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Mains, born in Bridgton in 1922, the son of 1970 Maine Hall selection Willard (Grasshopper) Mains, attended Bridgton High before transferring to Morristown NJ High, then Storm King On the Hudson, a private school in NY State. In 1943, mains was a sophomore on a Harvard University team which played a Boston Red Sox nine in need of spring batting practice. Mains breezed to a 13-0 win. Fastballer Mains was signed by Philadelphia's Connie Mack and traded to the St Louis Browns. He died, "still St Louis Browns property" he had remarked wryly, March 17 1969. He continued the family bat business while diversifying wood products. From Wikipedia James Royal Mains (June 12, 1922 – March 17, 1969) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played one game for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1943. Biography Mains was born in Bridgton, Maine, and was the son of former MLB pitcher Willard Mains. He attended Harvard University and played on the freshman baseball team in 1942. Mains started his professional baseball career in 1943. That season, he pitched for the Eastern League's Utica Braves and went 0–8 with a 6.64 earned run average. He also made one start for the Philadelphia Athletics late in the season, a complete-game loss. It was his only major league appearance. The following season, he went 3–9 back in the Eastern League. In 1945, Mains pitched for the American Association's Toledo Mud Hens and went 5–8, mostly in relief. He then moved on to the Little Rock Travelers of the Southern Association. He set career-highs in 1946 in wins, losses, and innings pitched, going 6–16 with a 4.60 ERA in 178 innings. In 1947, he went 3–10. That was his last season in the high minors. He later pitched in the Provincial League. Besides playing baseball, Mains also manufactured baseball bats in Bridgton. He had one son, who is also named Jim. Mains died in 1969, at the age of 46.

From Society for American Baseball Research https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/c4a3e344 Billy Maloney This article was written by Will Anderson Ballplayers of Irish descent - Hugh Duffy, Wee Willie Keeler, Big Ed Delahanty, John McGraw, et al. - played a major factor in our National Pastime’s surge to ever-greater popularity in the 1880s and the 1890s and the first decade of this century. According to a 1989 article in The Irish Echo, fully one-third to one-half of all major leaguers in the 1890s were of Irish ancestry. Joining those ranks in 1901 was William Alphonse Maloney. Born in Lewiston on June 5, 1878, Billy Maloney was one of the earliest “college boys” to play in the bigs. Old-time fans are likely to recall Jack Coombs (Colby), Eddie Collins (Colum­bia), Christy Mathewson (Bucknell), and Eddie Plank (Gettysburg) as examples of early players who went directly from college into a major-league uniform. Billy Maloney had them all beat. Upon gradua­tion from Georgetown College (now Georgetown University), he joined the American League Milwaukee team in 1901. There he batted .293 in 86 games. Surprisingly - considering what a speed­ster he was to become in the outfield and on the base paths - he played 72 of those games as the team’s catcher. When the Milwaukee franchise was transferred to St. Louis for the 1902 season, Billy was transferred right along with it. In St. Louis, after a weak start (he was batting .205 after 30 games), he was dealt to Cincinnati in the National League. There, playing mostly outfield, he batted a somewhat more robust .247 in 27 games. High batting averages were not Billy’s forte. Slick fielding and, especially, base stealing were where he earned his highest marks. It appeared for a while, though, as if he would not get another chance to showcase them. Following his rather unsatisfying 1902 season, he was sent down to Kansas City in the Western League (1903) and then Minneapolis in the American Association (1904). His work in Minneapolis impressed Chicago Cubs manager Frank Selee, however, and Billy returned to the majors - and a starting outfield berth - with the Cubbies in 1905. It would be his best year. On Opening Day, April 14, Billy held down right field and batted second. He had no hits but, in a hint of what was to come, he walked, stole a base, and scored a run. In May he was moved to the third slot in the Cubs order, where he remained most of the season. He alternated between right and center field, and started to loosen up ... and to steal a base almost every game. May 21 was an especial highlight. Bat­ting cleanup, Billy socked a three-run homer over the head of left-fielder Jimmy Sheckard (the man for whom he would be traded 10 months later) in the first inning, propelling the Cubs on their way to an especially appropriate 11-2 romp over Brooklyn. It was in June, however, that Billy really got going. He began stealing two, some­times three, bases in many a game. In a four-game series with the Boston Beaneaters on June 7 through the 10th he had himself a particularly good time. In the first game, he had two hits, stole two bases, and scored three runs. In the third game, he had one hit, stole three bases, and scored two runs. In the fourth and concluding encounter, he had three hits, stole two bases, and scored one run. Two weeks later Billy again distinguished himself by scoring one run and driving in the other in an 18-inning 2-1 Cub victory over St. Louis. Meanwhile, that he was playing a superb outfield was attested to by the numerous plaudits the New York Times included in its generally rather sparse game summaries. “Maloney made two difficult running catches at centre field” (game of May 13); “Maloney, in the third inning, made an unusually brilliant catch of Mertes’s high ball to right field with his left hand and on a full run” (game of May 16); and “A one-handed catch by Maloney, depriving Titus of an almost sure home run, shut out the visitors” (game of June 21), were among the sterling plays singled out for praise by the Times. Other plaudits and big games - especially in terms of stolen bases - would follow. But perhaps Billy's most interesting moment came on August 9... when he was the key ingredient in a scenario that the press of the day thought had never before happened (and that certainly hasn’t happened very often since.) It went this way: in the seventh inning of a game against the Giants, Cub pitcher Bob Wicker led off with a single. Jimmy Slagle drew a base on balls. Billy then beat out a bunt, loading the bases with nobody out. Frank Chance hit a fly to right. Wicker and Slagle stayed close to their respective bases, ready to tag up if the Giants right-fielder, Sammy Strang, caught the ball. But Billy was off at the crack of the bat. When Strang couldn't reach the ball, Wicker trotted home while Slagle and Billy M., with not more than a step between them, hotfooted it around third and into home. The throw came in, and catcher Roger Bresnahan tagged the sliding Slagle. But there was no way he could get to Billy... who slid under Slagle. After some heated discussion, Slagle was called out and our boy was called safe. Billy had scored on an out at the plate. By season’s conclusion, Billy had hung up some pretty impressive numbers. Appearing in 145 games, he batted a solid .260, scored 78 runs, drove in 56 others, and tied for the league lead (with Art Devlin of the Giants) in stolen bases with 59. In third place, with 57, was the legendary “Flying Dutchman,” Honus Wagner (who, in his career, tallied 772 total steals and led the league in that category five times.) The Cubs finished a strong third in 1905. They were on the way to their 1906 success, in which they won 116 games and took the National League crown by a resounding 20-game margin over second-place New York. Unfortunately, though, Billy Maloney was not to be a part of that “Tinker to Evers to Chance” team of destiny. On December 30, 1905 he - along with outfielder Jack McCarthy, third-sacker Doc Casey, pitcher Buttons Briggs, and $2,000 - was shipped to Brook­lyn in exchange for outfielder Jimmy Sheckard. For the Superbas (as the Dodgers were known in those days), Billy put in three full years. He played in 408 games over 1906, 1907, and 1908 and, although he still patrolled the outfield with the best of them, his batting and base stealing statistics fell off. From 1909 to 1914 his love of the game - even at the minor league level - kept him in it. In chronological order, he played for Rochester (Eastern League), Mobile (Southern League), and Fort Worth, Beaumont, and San Antonio (all in the Texas League). Texas crept into Billy Maloney’s blood. After his playing days were through, he joined Gulf Oil, remaining in the Lone Star State for the rest of his long life. In Texas, he traded his baseball bat for a golf club. Longtime friend and neighbor Robin Rominger of Breckenridge, Texas, recalls that Billy “hit the ball about as straight as anybody I ever saw.” Robin also recalls that Billy, whom he characterizes as a true gentleman, wasn't much interested in modern base­ball ... that he considered any game with more than two or three runs per team to be a “washout.” Billy Maloney passed away, at age 82, on September 2, 1960, in Breckenridge. He is buried in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, where he spent many of his formative years and where he met his wife, the former Theresa Brennan. From Portland Press Herald 1977 Vern Putney Sports Writer Maloney began his big league career with Milwaukee of the American League in 1901 as a catcher-outfielder. He also played for St Louis in the American and Cincinnati and Brooklyn in the National leagues. His batting average was .236 in 696 major league games. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/malonbi01.shtml

The long ball and Johnny Mancini are forever coupled in Deering Oaks history. Thirty years after retirement, old timers recall the southpaw slugger’s prodigious homers. Time may have added a few yards, but the late ‘Pete Pompeo would term the distance estimates conservative. After one clout to Forest Avenue, Pallotta Oil Manager Pete Pompeo Paced 75 "steps ‘beyond the 350-foot sign. ‘‘The ball traveled 500 feet,” declared Pompeo. Ed Mardigan was the victim. Mancini had only modest hitting success in the Telegram Schoolboy League from 1946 through 1949. Sports writer Frank Curran noted however, that ‘ ‘Telly averages don’t do Mancini justice he hits the ball hard most of the time but straight at opponents who had to catch the ball if only in self defense.’ Mancini may only have been a boy in chilly Springtime, but he was a man in the largely-adult Summer twilight League. He was a regular at 16, and at 17 captured the Twi Triple Crown — homers, runs batted in and batting crown. his specialty seemed to be late, game-winning homers for over the right field fence. Most rewarding connection, perhaps, came against Maine Hall of Famer Ubby Craft with one on and Pallotta trailing by a run. Hit a homer, and I’ll give you $25,” ” said Pompeo. "And I'll double that,’’ added sponsor Joe Pallotta. Mancini had his hand out as he crossed the plate. he recalls vividly. The passage of time has dimmed such highlights as ‘441 and 400-plus Twi averages, a 5-0 Telly pitching record and membership on a Portland Press Herald team which defeated Bangor newspaper counterpart featuring future New York Mets pitcher Carl Willey. Mancini ’s content with marriage to Theresa, children Jr., William and Bernadette and an interesting career as fireman, from 1960 to 1985. Johnny Mancini retired as Deputy Chief. Portland High yearbook 1949 "Against Westbrook once more, Portland bounced back to a 6- 5 Win. Harold Anthony was the starting pitcher for the Tannermen, and although need- ing Rollie MacMillan to save the game with relief pitching, gained credit for the victory. The eighth game of the year for Portland was another tough luck, one run loss. This time the other team was Deering, and the score was 5 -4. Portland's fifth victory of the season was an 8-3 conquest of Thornton Academy, as Bob Tanner's forces were pitched and batted to the revenge win by powerful southpaw Johnny Mancini. Then meeting Sanford for the second time of the year, the Blue was downed 9-5. The team that Coach Bob Tanner has been fielding this year included, infield: Ed Connolly, Ronnie Leonard, Nunzi Mancini, Dick Hawesg out- field: Gus "Bones" Profenno, Dick "Boogie', Maller, Johnny Nlancinig pitchers: Dave Redmond, Harold Anthony, Rollie MacMillan, Johnny Mancini, catchers: Dick Jackson, Vern Durant, utility: "Sonny" St. Angelo and Chet Koceika. "

Ed “Hooks” Mardigan gained that nom de diamond from the sharp benders he loosed from a variety of pitcher’s mounds on behalf of Deering High, Hew Hampton Prep and several semipro combines in the latter ‘40’s and well into the ‘50’s. But the curve was only a part of the Mardigan equation. Essential to the effect on batters was the Mardigan delivery, unique to say the least. It was described as “quirky” by one writer. Another analogized “like shoveling the ball out of his shirt.” One way or another, the idiosyncratic launcher took its toll. Mardigan capped a strong senior year at Deering – football guard and basketball forward as well – with selection to the All-Telegram Baseball team with a 5-1 record for the runner-up Rams. Mardigan actually pitched the Purple into a Telly title tie with South Portland before the Red Riots edged the Rams in a playoff. Two no-hitters were among the Mardigan Twilight League highlights. Ed shut down D.A. Fogg, 8-0, allowing 3 walks and striking out 11, in an 8-0 season opening win for Pallotta Oil’s eventual TWI champions. Hooks boosted his cushion with a home run. Ed almost aped Johnny Van Der Meer with a one-hitter over Eastern Oil in his next start. Next season, Mardigan was personally perfect for his seven-inning stint with Portland Copper in a 9-0 victory over Bar Mills. Ed didn’t walk a batter as errors accounted for the three base runners. The Mardigan resume also includes a trophy as New Hampton Prep’s top athlete for the 1949-50 school year as a three-sport star. Mardigan, flinging for Ames Furniture, shared the TWI victory pinnacle with Fogg’s Tony Hopkins at 9-2 in 1950. Like many National Pastime veterans, Mardigan eventually turned to softball where he played third base and helped the Century Tire Club to City of Portland and state fast-pitch titles. From Legacy guestbook Hobbs https://www.hobbsfuneralhome.com/obituary/5424227 Edward Lawrence Mardigan "Hall of Famer" Edward L. Mardigan of Portland died peacefully after a long and courageous battle with Parkinson's disease on Tuesday, Nov 5, 2013 at the Maine Veterans' Home in Scarborough. Edward was born on May 5th, 1931, the son of Armenian Immigrants, Lucy Amergian Mardigan and Sooren Mardigan in Detroit Michigan. Raised in Portland, Me. Edward went to Deering High School and was an " All Letter All Sport Athlete" excelling in baseball as a pitcher, basketball and football. After high school, he went on to New Hampton Prep. School and attended Bates College where he was a star athlete at both schools. Tom Legere from FL wrote on Nov. 16, 2013: "My family grew up across the street from the Mardigan family. Ed "Mr. Mardigan" often played catch with us, coached us in baseball mechanics, and would throw some wicked curve balls and sinkers (not even his best stuff). He always had something new going on and had an interesting story to go with it. "

Dennis Martel, a graduate of Marshwood High School and the University of Maine, has been baseball coach at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Ill., for 26 seasons and has amassed nearly 700 career victories with an NCAA Division III national championship (2010), two regional titles and eight conference championships. IWU teams have made appearances in four consecutive and 11 overall NCAA postseason tournaments. Martel graduated in 1977 from Marshwood High, where he was three-sport athlete and a two-time all-conference player and four-year letterman in baseball. He is a 1984 graduate of the University of Maine with a degree in physical education and coached basketball at Bangor Community College for four seasons. His Illinois Wesleyan baseball teams have compiled an overall record of 687-417-3 (.622) and a College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin record of 332-143 (.699) with eight championships. In 26 years he has experienced only two losing seasons and only one in CCIW play and his teams have won 24 games or more in 14 consecutive seasons. In 2008, Martel eclipsed the win total of Jack Horenberger to become the school’s all-time baseball coaching leader in victories. Horenberger had 509 wins in 37 seasons as IWU skipper. For leading his team to the 2010 national title, Martel was named the American Baseball Coaches Association/Diamond Sports Division III “National Coach of the Year” as well as the regional “Coach of the Year.” The 2010 national championship team won 11 of their final 12 games to finish with a 31-21 record. The Titans were the No. 4 seed in the CCIW tournament and staved off elimination twice on the final day to win the tourney and earn a berth into the NCAA regional, where they were the No. 6 seed (in the six-team regional) and swept four games to advance to the national finals for the first time since 2001. Martel was also the ABCA regional “Coach of the Year” in 2001 as the Titans advanced to the Division III College World Series for the first time in school history and earned a seventh place finish. The Central Regional champions, the 2001 Titans set a school record with 37 wins. Martel has coached two first-team ABCA All-Americans, six second-team honorees and three third-team selections. In addition, he has had over 60 players named to all-region teams and more than 130 have earned all-conference honors. Six of Martel’s players have signed pro baseball contracts with major league affiliation - lefthanded pitcher Cory Lapinski (2005, Houston Astros), righthanded pitcher Drew Himes (2005, Houston Astros), rightbanded pitcher Steve Schilsky (2002, Oakland A’s), outfielder James Rinne (1998, Arizona Diamondbacks), catcher Jay Ahrendt (1996, Baltimore Orioles) and catcher Mike Brown (1991, Los Angeles Dodgers). An assistant professor of physical education, Martel also spent 21 seasons as IWU’s full-time assistant basketball coach before becoming director of basketball operations in 2007. He earned a master’s degree in athletic administration from Illinois State University. Dennis and his wife, Michelle, are the parents of three daughters - Sara, Jenna and Anna. From Illinois Wesleyan University https://www.iwusports.com/coaches.aspx?rc=167 OVERALL: 829-528-3 (.611) [32 seasons through 2019] • NCAA Division III national championship, 2010 • NCAA Division III, seventh place, 2001 CCIW: 409-200 (.672) [32 seasons through 2019] • 9 CCIW championships In 2019, Dennis Martel begins his 32nd season as baseball coach at Illinois Wesleyan. He has the most coaching wins at the school and led the team to the 2010 NCAA Division III national championship, for which he was named the American Baseball Coaches Association/Diamond Sports Division III “National Coach of the Year” as well as the regional “Coach of the Year” for the second time. In 2013 Martel was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame at its 43rd annual ceremony and banquet on July 28 in Portland, Maine.

Popular Phil Martin brings excellent credentials to the Baseball Hall of Fame-both as a player and as a coach. And nobody carries a greater love and understanding of the National Pastime. With dad Sam and Uncle “Doc” Packard, both stars in the venerable Pine Tree League, it was natural that Phil would get early training at the diamond, He demonstrated his winning ways when as a freshman he notched two hits and four RBI as Paris High won the State Class B Championship. He was an outstanding pitcher at Paris and twirled two one-hitters in the 1954 high school tournament before losing 5-4 to York in the Western final-his fourth game in ten days. Although a chipped elbow closed out a promising college career at the University of Maine, it wasn’t long before Phil began carving an enviable semi-pro record. In 1960, pitching for Norway-Paris Twins Martin was one of four pitchers selected to the American Amateur Baseball Congress All-Star Team as his team was a semifinalist at the annual Ann Arbor tournament. From 1961 through 1976 Phil pastimed for several teams in The Portland Twilight League and hurled no-hitters for Ametek and Yudy’s. He won his last game at the age of 40 but continued to coach or manage unti! 1981. As a coach Phil has spent 32 years in the schoolboy ranks: Hodgdon High School 1958-59; Scarborough Junior High School 1960-71; Scarborough High School 1973-1989. He has also been assisting Jim Graffam at St. Joseph’s College with fall baseball. His high school Scarborough Redskins have garnered a lofty 180-99 record (65%). In 1986 his Redskins compiled a perfect 20-0 and, lead by Jim Dillon and John Alcorn, won the State “B” championship. But win or lose Phil has always been a model teacher of baseball enthusiastic and intelligent-and while an intense competitor, always an exemplary sportsman. His wife of 29 years, Pat, has been an ever-present supporter and their children Theresa and Jay both excelled in athletics. Theresa was a 1981 Maine Sports Hall of Fame scholar-athlete and Jay was two-time co-captain of basketball at Daniel Webster College. Phil Martin Youth Baseball Award https://www.pressherald.com/2007/06/13/philip-t-martin-youth-baseball-award-winners-2/ From Legacy Portland Press Herald https://obituaries.pressherald.com/obituaries/mainetoday-pressherald/obituary.aspx?n=philip-t-martin&pid=171661809&fhid=29127 Phil had a 26 year career as a physical education teacher. He also was a referee for high school soccer, coached JV and varsity basketball, and varsity baseball. Of these activities, his true love was baseball. Phil was very proud of the fact that at the age of 24, he played and managed for a Norway-Paris baseball team that placed fourth in a tournament against 13 of the best semi-pro teams east of the Mississippi. He continued playing for many years, ending his career in the Twilight League in Portland, throwing two no-hitters and pitching his final win at age 40. He was also proud of his baseball coaching career of over 50 years, 33 as head coach of Scarborough High where he was known as much for his impact on his players as for his victories. One of those victories was a State Championship in 1986. A former player from this championship team said of Phil upon hearing of his passing: 'He was a great man who had a tremendous impact on my life. He always put his players first. (I was not a star player), but he still made me feel like I was just as important as the best players.' About the state championship, he further commented, 'I will never forget what it meant to Coach Martin. He had this sense of joy and satisfaction that I can't describe. It was the crowning moment of a long career, but he never wanted the attention. He let the players be front and center and he sat in the background just beaming.' Phil served in the Maine High School Coaches Association and the Maine Baseball Coaches Association, including 2 years as President for both. In 1988, Phil was inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame, which later honored him in 1990 as a co-recipient of the President's Award for recording his 200th win as Scarborough Baseball Coach.

“What I liked best about baseball was the competitiveness of pitcher versus hitter. Being a pitcher, I always tried to strike the batter out if I could. If not, a pop fly or a ground out would do. A fastball in the nineties with a hop on it, a drop in the dirt, or a curve that the batter breaks his back on: a pitcher has a lot of advantages if used properly. But still, some batters can hit anything you throw. That’s baseball.” - Maynard Maxwell Maynard Maxwell was a powerful right handed pitcher from Lee, Maine. In the words of fellow Hall Of Fame member, Brian “Butch” Gordon, “Maynard was a very well respected pitcher in the area when I was playing for Mattawamkeag.” Marty Roop, another Hall Of Famer, called him, ”The fastest pitcher I ever faced when I played for Stearns High School”, and called his induction “well deserved”. Maynard, age 84, still resides in Lee with his wife of sixty one years, Cheryl. They are the parents of three sons: Kevin and his wife Ginger, who reside in Winn and manages the part of the original farm which produces hay, Keith who, after retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel and a base commander following a twenty five year in the Air Force is currently involved with the Army Corps of Engineers in Afghanistan, and Scott and his wife Janet who reside in Lee where Scott currently operates an automotive and truck repair business. Maynard and Cheryl have seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Maynard graduated from Lee Academy in 1952. We hear the phrase, “It was a different time”, and it often seems trite. However, it rings very true when one listens to Maynard speak about his early years growing up in the Other Maine. “Lee and the surrounding areas were boomtowns. There were over one hundred farms in the area producing milk and potatoes. There were six paper mills along the Penobscot River. There were sawmills, broiler houses, shoe and textile manufacturing, as well as leather and clothespin producers. Everybody had a job. There was no welfare, no nursing homes, No TV, no Walmart and no smart phones. The average wage was fifty dollars a week, and everybody ate well -potatoes, beans, garden vegetables, venison and a few fish.” It was a time when Maxwell Farms was a renowned potato producer. Kevin and Scott joined their father in the family business. Maxwell Farms became known nationally for its excellent seed potatoes, providing them to farms from Maine to Florida. The business grew and expanded to farms in Webster and Canton. The Maxwells diversified to produce broccoli, cabbage, radish grain and straw. Then things changed like they always do. The NAFTA agreement resulted in a significant loss of business, and it was clear the time had come to exit the potato business. Six hundred acres of irrigated land went to another farm which was seeking to expand. The rest was put into the production of hay and straw. Kevin harvested several eighty thousand bales last year. Maynard was clearly more than a right handed fireballer; he was a well respected businessman and community leader as well with roles with The Farmers Home Administration, The Central Maine Potato Growers, the Agway company as a store owner and representative, the Penobscot County Soil and Conservation Committee, the Lee Planning Board and the Lee Snowmobile Club. Well, there weren’t any cornfields on the farm, and no Ty Cobb ever showed up there, but there was always baseball. “Baseball was king then, and basketball in the winter. The main sport was scrub. We played it at recess, noon hour and into the evening all the way through elementary school. There was no Little League or American Legion back then, only high school ball. During his time in high school, Maynard met one of the people who had a profound influence on him as a player and a person. That man was Dan Frazier, a math teacher and the baseball coach. “He stressed fundamentals. If you made a physical mistake, he said nothing. It was the mental mistakes he let you know about. He taught us to think ahead, to run on and off the field and to be dedicated to the game.” Maybe sometimes Coach Frazier was a tad too dedicated to the game. Maynard recalls that the coach’s wife once told him that he and his neighbor John Winkin the couple got into “some pretty heated arguments over baseball.” Somehow I doubt those arguments centered on launch angle or exit velocity. Maynard was sort of a pitching progeny, if you will. He was just a freshman when he was asked to play for a local town team. The catcher that day was a seasoned veteran of the town team wars and doubted that this young pup had anything he hadn’t seen before. He sauntered to the mound after Maynard’s last warm up toss. When Maynard asked what he wanted to do for signals, the catcher said, “Just throw whatever you want, and I’ll catch it.” Well, he had not seen that drop ball.  After quite a few hurried trips to the backstop to retrieve it, the catcher called time and jogged to the mound to suggest the implementation of signs. In 1952 Maynard became a bonafide town teamplayer. “After graduation I played for the Mattawamkeag Millionaires for a few years. In a short time we organized our own team, the Lee AA. We were very successful for the next eight to ten years, sometimes losing only two or three games. We all had graduated from Lee Academy and four of my teammates are still living.”  I can tell you from personal experience that when you get those fellows in one room it does not take long for the stories to start flying about. Maynard says the Lee AA took on all comers. Well, I borrowed a few of his old scorebooks and spent about three hours in his office with a notebook. A different time you say? I learned there was a Mushquash League, with two divisions, no less. Take a drive out Route Six someday -Prentiss, Springfield, Codyville, Kingman, Danforth all had teams. Check the scorebooks. When you look at games Maynard pitched in, you will see two things: one, there were never any relief pitchers, and two, there were always tons of strikeouts -sometimes as many as sixteen or seventeen. These did not all come against a bunch of ragtag ball clubs. You can see where Maynard beat some iconic town teams from the area: the Mattawamkeag Merchants, who featured Herbert and Kenneth Libbey as well as Gil Arnold, had some very rough nights against the Lee AA when Maynard hurled. It was likewise for the Peter Dana Point nine with Clayton and Patrick Socabasin in the lineup. Marty Roop recalls a game in which Maynard squared off against Jim Difrederico and bested him 1-0. The Lee AA made a trip to the Bangor Daily News office one night and got the late Bud Leavitt to issue a challenge to “ all comers”. The Bangor Bees answered the call. Both teams were undefeated at the time. That night Maynard stung the Bees. It was with good reason that Maynard found himself to be the starting pitcher in a number of all star games. Remember that “different times” thing? Oh, the stories. Tony Tammaro played on and managed the Woodland team. He called Lee to see if they would come down for a Saturday game. He asked Maynard if it would be alright if he put up some signs advertising that Maynard would be pitching. Well, he did pitch. A really large batter for the opponents took a called third strike. He voiced his disapproval by snapping the bat over his knee. He intended to follow that up by doing the same to the umpire and Maynard, not necessarily in that order. At that moment it was a good thing Mr. Tammaro had some boxing cred. The mele was averted, and then game resumed. Former teammate Lloyd Stevens recalled that centerfield at Princeton was a bit challenging since the highway ran through it. Any reader of When Towns Had Teams is familiar with the Lamoine field. At their peak, the Lee AA were invited down for a weekend. They were not aware of a policy which said that the visiting team would be responsible for one dozen new baseballs. A couple of days later, the Lee team heard rumblings of displeasure about their “stiffing” of Lamoine. Not ones to dodge responsibility, the Lee men took up a collection and sent the cash to Mr. Gifford Cochran. No Mastercard, no checking account; it was in an envelope. Cochran sent it all back with a note thanking them for their integrity and saying that their honesty, “warmed the cockles of his heart”. Today we often hear how these “townies” don’t stack up against today’s college players. Well, Maynard was scouted by the Baltimore Orioles. He was up back in a field at the farm. Mardi Crocker and Roland Scribner came to tell Maynard a scout was looking for him. He left the field and went to his yard. There was a mound there. He loosened up and let some fly. The scout said, “Yes, you have the speed and the movement, but you are too darned old.” Well ok”, said Maynard, “I’ve got a crop of potatoes to take care of.” Yes, they were different times, but different is not necessarily good or bad. For the baseball players of Maynard’s era, they were pretty darned good times.

Most people always say “I thought you only played basketball”. My high school Basketball coach, Bill Folsom, had a talk with me before I went to College and said: “Keep your weight down and your attitude positive and you will go far in both sports”. His advice proved to be very beneficial. “This induction brings me full circle back to Maine. I started in Little League and now finalize and commemorate my baseball career in the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame. I am deeply honored.” -Mike Mazerall The Maine Baseball Hall of fame is very proud to induct Mr. Michael Dennis Mazerall into the class of 2016. Mike is the son of the late Beatrice and Francis (Dutchy) Mazerall who always supported Mike and his love of the game. Mike was born and brought up in the proud baseball City of Westbrook. Mike and his wife Deborah reside in Norcross, Georgia where Mike is self-employed as the President of Mike Mazerall & Associates, LLC. Mike began his baseball career playing ball during recess at St. Mary’s school and as a member of Westbrook Little League. Due to his size and talent, Mike was chosen by the local Rotary team when he was only eight-years-old. Starting as a first baseman in 1954, he quickly converted to a pitcher on the advice of his father after playing catch one day in their backyard. Big Mike learned at an early age that he could throw the ball hard enough, but also realized that command and control were even more important. He practiced for hours a day just throwing a rubber ball against the garage door to master his control. At Westbrook High School, Mike was a stellar athlete in both Baseball and Basketball. In baseball, Mike was fortunate to learn from a very talented pitching staff. In the early to mid sixties, Westbrook High School was known for its many talented pitchers: Bruce Libby, Billy Walk and Rod Tibbetts along with MBHOF inductees John Cumberland and Ricky Swan gave Westbrook tremendous pitching rotations for a number of years. As a senior in 1964, Mike would go 6-1 and was rated the top pitcher in the Telegram League. During the regular season, Mike would only allow five runs in forty-five innings of work. His personal best was striking out twenty batters in one game. Mike also played five years of American Legion ball for Manchester Post making the transition from little league to American Legion at the age of thirteen. Mike’s hard work both on the court and on the field led to numerous college scholarships offers. He decided to attend Loyola University of New Orleans on a basketball scholarship. The main reason being that they would allow him to play both basketball and baseball, which is unheard of today. Mike’s dad Francis played an important role in helping him choose Loyola as he believed that his son should continue with his baseball career as well. Mike would go on to play both sports all four years for the Wolfpack. As a starting pitcher all four years, Mike had a total record of ten wins and six losses. In his first college start, Mike recorded twelve strikeouts for the Division one powerhouse. His last two years, his record was seven wins and two losses with an ERA of 1.65. As a testament to Mike’s athletic abilities, he also played a key role on the Loyola basketball team playing against some of the best players in the country: Elvin Hayes & Don Chaney from Houston, Don May & Henry Finkel from Dayton and Mike Butler from Memphis State. Maz also played against Pistol Pete Maravich twice and boast of helping to hold him down to sixty-one points in one game... During the summer months while in college Mike would return home to play in the Portland Twilight League for Yudy’s/Haverty Buick. As a starting pitcher for four years, he was a dominant pitcher throwing a no-hitter and two one-hitters. After college, Mike signed with the Boston Red Sox and would play three years for their organization. In 1968, He played in the Rookie League at Jamestown, New York and posted a record of 3-0. The following year, Mike was promoted to the Sox minor league A team in Greenville SC playing in the Western Caroline League. Again, Mike was very successful as he finished the year with a record of 4-1. In 1970, Mike was invited to Spring Training — AAA and was fortunate to play with Dwight Evans, Rick Miller, Roger Moret, Bill Lee and Mike Nagy. He ended his career playing for the sox in Winston Salem, SC where his team won the league championship. In addition, Mike pitched in the league All-Star game and struck out six of the nine batters he faced. Michael would finish his Red Sox career with an impressive record of 9 wins and 4 losses. After his playing career, Mike gave back to the community by coaching senior high school boys in church league basketball at the Greenville, SC YMCA for over ten years. In addition, Mike umpired Little League baseball for three years as well. The most influential person in Mike’s athletic career was his father. He helped Mike convert to a pitcher in Little League and along with his Uncle Harry Beatty, went to every athletic event he ever participated in while playing in Maine. Their support was the driving force in Mike’s success. From Stats Crew https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/p-6f31d7c0 Michael Mazerall Michael D. Mazerall Born: April 20, 1946 Primary Position: Pitcher Bats: Right Throws: Right Height: 6'7" Weight: 230 Career: 1968-1970 Michael Mazerall compiled a career record of 9 wins and 4 losses in his 89-game pitching career with the Jamestown Falcons, Greenville Red Sox and Winston-Salem Red Sox. He began playing during the 1968 season and last took the field during the 1970 campaign.

JOHN McCARTHY John McCarthy played in Maine’s first night ball game at Portland Stadium for the Portland Athletic Club in 1934. Always a second baseman, he had a great glove and was a good contact hitter. A baseball and basketball star at Cheverus, he was a guard on Cheverus 1930 state championship team that was voided when it was discovered a teammate was overage, at that time the limit being 20. McCarthy—to be honored as an inductee into this year’s Maine Baseball Hall of Fame—played on a slew of semi-pro clubs, in both baseball and basketball. His most notable affiliations were with Adams A. A. in basketball, and with the famed Burnham & Merrill baseball team. A basketball official, including state president of board officials at one time, McCarthy became a player-manager when fast-pitch softball became popular in Portland. He would dictate game policy from second base. Managing legendary pitcher Skip Conley was one of McCarthy's prime softball projects. Conley, who hated to walk anyone, was often told by his sharp thinking manager to “Walk this guy.” Because McCarthy was so respected and a friend to everyone, including his ace pitcher, Conley would grit his teeth but listen.

McClellan, a whiz at third base for Westbrook High's Telegram League champions, went on to a sparkling career in organized and independent ball. The Paper City slugger was featured in a Ripley "Believe it or Not" cartoon for grand slam home runs in consecutive innings with the same men on base. this occurred June 4th 1933 while Mclellan was playing for Lowell Mass of the New England League. November 27th 1977 Vern Putney Staff Writer

In 1951, Bobby Thomson hit “the shot heard ‘round the world.” As any Brooklyn Dodger’s fan or New York Giant’s supporter of that era remembers, it was a three-run homer off Ralph Branca in the bottom of the ninth at the Polo Grounds. The 5-4 win gave New York the game, the playoff series and National League pennant. But that year was also more than a loud foul in the baseball Career of Gene McClure. In 1951 McClure played for Maine’s Suburban Little League All-Stars in the World Series at Williamsport, PA. He had been cut from the team the previous year. McClure’s perseverance is an early indicator of his passion for the game and the dogged pursuit of a seeming unobtainable objective. McClure’s son, Bob, supplies part of many dinner-table discussions.“I have heard that story of the ‘51 World Series many times, Bob McClure said.“Through that I learned never to quit at anything. During his years of coaching and working at the Portland Boys and Girls Club, I saw a man who poured himself and his talents into the lives of thousands of young kids that loved sports.” One of those who crossed McClure’s path at the Babe Ruth level was former Westbrook High pitcher Jonny Cumberland, who played for the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and California Angels in a career spanning the years 1968-1974. He later served as pitching coach for the Red Sox before moving on to Kansas City. Building on his Little League experience, Gene McClure was a varsity baseball player at Westbrook High and an All- Telegram League selection in 1956. He also wore the uniform of Manchester Post’s American Legion team, 1954-56, Higgins Classical Institute 1958, and played in the Twilight League, 1957-62. In 1961-62 McClure was a player-manager for the Westbrook Merchants in the Twilight League. In 1960 he managed a Babe Ruth entry, the Westbrook Community Association team. Returning to his baseball “roots” served as Little League and Senior Little League manager at Cape Elizabeth, 1930-35. In 1982 he was honored as Cape Elizabeth’s Little League Manager of the Year. The same year he was the recipient of the Kenneth Sills Award as Maine’s Little League Manager of the Year. He was assistant coach at Deering High from 1980-84, including the 1984 state championship team. Attorney Peter Carlisle grew up playing baseball with McClure’s sons, Bob and Mark. “In my third and last year of Little League Gene was nominated coach of our All-Star team. He taught us many things about the sport of baseball, but most importantly, he showed us how to love the game.” Mark McClure summarizes his father’s legacy:” ...a true Maine baseball man and without question someone who defines what it takes to become a member of the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame.’ From Legacy Portland Press Herald GORHAM - Eugene Gene McClure, 69, a resident of Cape Elizabeth for 28 years and the last four in Gorham, passed away Monday afternoon on Dec. 24, 2007 He was born on Oct. 3, 1938 in Westbrook to Walter and Esther McClure. He graduated from Westbrook High School in 1957 and University of Southern Maine with an education degree. Eugene is most remembered as a dedicated husband, father, teacher and coach throughout Southern Maine and northern New Hampshire, but one of his proudest achievements was being a member of the 1951 Westbrook Little League All-Star Team that saw them go to the LL World Series in Williamsport, Penn, playing against former Baltimore Oriole, Boog Powell and having the chance to meet legendary former major leaguer, Cy Young. As a 2nd baseman for his little league team that season his batting average was a record .660, highest in the league by more than 140 points. As a player in the Pony League in 1952 at age 13, he tied for the league in homeruns and led his team in batting, runs scored and RBI as their 3rd baseman. As a three sport stand out athlete at Westbrook High School, Gene was named captain on to many of the teams, and led the league in hitting his senior year for the 1957 baseball squad.

Jerry McConnell (1913-1976) Our Hall of Fame is pleased to welcome one of the top umpires of the 1940’s and ‘50’s from Kennebunk: Jerry McConnell. Jerry was a past president of the Portland Telegram League Umpires Association and worked games for all the York and Cumberland County teams. He worked with Hall of Fame Umpires such as “Sonny” Noel C80O), Joe Tardiff (83), Carroll Rines (75) and Paul Demers (77). He worked many American Legion games and Legion baseball was big in Saco, Sanford and Kennebunk. Jerry often got the call when the House of David and New York Colored Giants barnstorming black teams appeared in Saco and/or Sanford. These were annual features on the schedule. Jerry was a regular in the Downeast League which included the Portland Pilots, Kennebunkport Collegians, Goodall Sanford, Augusta Millionaires, and Auburn Asas. He also worked the New England League games in Portland when the Pilots played Nashua, Lynn, Fall River, etc. Son David, a great baseball man himself, describes his dad as a quiet man, a true gentleman, liked by all who met him and a man who thought of others before himself. He was also a man of great courage. This courage was displayed when he battled Hodgkins disease from 1969 until his death in 1976 at the age of 63. David recalls some of the highlights of games attended with his Dad such as portable lights at night games, Edson Hadlock’s pitching and Andy Lano playing third base with Eddie Mathews (later of the Boston Braves) at first.