McKenna Dream Realized Semi-Pros Get Franchise-This Day in Norwood History-July 13, 1961

The game of baseball can take many peculiar twists and turns, as was readily evident Monday night when Norwood’s newest semi-pro club, only a dream io Danny McKenna four weeks ago, was admitted as a member of the Massachusetts Conference League.

Charles McLaughlin, president of the MCL, made the surprise announcement and explained that the Norwood franchise replaces that of the Waltham Chlorophylls, which had to disband because of personnel problems.

The local nine will begin play immediately. More specifically, a twilighter tonight against the Southboro Yanks at Wellesley. Game time is 6.00 p. m. Norwood finishes out Waltham’s schedule, and still can overtake the third-place Boston Dodgers and make the playoffs which begin next month The remaining schedule calls for 12 league affairs, six at home, and an equal number on the road.

The Mass. Conference League is split into two divisions, the Northern and the Southern In the North are the Cambridge Hoyt Pals, the Concord Huskies, the Boston Dodgers, the Boston Cardinals, and the Norwood franchise.

The Southern Division consists of the Norfolk Colonels, the Walpole Warriors, the Southboro Yanks, the Berlin Town Team, and the Newton City Club.

MrKENNA ELATED E

Enfranchisement for the embryonic group of baseball-ers seemed well nigh impossible when McKenna returned home for the summer from Springfield College where he majors in physical education.

The youthful McKenna, at 20, cited the need for organized ball for young men of their late teens and early twenties.

He interested four college players, Kevin and Pete Dixon, Bob Gianusso, and Frank Babel; then persuaded former minor leaguers Tony Grinavic, Paul Murphy, and Bill Hebner to join the ranks. With this as a start, he selected several other players in the immediate vicinity to try to get a club organized this summer, and to build for the future, so that Junior Legion and high school alumni will have some outlet to play ball.

With nothing more than agreement from these players for their services, McKenna set the wheels in motion for immediate activity. Uniforms were generously donated by Dick Butler of the Phillies. Bats were procured, and balls were donated by an interested observer from another town. Even at that point, there were no opponents for the club. Most semi-pro clubs had their league schedules to play. McKenna contacted several clubs in the area, hoping to arrange a game or two with each of them.

President McLaughlin heard that the Norwood entry was looking for opponents, and the vacancy arose when Waltham was forced to disband, so he offered McKenna the tenth franchise. McKenna quickly accepted the offer. Dan was forced to make some quick changes in his schedule to accommodate Waltham’s remaining opposition but shuffled the independent games so that the local club could play Waltham’s final 12 games.

“This is wonderful,” McKenna exclaimed, when he heard of McLaughlin’s offer. “Playing in a league provides a much better brand of ball than playing independent. You get an idea of each hitter’s strong points and weaknesses. The defense can position Itself better. And you get to know what each pitcher can throw The independent clubs have to rely a lot on guesswork.”

Norwood once again is in the middle of things in semi-pro circles. And that illustrates that some dreams do come true.

By NICK CURRAN

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)