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Ed Hackett is the answer to one of those trivia questions you hear now and then on ESPN or similar shows. An announcer might ask, “Name me a player who’s played in the World Series at every level from the Little League World Series to the major league baseball World Series.” And then there might be one or two or three answers to the trivia question. In Maine baseball circles, the trivia questions often relate to the hey day of University of Maine Black Bear baseball; before the collegiate playoff system was changed in 1986, the University of Maine had the good fortune of sending teams to four consecutive College World Series tournaments in Omaha, Nebraska. The trivia question in Maine goes like this: “Name the players who played in four consecutive college world series for the University of Maine in 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984.” One of the answers is Ed Hackett. Hackett, a dependable catcher for Coach John Winkin’s teams, had a strong high school career at Orono High School. He was named All-Conference at Orono High in 1979 and 1980. His career statistics at the University of Maine include 132 games played, and 61 hits. He was a teammate of Mike Bordick in 1984. Hackett was team captain in 1984. He was Brewer American Legion coach in 1985 and 1986. He became baseball coach and A.D. at Dover-Foxcroft from 1985-87. He was head coach for the Piscataquis Legion team in 1987, and Bangor team assistant in 1994 and 1995. He became a Bangor Legion fixture from 1995-2003. Stu Lacognata, a pitcher on those Black Bear teams in the 1980’s, and one of the answers to that same trivia question about the CWS remembers Hackett fondly, “Ed was a great catcher. He knew the game. He was a real good catcher to throw to because he worked well with the pitchers and the coaches to follow whatever game plan we had for that day’s opponent. There’s no question that he was a big reason for our success in the 1980’s.” Coach Winkin said of Hackett: “Ed was one of my favorite players and there is not another player I coached who worked any harder at becoming a baseball player than Ed Hackett.” Hackett also worked extensively with Andrew Sturgeon, past President of the Bangor East Little League, to develop a state of the art little league facility on the east side of Bangor. “This task alone took many hours of physical labor,” Sturgeon recalls. “Ed lives and breathes baseball. He is a great representative of the game.”

From Project Ballpark http://www.projectballpark.org/boston/hadlock.html Hadlock Field was used by numerous high schools and some colleges for baseball. $200,000 was raised and Hadlock Field was renovated into a modern minor league park. Who is Hadlock you may ask? Well, Edson B. Hadlock Jr. was Portland High School's baseball coach from 1956 to 1978 and the stadium was named in his honor, long before Slugger the Sea Dog was a puppy. From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadlock_Field Hadlock Field is a Minor League baseball stadium in Portland, Maine. It is primarily home to the Portland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League but also the Portland High School Bulldogs and Deering High School Rams baseball teams. The stadium is named for Edson B. Hadlock, Jr., a long-time Portland High School baseball coach and physics teacher and member of the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Hadlock name has long been significant in Maine baseball, and tonight Terry Hadlock joins uncle Edson, of the 76 entrants, in the Maine Hall of Fame. Terry, whose Dad, Edmund, was also a top-notch semi-pro player, was a hard-hitting catcher from Babe Ruth League through professional baseball in the U.S. and Canada. The young Hadlock drew first attention as a slugging backstop In the 1962 and ‘63 State Rabe Ruth tournaments. He was an outstanding performer on the Sebago Lake All-Stars, who captured the 62 title. in 1963, his team lost in the final, but Terry slammed a two-run homer to account for his club's only runs. Terry chose to commute from his Kezar Falls home to attend Gorham H.S., where he was the starting catcher for four seasons. In his junior year, he racked up an .816 slugging average, with four “dingers*. And he only had one error behind the plate. This stellar performance helped Dick Beedys nine capture Gorham's first overall title. Following graduation in '66, Terry was signed by Clyde Sukeforth, Atlanta’s Super scout and an ex-major league catcher. At the time, Terry was performing for the Yarmouth Townies in Twilight League. The townies lost 5 players - Jim Dumais, “Stump” Merrill, John Cumberland, Rick Swan and Hadlock - to organized baseball in that ‘66 season and manager Charlie Turner considered Terry a top prospect. John Mullen of tonights' Hall Class was the farm director whose letter welcomed Terry into the Braves family. Terry spent the '67 season with the Sarasota club in the Gulf Coast Rookie league, hitting close to .300 and making the All-Star team. Expecting a promotion to a higher league, Terry was stunned when he was released in Feb., 1968. Terry was victimized by a reduction in the Braves farm clubs that cost over 30 players their opportunities. Returning to the University of Maine Portland-Gorham. Hadlock assisted coach Dick Sturgeon with both the baseball and basketball squads, while continuing to play summer ball. In '68, Terry caught for the Thetford Miners in Canada's professional Provincial League, but after being traded, he returned to the Yarmouth Townies. 1968-69-70 were outstanding twilight seasons for the stocky 5’10” slugger. In '68 and ‘69, he finished 3rd in hitting and in ’70, his .403 trailed only Mort Soule. in '69 when he hit .349 and led the league with 25 RBI's, he tied Dick Curry for MVP. In‘70, he tied Rick Swan for home-run leadership. Terry continued to play Twilight League bail until the late 70's, but in the meantime he began a long teaching career at Sacopee Valley Junior High School in 1971. He has coached varsity basketball and junior high basketball and cross-country and, for 12 years, served as junior high principal. He is presently teaching and coaching JV baseball. He has also coached numerous youth teams, including the 1990 Westbrook Senior Little League 13-year olders, who won the Maine District Six title. Terry has 3 children now playing in the Westbrook school system. From Tributes Page "Sorry to hear about passing of Terry Hadlock, a tremendous person and athlete and somebody I looked up to as a boy in Kezar Falls. His father Edmund and uncle Harry were our bus drivers and older brother Jim a great golfer and friend. I watched Terry play baseball at Bonny Eagle (for Gorham) with my grandfather, Dr. Paul Marston and father John "Zeke" Garner, and he hit a home run and also played basketball with him. Deepest sympanthies from Garner and Marston families." Posted by: John Garner, Jr. - West Yarmouth, MA - Childhood friend Dec 11, 2014

REGINALD “REGGIE” HALL “Reggie” Hall’s playing career began in the 1940's on the sandlots of Westbrook and he performed at third base for three seasons with the high school’s “Blue Blazes”. At the University of Maine he played in the infield and pitched for three seasons. Ironically, his pitching career ended on Maine’s first southern trip in 1950 when he developed arm trouble. Reggie’s summer ball seasons ran from 1945 to 1964, beginning while still a schoolboy. He played in the Casco Bay League, Saco Valley League, with the Sebago Lake Chevroliers, and in the Portland Twilight league. He played several positions and was often a playing-manager. In 1947, after auditioning with the Phillies, he turned down a contract for Class D to stay in college. In 1949, he played 3B for the Maine All-Stars against Birdie Tebbetts’ touring Major League All-Stars. His playing career ended on a memorable note — as a 35 year old left fielder with Bob Philbrick’s (HoF’88 ) South Portland Merchants in 1964. The Merchants won the Western Maine Title and the State Title. As a Little League Coach and administrator, Reggie had few peers. Beginning in 1952 (while still playing in the Twilight League) he devoted over 25 years to teaching the game to youngsters in Portland, South Portland, and Cape Elizabeth. In 1960, he served as Maine’s first District 6 Little League Administrator while coaching his South Portland National All-Stars to the state final — a tough 2-1 loss to Bangor. NO wonder that in the same season he received the Kenneth C.M. Sills award for L.L. coaching excellence in Maine! in 1961, Reggie detoured to Legion baseball for a season with the Stewart P. Morrill Post. Although he enjoyed a successful season, his son, Jimmy, was starting to play and Dad resumed his Little League affiliations. In 1974, his Cape Elizabeth Little Leaguers — featuring outstanding pitchers, Todd Lamb and Bob Raftice — won the State title and had a great run before losing to the New Jersey Titlests in the Eastern Regional semi-finals at Staten Island, N.Y.. In 1976, Reggie coached the Cape Senior Little League All-Stars, and this team won the State and New England championships before losing to Delaware in the Eastern Regionals. in 1962, Reggie organized an 8-team minor league program for Cape’s Little League. From 1962-81, he served in every capacity; administrator, coach, umpire. In 1982, Reggie received a special volunteer award for 20 years of dedicated service to the CE Little League pro“Reggie always taught sportsmanship and fair play” —Keith Weatherbie - Morrill Post pitcher and longtime Cape coach and A.D. “Reggie was a gentleman and class person with outstanding administrative and coaching skills*—Bob Bencks (HoF ’97) long-time L. L. colleague “Reggie’s class and leadership were evident at all times’ — Bob Raftice - former minor league pitcher in the Yankee chain, who pitched for Reggie. Reggie now splits time in Windham and Florida with wife, Polly, and enjoys helping grandchildren, Ashley and Thomas. From PPH Legacy page https://obituaries.pressherald.com/obituaries/mainetoday-pressherald/obituary.aspx?n=reginald-e-hall-reggie&pid=182858573&fhid=11167 "Reginald E. "Reggie" Hall, 87 WINDHAM - Reginald E. "Reggie" Hall, of Windham, died Nov. 29, 2016 " "Reggie was an outstanding athlete. He coached Little League in Portland, South Portland and Cape Elizabeth. In 1960, he was awarded the Kenneth C. Sills Award for Coaching Excellence, and in 1961 was recognized as Manager of the Year. He was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998."

The recent pursuit of University of Maine at Orono junior right hand pitcher Billy Swift by major league baseball teams brings to minds of old timers the chase for stellar Deering High athlete Richard (Ricky) Hall in 1947. Hall tried out with four big league clubs before signing with the Boston Red sox in late September, 1947. Three months out of high school, Hall accompanied the Bosox on their final road Swing. Pitching batting practice, he attracted the attention of a leather lunged left fielder. "Get that sore-armed kid out of there," yelled Ted Williams. The early bonus baby had received word not to try to strike out the regulars in batting practice. Easing to three-quarter speed, his natural “sinker” had the power hitters Veteran catcher Birdie Tebbetts gave Hall the signal to speed it up. He did-- and about every ball sailed over the fence. Still, Hall was glad he resisted offers by the New York Yankees, Boston Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Brooklyn Dodgers. En route to spring training camp at Bradenton, Fla., assigned to Triple A Louisville, Ky., Hall was joined in Hartford, Conn., by Jimmy Piersall, who became his roommate. Their paths crossed 20 years later in Portland. Sensational centerfielder Piersall was passing through on a business promotion tour. Because of bursitis, Hall didn't pitch for the Louisville Colonels. He returned to Portland and a prominent business career, Hall was vice president and general manager of Henley-Kimball car division for 23 years, and now is in management with Hutchins Transportation and Hutchins Trucking Co.. He's a 12 handicap golfer at Portland Country Club. Hall doesn’t regret passing up an academic scholarship at Bowdoin College. He has many sparkling sports memories. He was all-telegram in baseball, allState in football and all-Western Maine in basketball. Deering won the Telegram League in 1946, with Hall the mound mainstay. Hall and Maine Hall of Famer Gene Class of South Portland High were starting pitchers for their first games as freshmen. Class won, 1-0. That year, Deering and Westbrook came down to a dramatic Telly title final game. A Maine record 5,000 fans attended the game at Westbrook's S. D. Warren field. Hall hurled a 6-1 triumph. Hall also pitched Yudy's to a Portland Twilight League pennant. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hall--003ric From Minor League Baseball News https://www.milb.com/milb/news/for-hall-minors-stint-was-step-in-happy-life/c-151749372 By Josh Jackson / MiLB.com | November 17, 2015 12:30 PM A month into 1948, Richard Hall had every reason to believe he had a bright future. "When I went to Spring Training, I was just 18 years old, and I got on a train and it was 12 below zero in February in Maine," he said. "I had my laundry with me and everything." And Hall was right about that bright future -- it just wasn't the one that seemed apparent as he boarded the train. An injury limited his time in pro baseball to one standout season in the Minor Leagues, but he feels that was all he needed. "It was quite an era, and as I look back on it, it's hard to explain the feelings of what you got out of being there, on the pro field, and to get out of it when I did in a normal life span, I'm so blessed in what I had done," Hall said. "[If I'd] had the right combination of things [happen to get to the big leagues], I might not have gone on to be as blessed in the rest of my life." At the time, though, baseball was his focus. After four remarkable years as a pitcher for Deering High School in Portland, Maine, Hall went on several Major League tryouts in the Northeast the year he graduated. "I was all set to go to Bowdoin College on a scholarship, and my father decided it might be a good idea to try out for some different teams," he recalled. "My father signed me up with the Red Sox, and it was the era of Ted Williams and that group." It wasn't long before Hall met Williams and the rest of the team. Although he knew he wouldn't play in the big leagues that year, he remembers traveling with Boston for a stint at the end of the season, and throwing batting practice to the men whom he hoped would soon be his teammates. "Birdie Tebbetts was the catcher then, and he said, 'Don't go out there and try to strike them all out,'" Hall said. "The bottom line is, I learned that if I ever let up on my fastball, it moved around an awful lot. I was throwing it soft, and the softer I threw, none of them could hit it. "Ted Williams was in the outfield shouting, 'Get that sore-arm kid out of there!' So I looked at Tebbetts and I started throwing harder, and the more I tried, the more they started hitting the ball all over the field." With that experience under his belt, Hall was ready to face pro competition at his own level the next season. Out of the sub-zero temperatures of Maine and into a power car train, Hall met fellow rookie Jim Piersall in Waterbury, Connecticut, en route to Sarasota, Florida, where he spent Spring Training with the American Association Louisville Colonels before being assigned to the Milford (Delaware) Red Sox of the Class D Eastern Shore League. "It was unusual, because John Murphy and the people who signed me all moved up," Hall said, "so I was in a good position to move up in the organization very rapidly." Murphy, who pitched for 13 years in the big leagues before retiring following the 1947 season, was picked by Tom Yawkey as the Red Sox's director of Minor League operations during Hall's first year, and the young righty had the attention of the new guard in development. When he joined the Milford club, he showed that he deserved it. "The first six games I pitched were shutouts, because it was a very low league at the time," he remembered. "Then, whenever I gave up a run or had to come out of a game, people used to holler at me. They'd say, 'Put a fork in him! He's done!'" But Hall went 16-4 with a 2.93 ERA over 184 innings across 24 games that year, relying on his fastball and his curveball. "I was very blessed -- it was a natural gift I had," he said. "I threw the ball hard, but when I threw the ball above the belt, it would rise automatically. When I threw it below the belt, it would sink automatically. I never knew why. That was just the way I delivered it. "The biggest thing was the control. When I was 14 or 15 years old, I'd had older friends come into the backyard and work with me. They were catchers, and they would work with me on pitching -- tell me how to throw it, where to throw it, and I'd always try to hit their mitts exactly where they put them. My biggest passion became having control of what pitches I threw." As Hall continued to rack up wins, he enjoyed an atmosphere that might sound familiar to some current Minor Leaguers. "We bussed around [Delaware and Maryland], although we might have taken a train once in a while." he said. "It was so interesting, because we were all so young and we were all trying to move up and get ahead in the organization, but we were all trying to help each other move along at the same time." All the while, Hall battled worsening bursitis in his right shoulder. "That really stunted my development," he said. "It bothered me the complete [1948] season, but they were giving me cortizone shots. I didn't have the most pain, but I developed a lump in my back, and I played with it during that season." Along with future big leaguers Ray Jablonski, Norm Zauchin and Frank Malzone -- one of Hall's roommates -- Hall was part of the Milford club's only Eastern Shore League championship, and he was one of four hurlers in the league to finish that year with a sub-3.00 ERA and at least 15 wins. "I was all set to move on. Apparently, I had the highest ranking of any of the Red Sox Minor League players at the time -- that's what they told me, and I was all set to move through the organization rapidly," he said. Over the offseason, though, his shoulder bursitis didn't subside. "I wasn't sure [what the bursitis would mean]," he said. "I went down to Spring Training again the next year, and they really felt I wasn't going to be able to go much further because of the injury. I was sad at the time, of course, but I understood that these things happen." Hall was elected to the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983, and at his induction he expressed his gratitude not only for the honor, but for getting to play pro ball and still live a normal, happy life. "That's the message, if I had anything to say: it was a fantastic era to go through and be able to do what I did, but it was blessing that I didn't make it, because I ended up with a very happy life," he said. "That's what life's about, in my opinion. [My friends] are all very generous, good-hearted, family-oriented people. At 86, it's a different thought process looking back and looking ahead than you go through when you're [younger], and to me, what life's about is being a happy person."

Don Hanscom of Hampden played baseball for 33 years. Hie remained in uniform an extra year or two so that he could play with sons Alan and Lance. It was worth the wait. Pitcher Alan, outfielder Lance and third baseman Don had five of Dixmont’s eight hits in a 3-0 win at Garland Field, Bangor, over a high-riding team headed by Dick DeVarney. At age 12, Hanscom began filling in for area team players who couldn’t make it at game time. After two years at Hampden Academy, he entered the Merchant Marine. Back in civilian life, he was graduated from Bangor High in 1947. He hit nearly .500 in each of two seasons for the Rockland Rockets of the Knox County League, and later played for the Houlton Collegians, Newburg, Skowhegan, Howland and the Boise Club of St. George, Que. Pay ranged from $3 to $15 a game. Clyde Sukeforth of Waidoboro, Maine Baseball Hall of Fame charter member and longtime Dodger scout and coach, admired Hanscom’s speed and ability. When discovered, it was too late for Don to go through the minor league system. Hanscom played all positions but catcher. Opponents or teammates included Don Bowman, Jack Scott, Fibber McGee and Jack Jordan. Coaches included Don Fraser and Ky Ayoob, the latter a newsroom veteran at the Bangor Daily News. From Bangor Daily News https://obituaries.bangordailynews.com/obituary/donald-hanscom-804297571 HAMPDEN - Donald Pitt Hanscom, 82, husband of the late Marilyn (Wentworth) Hanscom, went home to be with his Lord and Savior July 10, 2010, while at a Bangor health care facility. He was born July 21, 1927, in Lincoln, son of Pitt and Frances (Duplisea) Hanscom. Don was raised in West Hampden by Edwin and Virginia Carlson. Don was a graduate of Bangor High School and served in the Merchant Marines during World War II. He was a tremendous athlete and had a passion for sports. Don played semi-pro baseball and football in various leagues throughout Maine and Canada, and was also a professional boxer. In 1987, he was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame.

From Seacoast Online . Fosters . *GJ_SANFORD_SPORTS Goodall-Sanford and the Downeast League https://www.fosters.com/article/20101216/GJSPORTS03/712169948 The Pilots were designed to be the class of the league and expected to win it all. Capable manager “Fearless” Freddy Harlow and stellar pitcher Edson Hadlock paced the team. Harlow later became a legendary baseball coach at Deering High in Portland, while Hadlock, a holdover from the professional team, was a long time baseball coach at Portland High. Hadlock Field, home to the Portland Sea Dogs, is named after him. Andy Lano, and Rollie Collomy were hard hitters, and slick-fielding shortstop, Jackie Feehan wore the flashy Pilots uniform well. Jeff White UNH’s star pitcher also threw from the mound. The Pilots played in what was called New Portland Stadium built during WWII. PPH March 27 1948

From Portland Press Herald . Posted June 17, 2015 Portland senior standout Ryan Ruhlin was named the Southern Maine Athletic Association’s Outstanding Catcher for 2015 by the Western Maine Board of Baseball Umpires. The award is based on a player’s skill, character and integrity. The award is named after Merrill “Dick” Harrington, the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame catcher, whose fame on the diamond began with as a South Portland Red Riots, ran through a decade in Maine semi-professional ball, and finished as a top-rated umpire. Ruhlin will be attending Bridgton Academy this fall.

William “Bill” Harris 2004 marks the Golden Anniversary of Bill Harris’ introduction to the wonderful world of youth baseball. In 1954. Bill became the official scorer for the South Portland National League - a post he held for about eight years. At the same time, he became Reggie Hall's assistant coach of the Jets and Reggie has ever since been | recognized as one of the foremost teachers of baseball for youngsters. Bill was a stellar pupil who spent over 40 years in every aspect of Little League including senior Girls softball. He touched every base: scoring, coaching the youngsters, umpiring and administrating. In the ‘60’s he served as a manager with Harry Savage as coach for several years. He moved to Senior League with Savage, again for several years. Bill has said “the highlight of my career was the Little League city baseball championship in the mid ‘60’s”. In 1983 he was the recipient of the Kenneth Sills Award as Little League’s Manager of the Year. He umpired at all levels of baseball and softball and was nominated for the Ellsworth Millett Award as Umpire for the State of Maine. His administrative talents were employed by serving on many Boards of Directors. John Gleason, often times a coaching rival, has said of Bill, “He has been an example to the youth in his knowledge of the game and handling his team. He was a gentle, tough competitor, always fair in his rulings.” Bill himself says,“I have always thought these games have provided positive experiences for these children, | as well as myself. I have always tried to make these games a fun experience for the children. I once coached the son (Greg Strout) and his father (Ronnie) 21 years apart. To this day, I have had many visits and positive conversations with many former players and their parents. As I grow older in years, I look back and reflect on these wonderful years. How happy I am that I was able to do it!” Bill lives in South Portland with his wife, Darla, and has two sons, a stepson and two stepdaughters. From Legacy Pages for his obituary, Bill died Monday, Aug. 11, 2008, Bill was a member of Little League for over 35 years and was inducted in the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004. He was also a member of the Rotary Club in South Portland. His hobbies included all sports. He managed four sports in High School, baseball, football, track and basketball.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=harris001gar