11 players and coaches were also inducted. You can read more about the festivities here: Players enter Hall with former coaches
Four veterans (pre-1947) inductees were also honored during the week’s festivities — John “Jack” Barry from Holy Cross (1905-08, player; 1921-60, coach), Lou Gehrig from Columbia (1922-24), Christy Mathewson from Bucknell (1898-1900) and Joe Sewell (1918-20, player; 1964-69, coach).

Labels:

Photo find at Fenway Park

Dad was visiting Fenway Park yesterday to attend the Red Sox game. A fundraising booth had been set-up and the Boston Public Library was selling prints of old Red Sox photos found in the archives. He was amazed to see this image of his uncle Jack Barry shaking Joe Cronin's hand in an undated Fenway Park photo.

The person selling the photos said this picture was one of its most popular. Lots of Joe Cronin fans and Holy Cross alumni were the main purchasers.

Labels:

The Man Who Made The Red Sox Team

We are counting down to the July 2 - 4th induction of Jack Barry to the College Baseball Hall of Fame in Lubbock, Texas. Here is a 1915 The Baseball Magazine article about Jack Barry.

The Man Who Made The Red Sox Team
Jack Barry and His Great Work at Boston
by Eugene McGillicuddy

WELL the White Sox got the famous Eddie Collins, and the Red Sox got Barry. You said it, boy, the Red Sox got Barry!

When the old Roman purchased Eddie Collins at the enormous price of $50,000, all fandom gasped, and then agreed the White Sox had made a ten strike. If there was one ball player in the business who would make a team pennant contenders, Eddie Collins was the man, the star of the famous Mack machine, and one of the game’s greatest hitters and base runners.

The pale-hosed crew lived up to expectations, with Collins at the helm, and jumped to the lead from the start, showing the way to all comers.

Then the news bobbed out that Connie Mack intended to rebuild his great ball club, and that Jack Barry and others were on the market. While Barry was not considered nearly as valuable in all around ability as Collins, still his clever fielding and ability to come through in a pinch made him a good investment for any club. Chicago wanted him, so did New York, but Jack being a Worcester boy, preferred Boston, and Lannin once more opened his purse strings for a high-grade player.


Speculation was rife among the fans as to what position Barry would play, for in Scott the Red Sox had one of the game’s greatest and most promising short fielders, with Janvrin, another young star, pressing him hard. On the other side of the bag Heine Wagner, the veteran shortstop, was endeavoring to do a come-back stunt after a year’s absence and was doing well except for a little slowness in the field.

When Barry was suggested as a second baseman, many claimed it couldn’t be done and pointed to the fact that Jack had started out as a keystone sacker with the A’s and failed to make good. Nevertheless, second was the position assigned him, and he took up the job against Washington on the 5th of July.

Talk about Collins rounding out the White Sox and making them a real winning machine, why Boston fans will tell you that trick didn’t fit for a minute with the way Barry made the Red Sox. From the day he pulled on his glove in a Boston uniform, the team started to come, the old slowness in handling the ball around second base changed to lightning double plays old-timers say a pennant winning club must be strong in this department), and the question, ”What can be the matter with the Red Sox ?” changed to “Wonder who the Sox will meet in the big series this fall?” Ask any loyal rooter and he will tell you
that Jack Holy Cross Barry is the big reason.

When you are talking about keystone kings, don’t overlook this bird either. He’s working like a charm with Everett Scott and Hal Janvrin, and making the superhuman stops and catches that made him famous as the “Flying Octopus.” Also it would take a chapter to recount the games he has won with his timely stick work.

And so, although the White Sox got Collins and eventually Murphy, Jackson and Leibold, there is a whole chapter in that one little line, “THE RED SOX GOT BARRY —THE MAN WHO MADE THE TEAM.”

Labels:

Follow-up on Jack Barry celebration in Worcester

My father attended the Hotel Vernon celebration for Jack Barry and Babe Ruth in Worcester back in December. I did mention it in the post: Jack Barry Celebration in Worcester! but did not follow-up on the press from the visit. Before the story is archived from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette website, I thought I would post it here. My father who is quoted in the article would like me to clarify that he is not a "Vermont Native" - he was born in Worcester and grew up there - he just happens to live in Vermont now.

Babe Ruth lifted a few around here

Yarns spun as Worcester salutes ‘Jack & The Babe’

By Phil O’Neill TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

WORCESTER— “He’s probably looking down right now and having a great time,” Linda Ruth Tosetti said of her grandfather, Babe Ruth.

Both the Bambino and Jack Barry, the former major leaguer and long-time Holy Cross coach, would have thoroughly enjoyed “Jack & The Babe,” a Worcester salute to the two sports legends yesterday that included a seven-car cavalcade to No. 1 View St. on Vernon Hill, where the pair spent the winter of 1915-16 and a follow-up celebration at the Hotel Vernon that included peanuts and ice-cold beer and baseball memories.

The way Tom Deedy, Barry’s nephew and a Vermont native, told the story, Ruth was studying a road map in the Fenway Park dressing room after the Red Sox won the 1915 World Series against the Cubs. Newly married and facing his first off-season after his first full season in the majors, the Bambino-to-be didn’t have a home and was thinking about driving back to his native Baltimore when Barry, a veteran Red Sox infielder, suggested the couple jump on the train with him and stay a week at his home in Worcester while firming up their plans.


The week turned into most of the winter, and the Babe, who liked a good time, reportedly spent considerable time a half-mile down Vernon Street at what is often referred to as the “Kelley Square Yacht Club,” which in those days included the Hotel Vernon and McGady’s Tavern.

Bob Largess, who bought the Hotel Vernon in January, and Allie Bombz, who is filming a documentary about the history of the famous watering hole — which includes a still-intact speak-easy from Prohibition days in the cellar — came up with the idea for yesterday’s tribute as a promotion tied in with the burgeoning Blackstone Canal revival in the area. They held a Prohibition-Repeal party Friday night and recently sponsored a tribute to the Worcester serviceman who died in World War I for whom Kelley Square is named.

About 200 people showed up to celebrate the legacy of Barry and Ruth in Worcester.

Tosetti, who lives in Durham, Conn., was the main attraction, signing for a line of autograph seekers before the speaking program. She said she never met her grandfather, who died in 1948. “I’m popular now, but he’s the one who hit the balls. That’s what my mother used to say, too,” she said.

Tosetti said her mother, Dorothy, was often referred to as adopted, but that wasn’t the case. “My grandfather wasn’t married to my grandmother, but I’m a direct blood descendent. Her name was Eironi.”

The Babe’s granddaughter said she was excited at being invited yesterday. “Worcester is beautiful, old but beautiful.” Of the Babe she said, “Yes, he partied hard, and I’m sure he did at the Vernon. But he always gave back. He never refused an autograph. He liked to laugh and have a good time. He’s probably looking down right now and having a great time.”

Bill Jenkinson, a baseball historian who is writing a book titled, “The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs,” told the festive crowd the book is predicated on Ruth playing 162 games in today’s stadiums and under today’s rules. “I make a very, very solid case he could hit over 100 home runs,” he said. “The Babe hit the ball harder and farther than anyone. I’ve studied them all and none comes close.”

Art Johnson, a Holden resident who pitched for the Boston Braves from 1940 to 1942 and was another head table guest, said he was scouted by the Braves as a 15-year-old in high school in his native Winchester and was asked to pitch batting practice at Braves Field in 1935. Ruth was winding up his career with the Braves that year. “Babe hit one off me over the Jury Box in right field. It was the longest home run I ever saw.”

Wilbur “Bud” Valiquette had another Ruth yarn. The Big Bam supposedly called his famous home run shot in the 1932 World Series against the Cubs, but the Hope Avenue resident said he did it again in a 1934 exhibition game against Holy Cross at Fitton Field. “I was only 7 years old, but I remember him holding up his arms, pointing out to center field and then hitting a home run out there,” Valiquette said. “Then he trotted over to the band, grabbed a horn and played a tune, and everyone clapped.”

Tom Rooney, a former Leicester bank president and local historian, told of Barry’s long and illustrious career, from captain and shortstop at Holy Cross, to a member of Connie Mack’s $100,000 Infield with the Philadelphia A’s, through his days at second base with the Red Sox, which he managed in 1917, and then on to his longtime tenure coaching baseball at Holy Cross, where he won a national championship in 1952.

Darryl Servideo of Worcester said he enjoyed talking with Tosetti, who is a big Red Sox fan. “She said she met Johnny Damon and told him he was going through the same thing Babe Ruth did, switching from the Red Sox to the Yankees,” Servideo said.

Rooney told of Barry building a home in Shrewsbury, while Deedy recalled the knee-to-ankle spike wound his uncle carried courtesy of Ty Cobb.

Three local antique car societies contributed impressive autos to the cavalcade up Vernon Street to No. 1 View where Ruth stayed in Barry’s second-floor apartment. Members of the Deedy, McDonough and Trainor families who once lived in the three-decker turned up for the occasion. Ruth returned to Worcester in later years to see Barry, who owned a car dealership on Pleasant Street, and there are stories of the Bambino ice-skating and enjoying himself in the city.

Largess and Bombz both grew up on the city’s West Side. Largess, who also owns McGovern’s Package Store nearby, is involved in the Blackstone Canal Task Force in that section of the city. Bombz, a composer and band member who has worked in New York, Los Angeles and Brazil, said he walked into the Hotel Vernon in August, became fascinated with the history of the building and neighborhood and decided to do a documentary on it.

“I think it’s important that we take pride in Worcester and celebrate its history,” he said.

That got off to a good start yesterday.

Labels:

Jack Barry Photos

Conal has been trolling the internet for Jack Barry images. Don't forget - he will be inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame this summer (July 4th weekend) in Texas!


Jack Barry is one of the men in the center photo. This photo shows the four men who made up the famous $100,000 infield.



This cartoon which appeared in the Dec. 15, 1917 Boston Post newspaper notes how many Boston Red Sox players had enlisted to fight in WWI - which made it doubtful the 1918 baseball season would be a good one for Red Sox Nation.



We believe Jack Barry is pictured here with Babe Ruth hunting in New Hampshire in 1916.



Here is a 1915 photo of Jack Barry in Fenway park.

- How is Jack Barry related to the Deedy's?
- Lefty Grove visits Wabash Ave

Labels:

Jack Barry to be inducted to College Baseball Hall of Fame

Thanks to Justine who called Thomas R. with this news tip: MSNBC Article: Gehrig, Mathewson among 4 vets elected to college baseball Hall
Joining Gehrig were former Bucknell pitcher Christy Mathewson, Alabama second baseman and coach Joe Sewell, and Holy Cross shortstop and coach Jack Barry. The four will be officially enshrined, along with several other inductees to be elected later this year, in July during a ceremony in Lubbock - the site of the new Hall of Fame.
- College Baseball Hall of Fame Announces First-Ever Veteran Inductees

The College Baseball Hall of Fame is located in Lubbock, Texas and the inductee festivities are July 3 - 4, 2007.

Labels:

Deedy.com Archive Photos

I have been working on scanning some of my Father's photo albums. With Dad having been the youngest of 4 boys he does not seem to have many photos from his childhood (at least not when compared to my Mother who was the oldest of three). Being a youngest child myself, I realized that as we grow older and start having children of our own the family stories and memories tend to get lost or dispursed.

On my Mother's side of the family I was lucky that she was a horder and has kept many scrapbooks and photo albums some dating to the 1800's. But for Dad's side of the family I am working with just two black and white photo albums. While my sources might be relatively scarce, the images these two albums contain may be of interest to other Deedy's.

If you would like to see more of the photos I scanned, have some Deedy photos you would like to share or would like more information leave a comment or give my Dad (Thomas R. Deedy) a call.

Labels: ,

Jack Barry Celebration in Worcester!

[Click on image to see larger]


Who was Jack Barry and how is he related to the Deedy's? Jack Barry was married to Margaret McDonough Barry who was the older sister of Grace McDonough Deedy. Jack Barry played professional baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox. He then became the coach of the Holy Cross Baseball team. Famous friends of his like Babe Ruth and Lefty Grove would come to visit and stay from time to time at his home in Worcester, MA.

Today he was honored at a luncheon at The Hotel Vernon.


Want to read more about the connection between the Deedy's and Babe Ruth?

The Best of Baseball Digest

Page 358 "...[1996] The Day I Collected Babe Ruth's Autograph BY JOHN DEEDY
When I was growing up in the 1930s in central Massachusetts, baseball cards were for play. We pitched them against..."

Labels:



Web Deedy.com

120x90_familyhist_dark_1.gif


XML

Powered by Blogger

free webpage hit counter



© 2008 Deedy.com Blog | Deedy.com
No part of the content or the blog may be reproduced without prior written permission.