Meriden, Connecticut minor league baseball history

Baseball Hall of Fame members Connie Mack (1884), Frank Grant (1887) and Ed Walsh (1902–1903) played for Meriden minor league teams.

[1][2][3] Baseball Hall of Fame member Connie Mack played for Meriden in 1884, at age 21, in his first professional season.

Meriden was leading 5–3 in the 9th inning, when Hartford forfeited the game, refusing to play with a new baseball after the previous ball was hit foul into a marsh area.

Earlier in the game, Connie Mack hit the only home run of the season at the Meriden Ball Park.

[6] On July 1, 1947, the city of Meriden reportedly hosted "Connie Mack Day" as a celebration of his accomplishments in baseball.

The Maroons again finished first as the team compiled an 8–2 record in the remaining Connecticut State League portion of the season, continuing play under manager William Thomas.

Baseball Hall of Fame member Frank Grant played for the 1886 Meriden Silvermen, integrating the team in the era before the Negro leagues were formed and race restrictions imposed.

After the Silvermen folded, Frank Grant played the remainder of the season for the Buffalo Bisons in the International League.

[13][14][15][16] In 1886, it was reported that Meriden was the smallest city in the Eastern League and that the franchise had suffered financially due to a schedule that had no weekend dates during May and only seven total home games during May, 1886.

Connie Miller and Tom Reilly were managers, as the Connecticut State League played from July 2, 1895, to August 31, 1895.

Playing as members of the six–team Class F level Connecticut State League, the Bulldogs finished the season with a record of 52–21 to place first in the final standings.

Jack Chapman managed the league champions, who finished 5.0 games ahead of the second place Derby Angelsin the final standings.

Managed in 1899 by A. R. Penny and George Courtney, Meriden finished 9.5 games behind the first place New Haven Blues in the final standings.

[39][40][41][14] Adopting the Silver Citys moniker in 1901, Meriden placed fourth in the eight–team Class F level Connecticut State League.

The Silver Citys compiled a record of 55–50, playing the season under the direction of returning manager Tom Reilly.

Also called the "Miler" team in 1901, Meriden finished the season 10.0 games behind the first place Bristol Woodchoppers in the final league standings.

[14][45][46][47][48] At age 21, Baseball Hall of Fame member Ed Walsh played for the Meriden Silverites in 1902 in his first professional season.

Managed by Sam Kennedy, the Silverites ended the season 4.5 games behind the first place Holyoke Paperweights in the final standings.

Walsh began his Hall of Fame major league career the next season with the Chicago White Sox.

After his retirement from baseball, Walsh became a chemical engineer, working at a filtration plant for the Meriden municipal water department.