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In 1988. when Steve Loubier was pitching for the Riverside Red Wave, San Diego’s Class A team in the California League, he predicted that one of his opponents looked like a good bet to make the big time. The outfielder who caught Loubier’s eye was Ken Griffey, Jr. Yeah.” says Loubier, laughing at the reminder. “Everybody else thought he had a good chance too.” Loubier spent four and one-half years in the San Diego organization, compiling a 17-11 record at the Class A level, helping the Red Wave to the league championship in 1988 and earning selection to the all star team the following season (7-3, 1.55 ERA). Promoted to Double-A Wichita in 1990, Loubier was 4-6 with the Wranglers before a trade with the Angels sent him to Palm Springs. He was /3 in 1991, his final season. He was neither bitter nor surprised at his release. “T had some nagging arm injuries,” he said. “It seemed inevitable | and I was kind of relieved that it was over. I knew I couldn’t get much higher and it was time to start a new phase of my life.” Loubier’s mother, Shirlee Smith, who attended most of her son's games from the time he started in South Portland in farm league behind the former Lincoln Grammar School, said it took her longer to get over the change than Steve. I was even worried about having the game on television,” she said. “But Steve’s attitude was that the game would be on every day. It wasn't a problem.” She said today’s induction has special significance for the family because Steve’s grandfather, Harold Loubier was inducted on June 27, 1902. baseball roots are in South Portland where he was an All Telegram League selection twice under Red Riots Coach Rod Choroszy. Professionally, he played with and against many athletes who eventually reached Major League prominence including his roommates at Palm Springs, Jim Edmonds and Tim Salmon. While Loubier was making the climb up the always slippery slope of organized competition, he made one stop most players don’t. In the summer of 1983. he was selected to play for a United States all-star team that visited Taiwan. Richard Doyle, retired sportswriter for the former Portland Newspapers and Maine’s preeminent athletic hagiographer, wrote, “It’s a feather a community’s cap when a baseball player is chosen from a player pool of 390 ball players spanning the entire East Coast to a 16-member all-star baseball team to play ball for the USA in Taiwan. Four years at the University of Maine (20-9) followed under coach John Winkin. While at UMO, Loubier was voted the outstanding pitcher at the ECAC tournament at Pawtucket Loubier helped pitch the Black Bears to the NCAA Division I World Series at Omaha in 1984 and 1986. It’s one of his best memories. ‘We didn’t win but we were one of only eight teams in the country,” he said. ‘’ And we helped each other out.” After returning from Omaha in 1986, Loubier was selected to play in the Cape Cod League. One of his teammates on the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox was Mike Bordick who signed that summer with Oakland. Loubier, who graduated from Maine with a degree in marketing, AS employed by KOS Pharmaceuticals in Manchester, NH where he lives with his wife, Rachel and daughter, Jenny. From Portland Press Herald Posted June 26, 2011 Steve Solloway: A trip to Omaha, 25 years ago It was the last of its kind, a Maine team playing in the College World Series https://www.pressherald.com/2011/06/26/a-trip-to-omaha-25-years-ago_2011-06-26/ “Wink always told us, the best thing in baseball was winning,” said Loubier. “The second-best thing was losing, because it was still baseball.” Loubier has never obsessed over the losses, especially the heartbreaker to Arizona. “We caught a few breaks ourselves that season,” he said. “We won a few games we probably shouldn’t have.” “We didn’t have great stars,” said Loubier. “We had a great team. Wink was the puppet master, pulling all the strings, and we had great camaraderie. “We went up against a lot of powerhouse teams and we evened the playing fields.” Dube, Loubier and Eztweiler in separate conversations described the sights and sounds of the College World Series. Not surprisingly, they used the same phrases. “Maine was always kind of like the Cinderella team to the people in Omaha,” said Loubier. “They got behind us.” Twenty-five years is a long time. Mark Rogers, the pitcher from Mt. Ararat now in the Milwaukee Brewers’ farm system, was 5 months old when Loubier took the mound against LSU. From UMaine Alumni Baseball https://www.umainealumni.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/10-Baseball.pdf 1986 — A SPECTACULAR SEASON The 1986 Black Bears, led by Capts. David Gonyar and Bill Reynolds, became the first team in UM baseball history to win more than 40 games with a record of 41-23. The Bears won the ECAC championship, blazed through the NCAA regionals and advanced to the College World Series where they lost close games to Arizona and LSU. Bill Reynolds created a moment for the ages when he became the only player in UM history to hit four home runs in a single game. The occasion was a 21-8 win over St. John’s that propelled Maine into the College World Series. He was named MVP at the regionals and made the all-CWS team. Steve Loubier, Jeff Plympton and Scott Morse each won eight games.

“Ben loved the game in that intuitive, almost ethereal way that true devotees of the sport do. He loved the game and had a great appreciation for the sport. He was proud to play at Colby College and represented the school with class and pride. He was certainly the finest left handed hitter that I ever coached and was truly an outstanding player in every regard”. - Gene Delorenzo, Colby College baseball coach “The one intangible that I admired about Ben was that he was not only an outstanding team player whom his teammates respected, but Ben was a leader among his peers on the diamond as well. I am proud to have has the opportunity to have played with and against Ben”. - Tim Curley, HOF, 2010 “In watching Ben play, it was obvious that he worked at the game, took pride in his game and had respect for everyone on the field. He was a very good line drive hitter who always hit for average and occasional power. He was also an excellent defender. I remember him most as a hard-nosed third baseman that wasn’t afraid to get in the dirt and block a ball and save a run. I have always seen Ben as a throwback, a guy who loved the game, played hard, and got the job done”. - Al Bean, Athletic Director, USM Ben Lowry’s love of baseball began at an early age. Growing up in an athletic household in Falmouth, Ben could always be found in his yard, or that of a neighbor, playing various forms of the game with his older brother Grey and the neighborhood gang. Even when left alone, Ben would find games to amuse himself, tossing popups to himself while making diving catches, fantasizing he was on the manicured lawns of Fenway Park. As Ben grew older and he began to play more organized ball, he began to show flashes of something special. A natural athlete, Ben began to show that he could play almost any position on the diamond, with his speed and hand-eye coordination quickly distinguishing him from his peers. By the time Ben was 12, he was being selected to Falmouth all-star teams, playing alongside and keeping up with much older boys. Heading to Falmouth High School, Ben announced to the varsity coach that he was going to be the starting shortstop his freshman year. The coach, John Croker, laughed quietly and then watched as Ben did just that, wrestling the job from a senior starter. Ben never relinquished his starting position and, in four years at Falmouth High School, Ben led the team in batting all four years, led the Triple-C in batting two years, and he led the Yachstmen to their first playoff birth in almost 30 years. As a two year captain, Ben was named to the All-state team three times and batted over .500 twice. As an athlete at Falmouth, Ben was an All-state soccer goalie, setting a record with 12 shutouts in 16 games in 1980 (and being named team and league MVP), and a two-time defensive player of the year on the perennial powerhouse basketball team. At commencement, Ben was named the Falmouth High School Athlete of the Year but, perhaps more telling of Ben’s nature and upbringing, he was also named the Sportsman of the Year for 1981. During summers, Ben played for Caldwell Post under the coaching of legends Lou Tripaldi and Kevin Joyce, getting to play with and against some future professionals like Billy Swift, Todd Lamb, Bob Raftice and Bruce Blake. Ben was a three year starter on some dominant Caldwell Post teams and was named to the All-Tourney team at the state championship event at Togus in 1981. With assurances from Coach Waldo Covell that he would get a shot at cracking the starting line-up as a freshman, Ben entered Colby College in the fall of 1981. Four years later, Ben had capped off a tremendous collegiate career at Colby, where he was a four year starter, batting a whopping .426 in his four years on Mayflower Hill. He also was twice named to the All-Maine collegiate all-star team as a third baseman and led the White Mules in his sophomore year to their first tournament birth in nearly 20 years. As a sophomore, Ben batted .526 and hit over .800 in the tourney. As a senior, Ben was named team captain and MVP and was selected as the Colby College Sportsman of the Year, again highlighting his good sportsmanship and his leadership skills. During a six year stretch during and after college, Ben played in the Twilight League in Portland, starting all six years as a third and second baseman. It was during this time that Ben was able to play alongside so many of the legends of the game, men who would go on to be named to The Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Players like Mike Bordick, Ed Flaherty, Johnny Gleason, Kevin and Kenny Joyce, Billy Swift, Steve Loubier, Dale Plummer, Mike Coutts….and so many more! His team even had the treat of welcoming Red Sox hero Bernie Carbo for a few games in 1984. In 1985, after leading the league in batting, Ben and the South Portland team won a championship slugfest against the Auburn Asas, loaded with the UMaine players who had just come from The College World Series in Omaha. In the 6 game series, Ben batted over .500, with a 5 hit game and a 4 hit game as well as 4 home runs in the 6 game series, one of which was a walk-off in a memorable game 2. He was awarded all-league honors for that memorable season. Needing to get on with his work career, Ben then left Portland for Boston and law school, coming back as a semi-experienced attorney 5 years later. Ben was excited to get back into baseball and joined up with the Portland Yankees of the old over-30 league, coached by legend LeRoy Rand in what would be his final campaign. In his one season there, Ben led the league in home runs and RBI’s, leading the team to a championship season. But, it was one game in the summer of 1992 that remains so memorable for Ben. In July, the Yankee team was invited to play against the Colorado Silver Bullets, the only professional woman’s team in the country. In the game at Hadlock Field, in front of 4000 screaming fans (99% of which were rooting for the women), the Yankees faced off against Pam Davis, the only woman to ever be drafted into the MLB system. Pam threw in the mid-80’s to her backstop, Melissa Santiago, the daughter of former Red Sox player Jose Santiago, and the men began to get nervous when they could not put any distance between themselves and what they had expected to be an inferior counterpart. Heading into the late innings, things even began to get chippy as a hard slide brought players out of their respective dugouts. The fans were eating it up. These young women were standing toe to toe with these cocky men! Well, the game went into extra innings and Ben Lowry came to bat in the bottom of the 10th, two outs and a runner on second. He took the first pitch to deep center, ending the game with a double off the wall. The fans moaned and The Yankees breathed a big sigh of relief. Side note: a year later, that same Silver Bullet team beat the Yankees (without Ben)!! Ben continued, and continued playing, all the way to age 52. The men’s leagues in Greater Portland provided a welcome respite to his hectic life and Ben remained passionate about the game into his 40’s and 50’s. Ben finally turned in his spikes after leading the over-35 league in hits as a 52 year old running on one leg. Ben wants to thank so many people for their help and support during his long baseball career. There is not enough room here to properly thank everyone but Ben needs to say thanks to all of his coaches, his fellow players, and the umpires and administrators who all worked so hard to set the stage for his successes. Just being in a dugout and on the field with so many great people, Ben always felt a part of a very special group, those who are passionate about baseball. Ben also wants to thank his family, who have been there through thick and thin, supporting Ben and encouraging him to keep his passion alive. Since childhood, Ben has been surrounded with loving family and friends. The support they have given him has been truly inspiring. Lowry Updates Blog Take Me out to the Ballgame https://loislowry.typepad.com/lowry_updates/2009/11/take-me-out-to-the-ballgame.html Here's Ben. The New England team lost in the semi-final round so they did not emerge as the champions, but Ben, who played second base and shortstop, said it was all wonderful fun---well, here's his actual description: I got back from the Fall Classic in West Palm last night and wanted to let you know what a great experience it was.  The New England team, made up of 15 guys from Maine, NH and Mass (and called “The Maine Diamond Dogs”) lost in the semi-finals, 3-1, to a team from New Jersey.  Along the way, we beat the Puerto Rican team in the 6000 seat main stadium, which was the highlight of the trip.  I also got the chance to play next to John Collins, an old friend from Colby, which was great.  Our team finished with 3 wins and 2 losses.  I batted cleanup and hit .333 for the tournament, playing shortstop and second base.  No, no home runs. I also got a chance to play against Dante Bichette, a former major league all-star who holds most of the all-time records for the Colorado Rockies and finished his career in Boston.  Fun stuff, for sure. His two sons tend to use the very descriptive word "funnest." I think it might apply to Ben's baseball week. https://www.lowrylegal.com/

Lynch , telegram league batting champion in 1922 with a .513 average was a sparkling infielder both at Catholic Institute and for more than a dozen semi-pro combines.

From Portland Press Herald 1971 Vern Putney Mac Fayden, from Somerville MA, has been a distinguished Mainer more than half his life. "Deacon Danny" a curve ball artist who wound up a long big league career, has been Bowdoin baseball coach since 1946. From Wikipedia . https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_MacFayden After graduating from Somerville High in 1924, he attended Hebron Academy (Hebron, Maine) to prepare himself for attending college. His mother wanted him to go to Dartmouth College. He played in the semi-pro Boston Twilight League in the summers of 1923 and 1924 for the Osterville team, then for Falmouth in 1925. Mac Fayden was signed by Boston Red Sox owner Bob Quinn after he saw him pitching in the Twilight League. He decided to give up going to Dartmouth as a pro baseball career offered him financial security, which would enable him to help his mother. He did not play in the minor leagues but went straight to the Red Sox, making his debut on August 25, 1926 against the Detroit Tigers as a reliever. He was the first pitcher in the American League to wear eyeglasses, which corrected for near-sightedness. After one more relief stint, Mac Fayden made his first start against the legendary Walter Johnson of the Washington Senators on September 4, 1926. He lost 5–1, throwing a complete game. In 1928, he was the Boston Red Sox's Opening Day pitcher, making his season debut in Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C. with another native New Englander, President Calvin Coolidge in attendance. He won 7–5. In his five years with the Red Sox, he was a relatively mediocre pitcher with an abysmal team, though he did lead the league with four shutouts in 1928, a year he went 10–18 with a 3.62 ERA. In 1932, after going 1–10 to start the season, he was traded to the New York Yankees for pitchers Ivy Andrews and Hank Johnson and $50,000 in cash. Both pitchers were on the disabled list at the time, but the trade seemed lopsided in favor of the Red Sox. The speculation was that Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert was trying to keep MacFayden away from contending teams. Ruppert might have been thinking of Mac Fayden's stellar performance against the Yankees on May 24, 1929, the year he led the league in shutouts. In a game he started at Fenway Park, MacFayden shutout the famed "Murderer's Row", throwing a four-hitter. He did load the bases with no outs one inning, but then retired the heart of the order, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, and Tony Lazzeri, striking out both Gehrig and Lazzeri. Mac Fayden continued to work as the Hebron Academy as hockey coach into the early 1940s. He also had worked in insurance in some off-seasons. He was appointed Maine's commissioner of amateur baseball in the summer of 1942, the first year he was out of pro baseball since being signed by the Red Sox. He became a teacher at Vermont Academy in October 1943 and became the varsity baseball coach at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine in 1946. He also occasionally coached hockey at Bowdoin, retiring as a coach in 1970. Daniel Knowles MacFayden (1905-1972) was the first pitcher in the American League to wear eyeglasses, as he made his Major League debut for the Boston Red Sox against the Detroit Tigers. Danny played 17 seasons with six different clubs, primarily the Red Sox (1926-1932), Yankees (1932-1934) and Braves (1935-1939, 1943). https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/89345894 From NY Times Archives https://www.nytimes.com/1972/08/27/archives/danny-mfayden-67-ex-yankee-pitcher.html BRUNSWICK, Me., Aug. 26 1972—Daniel K. MacFayden, who pitched for the New York Yankees in the 30's during 17‐year big‐league career and later coached Bowdoin College's varsity for 23 years, died in Brunswick Hospital today. He was 67 years old. MacFayden, a right‐hander, compiled a lifetime record of 135 wins and 158 losses. Al Lopez, who was his catcher for five years on the Boston Braves, then coached by Casey Stengel, once described Mac Fayden as “the greatest curve ball pitcher ever caught.” His teammates with the 1932‐34 Yankees included Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and others of Murderers’ Row. He began his career with the Boston Red Sox at the age of 21 and pitched for them six years. He was traded to the Yankees in 1932, went to the Braves in 1935, and, after six years there, joined the Pittsburgh Pirates and finally the ‘Washington Senators. He went to Bowdoin in 1946. His teams there won 176 and lost 168 games, as well as winning, eight Maine collegiate championships.

“One of the finest athletes if not the finest athlete that ever came out of Gardiner High School.” This was the assessment given by Normie Merrill (HoF ’77) to support the selection of Jack MacDonald for the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. Ted Shiro (HoF 94) and Bob Whytock were equally impressed, labeling Jack “one of Maine’s greatest athletes . Jack was born in 1929, the youngest of Fredrick and Nellie MacDonald’s five children. His father was a local policeman and his mother an immigrant from County Cork in Ireland. His first organized sports activities came at Gardiner H.S. where he played varsity basketball and baseball as a freshman. For his junior and senior years, 1946 and 1947, Jack was a four letter man. He quarterbacked the football team, started at guard for the Tigers’ basketball five and in the spring divided his energies with track and baseball. He was a talented sprinter for the track team. This is interestingly the 50th anniversary of the first official state baseball championship recognized by the State Principals Association, and tonight’s inductee, Jack MacDonald, pitched his team to the title -- a 4-3 win over Edward Little. As the tournament games were spread over the season, Jack pitched all of Gardiner’s playoff tilts. Ron McLeod’s 1947 Tigers were 16-0 for the season and MacDonald was II-0. And he also hit over .400. Following his graduation, Jack was chosen at a Boston Braves Kennebec Journal-American tryout camp to play at Braves Field. The game was billed as the New England Interscholastic All-Stars against the Boston Interscholastic All-Stars. MacDonald and Cony catcher, Dick Rand, were the Augusta camp’s selections over 60 attendees. New England’s starting pitcher in the game was Lin Southworth, stocky Portland High ace, later a Braves farmhand (HoF’88) and the closer was Dick Carmichael of South Portland (HoF 76) also a subsequent Brave minor leaguer. Jack played in the outfield for 5 1/2 innings, had two singles in his two chances, including a game-tying single in the 8th inning and a stolen base. Jack performed with a number of Central Maine’s fast semipro nines, including Barry’s Nine of Augusta, the Togus Down-tasters. the Augusta Millionaires and the Belfast Merchants. Although he was only 5’10" and 140 Ibs. he was described as having excellent control, better than average speed, and a wide variety of pitches. Ben Houser’s Millionaires were a perennial powerhouse in Northern New England and Jack joins such teammates Andy Lano (HoF’82), Mike Puiia (HoF ’80) and Phil Dugas (HoF’94) in the Maine Hail. For several years Jack was and A & P meat-cutter in Augusta. He has a daughter and two sons and still lives in Gardiner where he loves to golf. “His baseball skills and sportsmanship were admired by all who knew him” — Richard Rand, Jack’s Cony rival and Braves’ game teammate. From Legacy GARDINER -- John "Jack" MacDonald passed away on Wednesday, April 4, 2007 He was born in Gardiner on Nov. 6, 1929, a son of Frederick MacDonald and Ellen (Murphy) MacDonald. He grew up in Gardiner, graduated from Gardiner High School in 1947 and attended the Coburn Classical Institute Preparatory School. While in high school, Jack excelled in all sports, being one of the best four-sport athletes to come out of Gardiner. As an all-around athlete in high school, he was starting quarterback for his beloved Tigers and his small stature enabled him to "run like a deer and pass with pinpoint accuracy." His love was baseball and, as a starting pitcher and captain, he brought the team to win a state championship in 1947. Due to his speed, he was very good in track, with the 100-yard dash his best event. He also played basketball and proved to be a great starting forward. After school Jack played semipro baseball for the Augusta Millionaires and later for the Belfast Merchants. He played for the Boston Braves all-star team in the Downeast league. In 1997, he was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, an honor of which he was very proud.

“Baseball was always a deep passion for me, Growing up, I spent most of my time either reading, watching or playing baseball. I just took in all the elements of the game. My love for it grew.” - Mike MacDonald “Maybe he didn’t have a 95 mph fastball. But he had great control, great competitiveness. You don’t last 9 years in pro ball unless you are smart, good character and are a great guy to have in the clubhouse.” - Ken Joyce If the game of baseball is a version of the child’s fable of the tortoise and the hare, Mike MacDonald is the tortoise. And what a steady, remarkable, resilient turtle he was. Mike graduated from Camden-Rockport High School in 2000, and from the University of Maine at Orono in 2004. He was drafted in the l5th round by the Toronto Blue Jays and played nine seasons of professional baseball. The Camden-Rockport graduate was a three sport star for the Windjammers, which included being a member of 2 Eastern Maine Class B Championship Basketball and Baseball games. In his final 2 seasons wearing the Windjammers uniform, Mike had a 13-3 record on the mound, pitching 103 innings, striking out 176 batters, walking only 35 with a 1.02 ERA. At the plate, Mike hit .431 his junior year and .409 his senior year, driving in 33 runs and stealing 18 bases. MacDonald was recruited to play baseball for the University of Maine and during the four years of playing became an anchor for the staff. During his freshman season, Mike was 5-2 with an a 3.75 ERA over 52 and a third innings, helping to lead the Black Bears to an 11 game improvement and back into the America East tournament as the #2 seed. His sophomore season, Mike was 7-3 with a 3.44 ERS and 71 strikeouts in 86 and a third innings and Mike was named the America East Pitcher of the Year as well as selected to the first team All-Conference team. That season UMaine won 40 games for the only time since 1991, finishing first in the conference and going on to win 4 straight elimination games winning the league championship and earning a place in the NCAA Tournament regions. His junior year, the Black Bears were the #2 seed in the America East tournament and Mike was 7-5 with a 3.28 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 82 and a third innings and for his final year with the Black Bears, as a senior Mike was 6-3 with a 3.11 ERA and 91 strikeouts over 92 and two —third innings, as he was selected 2nd team America East All Conference, one of two Black Bears named to the All-Tournament team. During his 4 seasons with the Black Bears, MacDonald had a 25-13 record with a 3.36 ERA and 284 strikeouts in 313 and two-thirds innings. His career strikeouts is the most in UMaine history, his 313 and two-thirds innings is second in school history and his 25 career wins is 5th in Black Bear history, with a total of 3 times being named America East Pitcher of the Week. Former University of Maine coach Paul Kostacopoulos remembers MacDonald well. “He was a standout out for us over four years,” Kosty says. “He and Mike Collar came up through the ranks with us. When MacDonald and Collar were going to go for us in a doubleheader, it was a long day for the other team. It really was. Mike could do it all—throw hard, hit the corners, and he had a terrific breaking ball that he could locate well.” MacDonald was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 15th round of the baseball draft and for the next 9 seasons pitched professionally, including the first five seasons in the Blue Jay system. In 2006 while pitching for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Mike was 13-9 with a 3.94 ERA in 28 starts and career high 103 strikeouts. That season, Mike was selected to play in the Eastern League All-Star Game, pitching a shutout 5th inning. During his career, Mike also pitched for the Angels, Giants and Red Sox organizations. As a Maine born native, who also attended both high school and college in Maine, it was only fitting that he return to his home state as the first Maine native to play for the Portland Sea Dogs. Before finishing his career with the Red Sox organization in 2012, Mike went 3-2 Sea Dogs before being promoted in September to the International League Championship Pawtucket Red Sox. When MacDonald started his pro career, he would soon run into Portland native Ken Joyce. “I was coaching in Charleston, West Virginia, when Mike was drafted by the Blue Jays. I asked the Jays to send Mike to me; he was in the New York-Penn League; this was considered the Rookie Ball level. I was coaching in the South Atlantic League, Class A,” Joyce recalls. “He was impressive, a smart kid. I told the other pitchers to watch him.” Joyce said MacDonald was “pitching to contact,” and “not trying to strike everybody out.” “I said he looked like Greg Maddux,” mentioning the Hall of Famer who had been with the Atlanta Braves most of his career, then finished with the Jays. “I was with him one year,” Joyce recalls. “But later in his career, he ended up with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. I was their hitting coach.” Joyce later was with the San Francisco Giants organization. He suggested they pick up MacDonald. They did. MacDonald was always steady, Joyce says. Minor league coaches admired his professional demeanor. “He had it all,” Joyce said. “Maybe he didn’t have a 95 mph fastball. But he had great control, great competitiveness. You don’t last 9 years in pro ball unless you are smart, good character and are a great guy to have in the clubhouse.” True to his mid-coast Maine upbringing, MacDonald credits much of his drive and passion, and the eventual high level of sustained success in the game he loved, to the unwavering love and support of his parents Paul and Betsy, his wife Pam, and the innumerable coaches, friends, and family who cheered him along his remarkable journey into Maine baseball history. Posted January 31, 2011 He’s not ready to give up Camden's Mike MacDonald is still plugging away in the minors, seven years after leaving UMaine. BY PAUL BETIT SPECIAL TO THE PRESS HERALD https://www.pressherald.com/2011/01/31/hes-not-ready-to-give-up_2011-01-31/ https://www.milb.com/milb/news/mainer-mike-macdonald-promoted-to-triple-a/c-37758228

The posthumous induction of Bob MacHardy, who joins former teammate and Gold Dust Twin Bill Cary (MBHOF ‘91) into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, completes the slate on arguably the most revered athlete to come out of Westbrook. Bob started and starred all four years in baseball and basketball for the Blue Blazes.  A wide-ranging shortstop, Bob batted .397 and paced Freddy Harlow’s Blue Blazes to the 1951 Telegram League Title and a 9 - 0 win over Presque Isle for the State Class A crown.  Bob also starred several summers for Yudy’s Tires in the Portland Twilight League. The true life legend of Bob MacHardy was forged during the 1950-51 Blue Blazes basketball season when the strapping 6’ 2” senior captained Coach Paddy Davan’s five to a 26 - 0 record capped by a Vinall Trophy performance in the Western Maine Tournament and a record 34 points in rallying Westbrook to a 71 - 54 win over Bangor in the state championship. Bob joined Bill Cary at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida and continued his remarkable athletic career both on the diamond and the hardcourt.  A Small College All-American as a guard on the Tars’ basketball team, Bob moved over to first base in the spring and anchored the right side of the infield for four years, highlighted by a bases-loaded triple in Rollins’ runner-up finish in the 1954 College World Series, the smallest school ever to play for the baseball national championship. In 1978 Bob was inducted into the Rollins Sports Hall of Fame. Following a 4-year hitch in the Marines where he played some fast service ball, Bob returned to his college community of Winter Park and commenced a teaching/coaching career that would span 26 years.  He coached basketball for twelve seasons as well as JV football, cross country, tennis, golf and volleyball. Bob MacHardy died unexpectedly in August of 1985 at the age of 52.  His wife Jan now resides in Virginia as do his son Bill and daughter Kathy.  His son Ray lives in Texas.  Bob’s 100 year old mother who until recently lived at Longfellow Place in Westbrook, now resides in Durham, New Hampshire as does Bob’s brother Bill.  Bob’s brother Jack lives in Florida. At a time when high school sports could galvanize a community, in a town where schoolboy athletes were accorded hero status, Bob MacHardy was the icon, the gold standard to which all future athletes in Westbrook aspired.  His legacy was captured by sportswriter Dick Doyle who wrote:  “When it comes to total performance in high school and college, in overall personal impact on institution, community and state, the name of Bob MacHardy is the elite of the elite.” http://www.westbrookbaseballfoundation.com/history-pg-2/1951-telegram-league-and-state-champions From Westbrook Baseball Foundation~Memories Are Forever ​Westbrook has a rich baseball tradition. For decades boys and men have played representing their city, neighborhood, church and employer. We hope these pages honor those that have proudly played the game. Below is the team information as it appeared in the Westbrook High School yearbook The Blue & White 1952: The Westbrook High baseball season of 1951 was really successful. Our team captured the Telegram League and State Championship. When we entered the final game with South Portland, we had a 12-3 record and were tied with the Capers for first place. We won the game 4-3 in ten innings behind Bill Cary, ace moundsman. The winning play turned out to be the "double-squeeze" which Coach Harlow had had the boys practicing all year. We drew a bye in the first round of the State Tournament and faced South Portland again in the second round. With another close game expected, a large crowd turned out. Cary again held the Capers and we pounded out a 7-1 victory. With South Portland out of the way, we faced Lewiston. Cary went to the mound again and we smacked Lewiston, 9-4, to win the Western Maine Championship. This gave us the right to meet Presque Isle for the State Cham­pionship at Bangor. Gary went to the mound and pitched tremendous ball to hold Presque Isle to three hits. We won the game, 9-0, and ended a very successful season. As anyone who followed the team could see, it was built around ace south­paw Bill Cary, who pitched terrifically all year. Bunky Buotte rounded out the other half of the battery doing a great job of receiving Cary's southpaw slants. The infield gave Cary good support during the year. Mal Roma was at first base, Freshman Bob Bernier was at second base and Joe Morse was at third base. Bob MacHardy, the batting star of the club, was at shortshop. The speedy outfield consisted of Larry Robicheaw, a great defensive outfielder, in left; Toots LaBrecque, a former second baseman, in center; and Dick Fortin, a transfer from Cheverus, in right. A good spot pitcher was Erlon Knight, who had a 3-0 record. Reserves who played an important part were Jackie Gaudette, Armand Caron, Wayne Worcester, Maurice Harvey, and Bob Barrows. Cary, Buotte, Robicheaw, and MacHardy were selected for the All-Telegram League Team, while LaBrecque, Morse and Fortin were given honorable mention. A great deal of credit should be given to Coach Harlow, who brought the the team through in beautiful style. His knowledge of baseball and his love for the "world's greatest game" inspired the team throughout the season.

J. Donald “Don” MacWilliams After seeing service in Europe during World War II, Don achieved his life-long goal when he became a sportscaster, first in Concord, New Hampshire at WKXL in 1946, home to Portland at WMTW in 1947 and finally to WCSH radio and television where he covered all sports until he retired from the profession. Don, with Gannett sportswriters Vern Putney and the late Blaine Davis, conceived the idea for the Maine Sports Hall of Fame and has been for many years a member of the selection committees of the MSHF and the Candlepin Hall of Fame. For several years, Don wrote historical sports columns for the Portland Sunday Telegram under the name of Jim Donald. He also wrote sports features for several magazines, including Down East and has published the first volume of a trilogy on Maine sports as well as an historical novel of Portland in the 1860's.

From Society for American Baseball Research https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/6355a92d This article was written by Will Anderson George Henry Magoon had two nicknames – Maggie having obvious origins, and Topsy, presumably so-called because of his spinning top-like movements around the infield. He was born in St. Alban’s, Maine, on March 27, 1875. His father James was a boot and shoemaker. He and his wife Mary moved their three daughters and young son to South Lebanon, Maine, while George was an infant, and it was there that he did his growing up. From grammar school on, young George was a whiz on the diamond. His only problem appeared to be which position to play. He loved to gobble up ground balls as an infielder, but he loved to pitch, too. It was as a pitcher, as a matter of fact, that he began his career, twirling for a Milford, Massachusetts, semipro outfit in 1891 at the tender age of 16. Magoon’s fielding abilities, however, were to be his ticket to the big leagues. He honed those skills in the ballfields around South Lebanon and neighboring East Rochester, New Hampshire, in 1892 and 1893. In 1894, he set out for the more challenging pastures of Camden, Maine, where he held down second base for a strong semipro nine. Somewhere along the line he was spotted by Doc Keay, a former top-­flight centerfielder for Portland in the New England League. Doc arranged a tryout with the Portlands. Result: Topsy was signed to play in the Forest City in 1895. For Portland, Magoon played third. And he played it exceedingly well. “Brilliant” is how the Portland Sunday Telegram characterized his fielding. Topsy’s hitting was timely, too. “A batsman of far more than average ability,” was how the paper put it. He hit in the middle part of the order all season, and occasionally even batted cleanup. On one such occasion, on May 18, he responded by, as the Sunday Telegram so wonderfully phrased it, “lifting the spheroid over the left field fence.” Translation: he socked a homer over the left-field wall. In that same game, incidentally, the Telegram couldn’t resist chiding Bangor, losers of the game by a rather lopsided score of 15-3. “The Bangor league team has at last reached bottom, and the bubbles where the team went down have about quit coming up. Poor Bangor!” crowed one of the Telegram’s scribes, adding that the “Penobscot farmers” were the poorest excuse for a team that the Portlands had seen in quite a spell. (Note: the “Penobscot farmers” ended up third in the league at season’s end. The Portlands? Well, they finished a little further on down the road ... seventh in an eight-team loop.) The year of 1896 saw Magoon again playing a mean third base for the Portlands. He also played some second base in July. By mid-August, though, he wasn’t playing anywhere for Portland. He was playing in Massachusetts for the Brockton Shoemakers. But let’s back up. On August 9, the Sunday Telegram was especially generous in their praise. Commenting on a 3-1 loss to Bangor, the paper noted that: “The feature of the game was the magnificent playing of Magoon at third. He made three stops and one running catch that were little short of marvelous.” The paper further reflected that Walter Woods (a Portland pitcher who would later spend three seasons in the majors) and Magoon “should be in a faster club than the Portlands.” In those days, “faster” meant “better” – and, lo and behold, within a week Magoon severed his connection with the Portlands - who were on the verge of dropping out of the league, anyway - and signed up with Brockton, one of the power­houses of the New England League. He resumed his clever fielding and more-than-satisfactory batting. For the season he ended with 105 hits in 397 at-bats, an average of .264. In the field he led all league third basemen with a .922 fielding percentage. He was a right-hander, weighing in at 160 pounds and standing 5-feet-10. After another year at Brockton, in 1897, Magoon was ready for the majors. But it didn’t appear as if the majors were ready for him. The 1898 season opened with him still holding down the hot comer for Brockton. The National League’s Brooklyn Bride­grooms were in a pickle. Manager Charlie Ebbets had tried a handful of players at that most pivotal of positions, shortstop. None of them had done the job. The Bridegrooms, as the New York Times put it rather ungently, were “lamentably weak at short stop.” Charlie - the man for whom Ebbets Field would later be named - decided Topsy was the man for the job. He was right. Magoon came aboard the last week in June, and played his first game on June 29. The Times was not long in acknowledging his presence, writing on July 10: “The addition of Magoon at short stop has greatly strengthened the team.” In that first year in the bigs, Topsy played in 93 games. He batted a disappointing .224 ... but was rock-solid in the field. He undoubtedly would have continued to call Brooklyn home were it not for a heavy dose of what could only be termed intra-club collusion. Before the start of the 1899 season, Ebbets and Harry B. Von der Horst - owner of the original Baltimore Orioles (then in the National League), worked out an arrangement whereby Baltimore shipped most of its best players to Brooklyn. Von der Horst, while still in charge of ‘the Orioles, was allowed to purchase a controlling interest in the Brooklyns. Virtually half the Orioles - excluding John McGraw and Wilbert Robinson, both of whom refused to be part of the charade - suddenly found themselves wearing Brooklyn uniforms. Conversely, of course, a like number of Ebbets’ charges suddenly found them­selves in the Star Spangled City. Magoon, who went to Baltimore, was in effect swapped for veteran Bill Dahlen, who made the move north. While such shenanigans would never be countenanced today, Von der Horst and Ebbets’ moves had their desired effect. Brooklyn, on the strength of a 12-game winning streak, moved into first place on May 22 and never lost the top rung thereafter. In Baltimore, meanwhile, the switcheroo worked out well for John McGraw. He was given his first taste of managing and liked it. Even with a weakened club he turned in a fine 86-62 record, good enough for a strong fourth-place finish (in what was a 12-club circuit, it should be noted). Magoon was right beside Muggsie - who held down third base as well as managing - for the first half of the season. During that first half, Baltimore led all dozen clubs in turning double plays - undoubtedly one of the major factors in the Orioles’ positive performance. In the heat of the Baltimore summer, Magoon was traded to Chicago on August 2 in a deal which brought Eugene Demontreville to Baltimore. All told, for both clubs combined, he batted .242, up 18 points from his 1898 mark. The year 1900 found him living in Rochester with his wife Helen (eight years older than George) and their one-year-old, George Jr. A couple of years later, the couple had another son, Malcolm. He signed with the Indian­apolis Hoosiers of the brand-new American League. It was so brand new, in fact, that it was not considered a major league. Under the guidance of Ban Johnson, however, it soon would be. Ban had taken the old Western League and was steadfastly shaping it into a league to rival the National. In 1900 he was close to that goal, close enough for him to unveil the “American League” name. Topsy was part of the excitement of it all. In addition, he turned in a whale of a season for Indian­apolis. Portland’s Daily Eastern Argus was filled with glowing reports of his work, both in the field and at the plate. In one column he was referred to as “electrical.” That’s powerful stuff! Magoon’s second tour of the bigs began with the Cincinnati Reds in 1901. His average increased again ... up to .252. He played 127 games, knocking out 116 hits in 460 at-bats, and stole 15 bases. It was his most successful season. “A won­derful one-handed catch by Magoon of Leach’s liner, on which he made a double play, was easily the [game’s] feature,” applauded the New York Times on May 12. It typified the appreciation shown Topsy’s work with the glove. But the weak-hitting Reds also appreciated his steady work with the bat, too. He batted fifth for most of the summer, was even the cleanup hitter on at least one occasion (July 14, on which he responded with three hits in a 7-0 win over Brooklyn). A highlight of a different sort in Topsy’s 1901 season took place on May 4. The Reds were playing the Cardinals in St. Louis. The score was tied, 4-4, in the 10th inning ... when the grandstand caught fire and burned down. In the earliest days of the century, with grandstands almost universally constructed of wood, such conflagrations were not all that unusual. Still, it must have made quite an impres­sion on Magoon. The players of both teams, incidentally, were credited with saving the day when the fire broke out. They remained calm and collected, and the Cincinnati Times-Star lauded the manner in which they lined up and assisted the fans out of the stands. “The encourage­ment of the players had not a little to do to avoid a panic, and to their coolness and advice is largely due the quick and effective emptying of the stands,” wrote the reporter who covered the game. Magoon’s average rose once again for 1902. He hit a career-high .272. Unfortunately, though, his hits were spread across but 162 at-bats in 45 games, mostly played at second base. On July 15, Topsy rapped out a pair of doubles - off the great Christy Mathewson, no less - in a 10-2 rout of the Giants. The next day, July 16, he supplied a single in a 7-2 Reds win. Then he disappeared from box scores for the remainder of the season. A thorough reading of the three Portland newspapers of the time, The Rochester (New Hampshire) Courier, the Cincinnati papers, and the New York Times provides no reason for the dis­appearance. Our second-sacker was most likely injured, but no mention was made of it. Nor do the current Cincinnati Reds have a clue as to what happened to Topsy all those summers ago. He signed early for 1903, according to the September 20 Boston Globe. Magoon returned to the Reds, but got off to a slow start, and on June 9, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Cozy Dolan and second baseman Tom Daly. He failed to ignite with the White Sox either, batting .228 in 94 games, virtually all at second. That was to be it for Topsy’s major league career, though he yet had many seasons of meritorious minor league ball left in him. In 1904, he was again with Indianapolis in the American Association. In 1905 it was Toronto in the International League. Then it was off to Des Moines (or “DeMoines,” as the Rochester Courier spelled it) of the Western League. Next came Trenton, New Jersey in the Tri-State League for three seasons, 1907 through 1909. He last played some - and managed, too - for the Savannah Indians in the South Atlantic League in 1910 and 1911. Magoon’s involvement with baseball con­tinued on after his professional playing days ended. He coached the game at the University of Maine in 1912 and 1913; the 1912 team was state champion. He was coach at the University of New Hampshire in 1915. And he umpired many a game in the semipro leagues that abounded in eastern New Hampshire and southwestern Maine in the years prior to World War II. From 1917 through 1920, Magoon served the City of Rochester as City Marshal, the equivalent of Chief of Police. He later was employed as a special officer at the Rochester Fair and at Rockingham Park Race Track. On December 6, 1943, George “Topsy” Magoon died of a heart attack in his sleep at his home in Rochester. He was 68 years old. In his 16-plus seasons in the majors and the minors he most likely scooped up more ground balls than any other native-born Mainer ever has, before or since – quite a distinction. His major-league career batting average was .239, with enough walks to earn a .321 on-base percentage. He hit two home runs and drove in 201 runs, scoring 199. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/magooge01.shtml

Mahaney's name is identified with baseball in Maine as a longtime benefactor of the University. The field at Orono is named Mahaney Diamond and the Larry K. Mahaney Baseball Clubhouse was also dedicated in his honor. "He has supported amateur baseball in every respect," said John Winkin (Maine Baseball Hall of Fame 1975) head coach of baseball at the University of Maine who will present Mahaney. "That's the key. He helped amateur baseball to grow. I don’t know of anyone who has done more to help baseball in our immediate area’. Mahaney's Interest in baseball is attributable in part to his friendship with the late Maine coach and New York Yankee executive Jack Butterfield -a friendship continued with Winkin. Winkin contributes much time to clinics supported by Mahaney. “These are for kids of all ages," Winkin said. Mahaney Is a member of the Graduate “M” Club and is a recipient of the Black Bear Award from the University of Maine General Alumni Association. in 1988 he was awarded the Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Maine. In 1989 Mahaney received an honorary doctorate from Thomas College. He has also been an active athletic participant, lettering for three years in both basketball and baseball at Fort Fairfield High School. At Maine he lettered in basketball for three years and was team captain as a senior. After graduating in 1951 with a B.S. in Economics, Mahaney spent two years in the U.S. Air Force and in 1954 played basketball in the Edmundston, New Brunswick League. in 1955 he earned a Master's Degree in education administration at Maine. From 1955 to 1962, Mahaney was a coach at Brewer High School, heading the varsity football and basketball programs. The football team was undefeated in 1957 and 1958. Over a three-year period, the Witches won 23 consecutive games. His 1957 team was state champion and several of His players were named All-State. In Basketball, Brewer won the Eastern Maine State Championship in 1959-60 but lost to Lewiston 81-64. From Boston News http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/obituaries/articles/2006/02/15/larry_mahaney_philanthropist_supported_college_baseball_76/ By Associated Press | February 15, 2006 BANGOR -- Larry Mahaney, a well-known Bangor businessman and philanthropist known for his support of college baseball programs in Maine, died in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday, four days after a stroke. He was 76. The former board chairman and chief executive officer of Webber Energy Fuels had said his work on Aroostook County potato farms as a youth gave him the aspiration to achieve, while learning to play poker contributed to his success in business. ''I learned patience, learned to play the hand dealt to you," the Easton native told a gathering at the University of Maine at Presque Isle in 1999. ''I learned to bluff a little." A standout athlete who played basketball while earning bachelor's and master's degrees at the university, Mr. Mahaney coached high school sports before becoming manager of Webber's heating oil division and director of advertising and public relations. At the time, he was married to Louise ''Jackie" Frost, granddaughter of one of the company's founders. Mr. Mahaney became president of Webber Oil in 1969 and diversified the family-run company into other ventures. Husson College baseball coach John Winkin, who formerly coached at Colby College and the University of Maine, said Mr. Mahaney took his ''coaching into business from a motivational, organizational, and competitive" standpoint. ''That's why he has been so successful. He was a coach competing in a business world," Winkin said. Mr. Mahaney's support of baseball programs led to the development of the clubhouse at the University of Maine that bears his name. There are also Mahaney Diamonds at the university and at St. Joseph's College in Windham, as well as a Larry K. Mahaney Gymnasium at Thomas College. More recently, he supplied $1 million last fall for a lighted, 38,000-square-foot dome practice facility at the university that is now complete and also bears his name. Mr. Mahaney was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991 and the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. He leaves his sons, Lance of Palm Beach, Fla., and Kevin of Bangor and Greenwich, Conn. MAHANEY DIAMOND, CLUBHOUSE, AND DOME Mahaney Diamond is the home of the baseball Black Bears. It is named for its chief benefactor, the late Larry K. Mahaney ’51, whose extraordinary generosity over the years led to the creation of one of the best college facilities in the northeast, including a handsome club house with offices and locker rooms, grandstand, press box, and towering light towers that overlook the field. Mr. Mahaney coached briefly at his alma mater and subsequently at Brewer High School before entering the world of business. He became president and later chairman of the Board of the Webber Oil Company and founded the Erin Corporation which owns and manages Holiday Inns in several states, including Maine and Florida. Mahaney Diamond measures 330 feet in left and right fields and 375 feet to dead center. The foul poles came from the Ballpark in Old Orchard Beach that at one time was home to a AAA minor league franchise. The outfield is surrounded by fencing and a cedar hedge. A large electronic scoreboard is adjacent to the left field fence. The playing surface has undergone renovations over the years under the supervision of Joe Mooney, head groundskeeper of the Boston Red Sox. Recently the press box was enlarged and renovated thanks to a gift from Littlefield Construction of Hartland. A feature of the Mahaney Clubhouse is the Palmer Lounge, courtesy of the late Bill Palmer. Located just behind third base, the Clubhouse has an outside deck overlooking the field. Mahaney Diamond has hosted many intercollegiate tournaments, including a number of NCAA Regionals which had average daily attendances of over 4,000, several America East championship events, ECAC tournaments, Maine high school tournament games, and American Legion games. The most recent gift from Larry and his son, Kevin, is the Mahaney Dome, located adjacent to the east wall of Memorial Gymnasium. With a state-of-the art field turf donated by UM football great John Huard, the Dome provides winter practice space for the football, soccer, baseball, field hockey, and softball teams as well as a number of recreation programs. It was constructed in late 2006 and immediately became one of the Athletic Department’s most popular facilities, in use virtually around the clock.

Neil Mahoney, Red Sox scout for New England and among the 9 to be inducted, has comparably close Maine catching connections. PPH 1972 From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Mahoney Neil T. Mahoney (November 21, 1906 — May 23, 1973) was an American professional baseball scout, scouting director, and player development official. Mahoney spent more than 30 years with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball, and as director of minor league operations and director of player procurement, he played an instrumental role in Boston's 1967 and 1975 American League championships. Scout and college coach A native of Newton, Massachusetts, Mahoney graduated with a business degree from Northeastern University in 1929, then played semi-professional baseball in New England, and one professional season (1934) as a catcher for the Watertown Townies and the Lowell Hustlers of the Class B Northeastern League. He first joined the Red Sox as an area scout in 1939, but during World War II he became head baseball and basketball coach of Bowdoin College. After the war, he rejoined the Red Sox and during the 1950s was promoted to East Coast scouting supervisor. He signed New England players such as Jimmy Piersall, Walt Dropo and Wilbur Wood for Boston. He also signed University of Florida catcher Haywood Sullivan, who would succeed Mahoney as the Red Sox' scouting director in 1973 and later become general manager and part-owner of the Bosox. Scouting and farm system director After a disappointing 1960 season, Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey made several changes in his front office. Among them, he replaced Johnny Murphy, the team's director of minor league operations and scouting, with Mahoney. Although the Red Sox continued to struggle at the MLB level through 1966, Mahoney's scouts and minor league farm system began producing players who would assume key roles in its 1967 "Impossible Dream" pennant drive: Jim Lonborg, George Scott, Rico Petrocelli, Tony Conigliaro, Reggie Smith, Joe Foy, Mike Andrews, Sparky Lyle and others. In addition, the system produced a future Baseball Hall of Fame manager, Dick Williams, who would lead Boston to the 1967 pennant; Williams had been given his first managing job, the Red Sox' Triple-A assignment, by Mahoney in 1965. Mahoney, like general manager Dick O'Connell, also signaled a change in Red Sox policy by actively scouting and signing African American players. "Under O'Connell and Neil Mahoney, Boston's increasingly colorblind farm system had never been more productive," wrote Glenn Stout and Dick Johnson in their book, Red Sox Century. Legacy After the 1968 season, Mahoney focused strictly on heading the team's scouting corps as director of player procurement, turning over farm system director responsibilities to his assistant, Ed Kenney. Before his death at age 66 in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, in 1973, however, Mahoney's scouts would produce Hall of Famers Carlton Fisk and Jim Rice, and other stars of Boston's 1975 pennant-winning team such as Rick Burleson, Dwight Evans, Cecil Cooper and Bill Lee.

Willard Mains was born on Tuesday, July 7, 1868, in North Windham, Maine. Mains was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on August 3, 1888, with the Chicago White Stockings. From Baseball Reference Willard Mains Positions: Pitcher and Outfielder Bats: Left • Throws: Right 6-2, 190lb (188cm, 86kg) Born: July 7, 1868 in North Windham, ME us Died: May 23, 1923 (Aged 54-320d) in Bridgton, ME Buried: High Street Cemetery, Bridgton, ME Debut: August 3, 1888 (Age 20-027d, 1,285th in MLB history) Last Game: June 2, 1896 (Age 27-331d) Rookie Status: Exceeded rookie limits during 1891 season Full Name: Willard Eben Mains Nicknames: Grasshopper From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willard_Mains Willard Eben Mains (July 7, 1868 – May 23, 1923) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He joined the National League at the age of 19 with the Chicago White Stockings, started two games in 1888, winning one and losing the other. After that season, he didn't return to the Majors until 1891, when he pitched in 30 games, starting 23 of them, for the Cincinnati Kelly's Killers of the American Association. He had a record of 12-12 with 20 complete games before he moved on and pitched two games for the Milwaukee Brewers, also of the Association. He wasn't seen again in the Major Leagues again until five years later when he surfaced for the 1896 Boston Beaneaters, with whom he pitched in eight games, winning three games, losing two. His son, Jim Mains pitched one game in the majors, for the 1943 Philadelphia Athletics. Mains had a long career in minor league baseball, where he recorded a record of 318 wins and 179 losses in 545 games.[2] Willard died at the age of 54 in Bridgton, Maine, and interred at South High Street Cemetery in Bridgton. From Society for American Baseball Research Part of the story of Willard Eben Mains is typical of the era, but his achievements during his baseball career are not. Mains pitched in professional baseball for 20 years (1887-1906). He played briefly in the majors; the bulk of his career was spent in various minor leagues, where he was the first pitcher to win more than 300 games. When his career ended in 1906, only six major league pitchers (all future Hall of Famers) had reached 300 wins. Only Cy Young, Kid Nichols and Tim Keefe had more victories than his 334 total. Mains was arguably the best minor league pitcher of his day. LAKES REGION WEEKLY Posted April 27, 2015 Updated March 17, 2016 https://www.pressherald.com/2015/04/27/it-happened-in-windham-the-man-named-grasshopper/ It Happened in Windham: The man named ‘Grasshopper’ BY KAY SOLDIER ONE OF THE LONGEST-LIVED NAMES IN WINDHAM IS “MAINS” AND ONE OF THEM PLAYED PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL – IN ADDITION TO MAKING BASEBALL BATS. NOW THAT IT’S BASEBALL SEASON, WE’LL TAKE A LOOK AT ONE OF WINDHAM’S PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES. THEY CALLED HIM “GRASSHOPPER” OR “WILLIE,” AND HIS IMAGE ON A BASEBALL CARD RECENTLY SOLD FOR MORE THAN $2,600. A WINDHAM RELATIVE HAS BEEN COLLECTING NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS AND OTHER “MAINS” EPHEMERAE FOR A LONG TIME AND SHARED IT WITH THE WINDHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY. IN A 2010 INTERVIEW WITH JIM MAINS, THE THEN-NEWLY ELECTED HEAD OF THE GREATER BRIDGTON LAKES REGION CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, LAKES REGION WEEKLY EDITOR JOHN BALENTINE ASKED HIM ABOUT HIS TIES TO THE AREA. MAINS RESPONDED: “MY GRANDFATHER, WILLARD EBEN MAINS, WAS BORN IN NORTH WINDHAM IN 1868. HE WAS A PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL PLAYER, PLAYED WITH THE 1888 CHICAGO WHITE STOCKINGS. HE MADE BASEBALL BATS IN THE OFF-SEASON. HE MADE THEM IN SANDY CREEK, HARRISON, AND EVEN A FEW IN THE FRYEBURG AREA. AND HE SOLD THOSE ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. MY FATHER WAS ALSO A MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER AND HE RETURNED IN THE LATE ’40S, TOOK UP THE BAT BUSINESS AND ESTABLISHED A WOODTURNING BUSINESS. MY FATHER WAS JAMES R. (BUD) MAINS.” AT THE AGE OF 19, WILLARD “GRASSHOPPER” MAINS STARTED HIS CAREER WITH THE CHICAGO WHITE STOCKINGS IN 1888, AND PLAYED TWO GAMES – WINNING ONE AND LOSING THE OTHER. HE WENT TO THE MINOR LEAGUES AND PLAYED 545 GAMES – WINNING 318 AND LOSING 179. HE RETURNED TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES IN 1891, PITCHING IN 30 GAMES. TEAMS HE PLAYED FOR INCLUDED THE BOSTON BEANEATERS, MILWAUKEE BREWERS AND CINCINNATI KELLY’S KILLERS. HIS SON, JIM, PITCHED ONE GAME IN THE MAJORS FOR THE 1943 PHILADELPHIA ATHLETICS. AFTER HIS BASEBALL DAYS WERE OVER, WILLARD MAINS RETURNED TO MAINE, WORKED AT THE BASEBALL BAT BUSINESS AND DIED ON MAY 23, 1923. HE IS BURIED IN BRIDGTON. INFORMATION FOR THIS ARTICLE FROM THE WINDHAM HISTORICAL SOCIETY, PHIL KENNARD WIKIPEDIA AND FIND-A-GRAVE.