The historic Willimantic Fairgrounds closed down in 1913 ending the 30
year run of the historic Willimantic Fair, a local institution that
brought crowds and a great deal of trade to the city. But a new
tradition was underway. On May 15,1914, General
F.E. Kaley, one of three members of ATC0's executive committee,
arrived in Willimantic from New
York City to officiate at the opening of the third season of the
American Thread Mill League.
Kaley said that ATCO was going to do a lot toward developing the
fairgrounds into a park for the young people and children of the city.
He then announced that construction would shortly begin on the
Recreation Grounds, formerly the Fairgrounds, of a 500-seat grandstand,
along with changing room facilities, showers and baths for the baseball
players, a “house of comfort” for women and girls and an ice skating
rink. The grandstand was to be placed so that people could watch
baseball games on either of the two diamonds. The new park was to be
landscaped the following year and provisions for a playground solely for
children would be made. Kaley told a reporter that ATCO was not a
soulless corporation and wanted to do everything for people in its
employ. “By providing baseball
facilities in the summer and skating in the winter for- the young men
and women of the city, and playgrounds for the children, the company
feels that it will make good, healthy, clean citizens.”
Now, as the time for the opening ceremonies approached, the teams
assembled outside the Hotel Hooker, and a parade and twenty car
motorcade procession started down Main Street, headed for the
fairgrounds. The Willimantic
American Band led the way, followed by the Mill 6 team captained by
Ernest Melody, Mill 3 team
captained by Joe Hammel, Dye House beam captained
by Timothy McGillicuddy, and
various junior teams, eight in all. The leading ATCO officials,
league officials, and local politicians including Mayor Dunn and members
of the Board of Aldermen in automobiles followed the marchers.
The teams arrived at the grounds and commenced practice. A large
crowd watched as General Kaley threw the first ball to Mayor Daniel
Dunn. The Chronicle reported that the new diamond would be “officially
opened by General Kaley, who will make a few remarks, and will then take
his place on the pitcher’s mound and hurl the first ball over the plate.
Mayor Dunn will be on the receiving end of the delivery and there will
be some class to the launching of the mill league”. At the opening
ceremony, Kaley did pitch to Dunn
who was wearing a catcher’s mask and glove. Kaley then pitched the first
ball for the first game between Mills 5 and 6 at 2 p.m.
Mill 6 had won the pennant in 1913. The second game was between
Mill 3 and the “Dyers,” who had won the first pennant in 1912. Mill 3 had
added “Lefty” Smith to its roster.
Smith had played two seasons for Baltimore in the majors.
The Dyers had signed Art Nichols, a well-known local player who
also had played in the majors. ATCO had laid a new diamond adjacent to
the old diamond, used for many years by the Willimantic Colts and other
semi-professional teams from 1883 until 1901. The junior teams played on
the old diamond, which was rather soggy as it had been flooded to provide
a skating rink in the winters. ATCO announced that its mill league would
provide young players with a chance to catch the eye of major league
scouts. Recreation Park was
officially opened the following season in 1915 during the Old Home Week
celebrations. Mill League baseball continued until 1916 when it was
decided to form one team from the leagues best players. Art Nichols was
appointed coach and contests were arranged with the best
serni-professional teams in the state. In 1918, ATCO defeated a strong
Boston Red Sox team in front of a crowd estimated at 8,000. The American
Thread Athletic Association, which organized baseball, was disbanded
after the bitter 1925 strike when funds from the
Association were used to support strikers.
Recreation Park became city property during the Depression. The
old racetrack, dating from 1883, can still be detected, but the wooden
bleachers and grandstands are long gone.
Click on photo for larger version
|