Providence Angels Baseball Club: A Season-by-Season History
1895 – 19XX
By James Harvey
Extract from Chapter 2: The Deadball Era
1917
1917 would prove a pivotal year in the First World War, the February and October Revolutions erupted in Russia, leading to armistice by December, Germany once again unleashed unrestricted submarine warfare across the seas, and on April 2nd, 3 days before opening day, the United States entered the war.
Bayman’s first offseason saw a couple of moves that were received with positivity in the local press, Vern Chennells was brought in from Boston to tighten up defence at third base, veteran hurler Reinhold Rogers was signed following his release from Philadelphia, bringing added experience to the staff, however the decision to trade Robert Carter to Boston raised eyebrows.
BAYMAN: “…there was some pressure from above, Carter had tried to holdout, his head had been turned by the cash you could earn barnstorming in the offseason, Boase was outraged, whilst he was charitable to the needs of the club, feeling it his duty to honour his friend’s legacy after taking the club under his patronage, he was a business man… profit driven… Carter’s salary had increased by $1000 only the year before, the demand for more was offensive to him… It took a lot of back and forth, a deal was finally made, and Boase came out on top, as all owners did ultimately, but the damage to the relationship was done, any offer that came in for Carter he’d have the final say on, and he accepted the first offer that came. I’d rather have kept Carter, of course I would, I liked the man and the player, but I didn’t dislike the offer, I felt we had solid prospects in the outfield, my concern was addressing defence and the infield, to me Fox looked like a perfect fit…”
Within a week another trade followed, Bayman had brought in Hyman Rickward from Boston in exchange for the young pitcher Ralph Green. The 39 year old outfielder was well respected and brought an element of excitement to Providence, Rickward was once League Cup MVP, won the Greenhorn Cup in 1904, and brought winning experience, having won the 1908 Legacy Cup with Brooklyn. The deal seemed to distract the beat writers from questioning the Carter move, which they had with a fury, it was seen by them as a risky gamble that to them, Providence didn’t need to make.
There was a consensus of positivity growing around this Angels side, promising prospects were rising through the ranks, Gustav Foster would be given the start in centre field, Providence born Dudley Priestley showing promise in the minors, veterans adding experience both on the field, and amongst the coaching staff with Rufus Burnell returning to the club. Expectation was it was going to be tight across the bottom half of the Eastern League, almost too close to call, but amongst the fanatics there was a long lost sense of hope.
The concerns of 1916 regarding the record low attendance and waning interest in the losing club were somewhat quelled by opening day. A bumper crowd turned out looking for a distraction from the news of war, there was however no escaping the firm grip war had taken on all cultural institutions. At the insistence of Boase his players performed marching drills with the backing of a brass band, bats as mock rifles, led by the fierce Wyatt Fairfax.
FAIRFAX: “…Mister Boase brought an old drill sergeant to training on the Monday, some of the boys were indifferent to it, I was ready, I threw myself in, I was ready to fight…”
Local dignitaries from across the state had been vocal for some time in their support for the war, and those that attended loved the spectacle.
Phil Beer and Robert Batkin would put on a spectacle of their own over this opening weekend, the local press called it ‘The Battle of Beer and Batkin’, Beer seemed to raise his game for the occasion, going toe to toe with the 9 time pitcher of the year as the Angels went 3-1 in the series…