Providence Chronicle,
Saturday, May 6, 1916
YESTERDAY – The great and the good of Providence gathered before the Friday afternoon ballgame in Cartwright Stadium to bid a fond farewell to Angels great, Rufus ‘Rattler’ Burnell. Among the over 2,500 loyal rooters in attendance were local dignitaries representing our fair community, including Mayor Joseph H. Gainer, all joined in unity to thank the 1907 batting title winner for his service.
Attendees rose like a congregation before a hymn, as Burnell, in full uniform, entered the field flanked with a guard of honour by the players of both teams, applause so rapturous from the modest crowd it shook the stands. It was a first-class gesture from the boys of Brooklyn that appeared to join the guard spontaneously. As the applause began to fade skipper Mike Gazaway and team owner Leopold Boase joined Burnell in the diamond, a couple of groundsmen armed with speaking trumpets explained the brief proceedings and made effort to summarise Rattler’s achievements. An impossible task to do justice, just as I will struggle bring his career justice in the space provided me.
Burnell has always been reluctant to share the intimacies of his youth, all I can write with certainty is that he was born in what was then the territory of Arizona in 1876, shortly thereafter his family began to head back east. A nomadic childhood would follow, stays in several cities would eventually lead to Columbus, Ohio, where the family would stay and, his talents on the baseball field later discovered by Angels scouts as he dominated a local factory league.
Life in the big league started at a steady pace, but Burnell did not keep such a pace himself. It’s suggested his nickname ‘Rattler’ came after he would run around the bags at such a ferocious pace, pounding his feet so hard to cause sandstorm, that you could hear his teeth rattle as he ran. It was this pace that would make Rattler such a feared hitter, and said pace contributed to some magnificent feats, leading the league in triples on 5 occasions between 1902 and 1907, he led in runs scored twice, in 1903 and 1910, and stolen bases twice, in 1907 and 1910. At the age of 36 he’d still manage to nab 74 bags, when most men’s bodies are slowing down. His 805 career stolen bases places him a respectable third in the list of all time leaders, behind the only two giants of our game that could outrun Rattler, the revered Leo McKenzie and Ricky McCoy.
Lest we forget Rattler’s quality swing in the discussion of pace. He could drive the horsehide as though it were a golf ball, deep into the outfield of any park. Perhaps his proudest feat, one of those quality hits, a rarest of the rare home-runs, as precious as any jewel, a grand-slam against the Bakers on June 23rd, 1903. He tells the story daily I am sure of it, with a fond twinkle in his eye, a story he will no doubt regale all those who will listen with daily for the rest of his life. Rattler led the lead in hits in 1904, ’06 and ’07, and in average in ’07. It looks all but certain this once feared hitter will end his career in the Legacy Baseball League with 1765 registered hits and a career average of .307.
“I still have what it takes to play, I still have something to offer…” Burnell said in conversation after the day’s proceedings, but with respect that is hard to see. His last full season of regular play was 1913, his average a career low of .264, since he has slumped into a bench role. 57 appearances followed in 1914 and no starts, appearances declining further last year – only 21 with 3 starts. It has been suggested Rattler was holding out with the club, fancying himself the manager job or a coaching role, but nothing has ever seemed to fruit for him.
General Manager Clayton Bayman opted to remain in the stand for the brief ceremony, Burnell receiving a plaque and cheque from owner Boase. “I felt nothing but grief releasing Rufus from his contract, if I can only be half the servant to this club that he has been, I will be proud.” Bayman had previously put on record his belief that the turbulent management situation of recent times had led to a situation where Burnell had not sat down with anyone from the club to have a frank and honest conversation about his future. Adding further comment Bayman said “I wanted space on the roster to bring up some fresh blood, an unfortunate position for both parties, the minors or release, shipping a man like Rufus down to the Reserve League would be a disrespect, but it was ultimately his choice…”.
This writer is sure there was a sense of vindication, even in defeat, as Aurelio Clegg and David Barber registered hits in their debuts against the Richmond Rifles earlier this week, rookie John Sankey joining them and knocking his first hit in the final game of the series. It has been noted that Rattler’s decline has almost perfectly aligned with that of his team’s, with no finish in the standings higher than seventh since the third spot in 1909, no soul could dare question that “fresh blood” is indeed needed.
To the sound of three “cheers” and cries of ‘hip-hip-hooray’ from the faithful rooters, Burnell joined his teammates in the dugout to watch the game against the Whales, taking his place on the bench one final time…
Unfortunately, the Angels play did not match the quality of send off they had just given their exiting hero. It was a positive start with Fullbrook walking to first, and making it to second on a sacrifice bunt from Alford, rookie infielder Clegg followed with a solid wallop, a run scoring single. This would be all the Angels anaemic offence could contribute. In the top of the second the Whales tallied 4 runs, first baseman James Jarvis with a double that drove in two of those. Brooklyn’s ace Durtnell returned to the mound in the 2nd about to give a lesson in quality pitching, let us pray the Angels learned from the display. In the following 8 innings Durtnell would only give up 3 hits and allow another walk, hurling 98 pitches in total.
The Angels starter would be pulled in the 4th, the usually easy-going Gazaway had seen enough, as Darwin gave up another 2 runs. The Whales would add on another run in the 6th and 7th respectively, unrequired insurance as they had nothing to fear from the neutered bats of Providence.