Joe Connolly
Encyclopedia
Joseph Aloysius Connolly (February 1, 1884 – September 1, 1943) was a left fielder
in Major League Baseball
who played his entire career for the Boston Braves
from through . Listed at 5' 7.5", 165 lb., Connolly batted left-handed
and threw right-handed.
A native of North Smithfield, Rhode Island
, Connolly was a prominent member of the Boston Braves World Champions
. As for his defense at left field, the Boston Sunday Post wrote "he is fairly fast, the possessor of a strong wing (arm) and he covers a good extent of territory."
Connolly made his professional debut as a pitcher
in 1906 with the Putnam, Connecticut
team of the New England League
. From 1908-1912, he divided his playing time with Class-A Little Rock
and Class-B Zanesville
teams, playing some outfield when he was not pitching. In 1909, while in Zanesville, he posted a 23-8 record and hit .308 during the season. The following year, despite he pitched for a sixth-place team that ended 16 games below .500, he went 16-17, including a no-hitter
, a one-hitter, a two-hitter, and four three-hitters, but he was beginning to experience arm trouble. In 1911 he played exclusively at left field, but financial problems forced Zanesville to send him to Terre Haute
of the Central League, as he led the league hitters with a .355 batting average
, adding 27 stolen base
s. The Chicago Cubs
signed Connolly and then traded him to the Montreal Royals
of the International League
, where he hit .316 in 1912. Drafted by the Washington Senators
of Clark Griffith
in 1913, he was sold immediately to the Boston Braves, to become the team's regular left fielder. Thought his rookie Major League season ended prematurely when he broke his ankle, Connolly led the Braves in average (.281), runs
(79), RBI
(57), triples
(11), and slugging percentage (.410), in 126 games played
.
In , Connolly was a member of the Braves team that went from last place to first place in two months, becoming the first team to win a pennant
after being in last place on the Fourth of July. He was the offensive star of the 1914
Braves, playing predominantly against right-handed pitching and usually batting third in the order at bat
. He led his team with a .306 average (the only regular to hit .300), 28 doubles
(fourth in the National League
), nine home run
s (fifth in the league), and a .494 slugging percentage (third in the league). He hit 1-for-9 with a run and one RBI during the 1914 World Series
, as the Braves defeated Connie Mack's
heavily-favored Philadelphia Athletics
in four games.
The 1915
Braves challenged for the National League and Connolly hit .298, but the following year his production and playing time decreased even more significantly, ending with a .227 average (25-for-110) in just 62 games. Boston's contract offer to Connolly for 1917 slashed his salary in half, and when he refused to sign, the Braves sold him to the Indianapolis Indians
of the American Association
. Realizing that his combined income from farming and playing semipro ball locally would exceed his salary under his professional contract, he decided to retire.
In a four-season career, Connolly was a .288 hitter (358-for-1241) with 14 home runs and 157 RBI in 412 games, including 202 runs, 65 doubles, 31 triples, and 48 stolen bases.
Following his baseball career, Connelly served in the Rhode Island State Legislature. He died in his homeland of North Smithfield, Rhode Island at the age of 59.
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played his entire career for the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
from through . Listed at 5' 7.5", 165 lb., Connolly batted left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
and threw right-handed.
A native of North Smithfield, Rhode Island
North Smithfield, Rhode Island
North Smithfield is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States, settled as a farming community in 1666 and incorporated into its present form in 1871. North Smithfield includes the historic villages of Forestdale, Primrose, Waterford, Branch Village, Union Village, Park Square, and...
, Connolly was a prominent member of the Boston Braves World Champions
1914 World Series
In the 1914 World Series, the Boston Braves beat the Philadelphia Athletics in a four-game sweep.A contender for greatest upset of all time, the "Miracle Braves" were in last place on July 4, then roared on to win the National League pennant by games and sweep the stunned Athletics...
. As for his defense at left field, the Boston Sunday Post wrote "he is fairly fast, the possessor of a strong wing (arm) and he covers a good extent of territory."
Connolly made his professional debut as a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in 1906 with the Putnam, Connecticut
Putnam, Connecticut
Putnam is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY, an AM radio station.-History:...
team of the New England League
New England League
The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played sporadically in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification...
. From 1908-1912, he divided his playing time with Class-A Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
and Class-B Zanesville
Zanesville Infants
The Zanesville Infants was a short-lived baseball franchise located in Zanesville, Ohio, and affiliated with the regional Central League. The organization's name was intended to highlight that they were a new minor league club...
teams, playing some outfield when he was not pitching. In 1909, while in Zanesville, he posted a 23-8 record and hit .308 during the season. The following year, despite he pitched for a sixth-place team that ended 16 games below .500, he went 16-17, including a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
, a one-hitter, a two-hitter, and four three-hitters, but he was beginning to experience arm trouble. In 1911 he played exclusively at left field, but financial problems forced Zanesville to send him to Terre Haute
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
of the Central League, as he led the league hitters with a .355 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, adding 27 stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s. The Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
signed Connolly and then traded him to the Montreal Royals
Montreal Royals
The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec, that existed from 1897–1917 and from 1928–60 as a member of the International League and its progenitor, the original Eastern League...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, where he hit .316 in 1912. Drafted by the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
of Clark Griffith
Clark Griffith
Clark Calvin Griffith , nicknamed "the Old Fox", was a Major League Baseball pitcher, manager and team owner.-Biography:...
in 1913, he was sold immediately to the Boston Braves, to become the team's regular left fielder. Thought his rookie Major League season ended prematurely when he broke his ankle, Connolly led the Braves in average (.281), runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(79), RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(57), triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(11), and slugging percentage (.410), in 126 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
In , Connolly was a member of the Braves team that went from last place to first place in two months, becoming the first team to win a pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
after being in last place on the Fourth of July. He was the offensive star of the 1914
1914 Boston Braves season
The 1914 Boston Braves was a season in American baseball. The team finished first in the National League, winning the pennant by 10½ games over the New York Giants...
Braves, playing predominantly against right-handed pitching and usually batting third in the order at bat
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
. He led his team with a .306 average (the only regular to hit .300), 28 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(fourth in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
), nine home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s (fifth in the league), and a .494 slugging percentage (third in the league). He hit 1-for-9 with a run and one RBI during the 1914 World Series
1914 World Series
In the 1914 World Series, the Boston Braves beat the Philadelphia Athletics in a four-game sweep.A contender for greatest upset of all time, the "Miracle Braves" were in last place on July 4, then roared on to win the National League pennant by games and sweep the stunned Athletics...
, as the Braves defeated Connie Mack's
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
heavily-favored Philadelphia Athletics
1914 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season was a season in American baseball. It involved the A's finishing first in the American League with a record of 99 wins and 53 losses...
in four games.
The 1915
1915 Boston Braves season
The 1915 Boston Braves season was a season in Major League Baseball. The Braves finished second in the National League with a record of 83 wins and 69 losses.- Offseason :...
Braves challenged for the National League and Connolly hit .298, but the following year his production and playing time decreased even more significantly, ending with a .227 average (25-for-110) in just 62 games. Boston's contract offer to Connolly for 1917 slashed his salary in half, and when he refused to sign, the Braves sold him to the Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
. Realizing that his combined income from farming and playing semipro ball locally would exceed his salary under his professional contract, he decided to retire.
In a four-season career, Connolly was a .288 hitter (358-for-1241) with 14 home runs and 157 RBI in 412 games, including 202 runs, 65 doubles, 31 triples, and 48 stolen bases.
Following his baseball career, Connelly served in the Rhode Island State Legislature. He died in his homeland of North Smithfield, Rhode Island at the age of 59.