A tribute to Billy Sullivan
From SABR member David Stalker at Seamheads.com on December 14, 2011:
On October 14, 1906, despite being big underdogs, the Chicago White Sox won the World Series with a victory over the cross-town Chicago Cubs. With excitement still running high, many members of the World Champion White Sox traveled to a small Wisconsin town named Edgerton, to play against their local team.
Billy Sullivan, the catcher for the White Sox, was born on a farm in the township of Oakland, Wisconsin on September 13,1899. He played baseball and attended high school in Fort Atkinson, which is just a couple of miles from the family farm. In 1895, at the age of 20 while learning the butter business, he joined the nearby Edgerton, WI baseball team and inherited the nickname “The Catchingest Irishman.”
After Billy moved out of the area where he spent his growing up years, to pursue his baseball career, and later attending his apple and walnut orchards in the state of Oregon, he never forgot his roots. He returned for baseball games, honors and visits.
<snip>
Just blocks away from the museum at Jones Park where Billy once played, is a monument in Billy’s honor. An open house to view the newly erected monument was held on October 14, 2006 at the park exactly 100 years to the day that the White Sox won the World Series with a victory over the Cubs.
The monument was the third in a series of memorials, honoring the Deadball Era’s players and teams by David Stalker. Contributing to the monument along with David was Archie Monuments, The Fort Atkinson Generals Baseball Team, The Lastusky Family and the Hoard Museum.
Billy Sullivan never forgot his hometown, and his hometown will never forget him.
Read the full article here: http://seamheads.com/2011/12/14/a-tribute-to-billy-sullivan/
Related links:
- Hawley, Joss monuments dedicated in Deadball series (November 8, 2011)
- SABR member seeks donations for Ed Killian plaque in Racine (September 22, 2011)
- Ward Miller monument dedicated in Dixon, Illinois (August 30, 2011)
Originally published: December 15, 2011. Last Updated: December 15, 2011.