Photo calls up visions of games past

BREWER – The photograph of the nine men and their manager is surely an old one, as indicated by the baseball gloves of limp leather and little padding – nothing much at all to take the sting out of a baseball belted right at you.

But hey, it was summer, and in the first part of the 20th century, South Brewer’s Easterns of Eastern Manufacturing Co. were a solid draw on a sultry night. It wasn’t unusual to see 800 to 1,000 fans turn out for a good game against Bangor’s Tarratines, Winslow’s Taconnets and other nines.

On the back of the picture is written: “Pa was born March 24, 1887 came to Brewer 1911 age 24, Picture taken 1911.”

Names are listed on the front: Chick Baker, Helion Hackett, Al Lebrun, Ed Johnson, E. Bennett, J. Dunn, Ray Pendleton, McMannus, Toots Mayo or Mayn, and Walter Browning, plus an unidentified player.

Like the names and the date, the inscription on the back of the photo was written by Carl Browning, father of the picture’s current owner, John Browning. Pitcher Walter Browning, “Pa,” was John’s grandfather.

Despite the notation, it’s difficult to pin down exactly when the photo was taken.

Walter Browning was definitely on the team in 1910, when he was living on Main Street in South Brewer, and working at Eastern. Walter Browning worked for Eastern for a total of 34 years. His son, Carl, worked there 35 years.

Sports-wise, Walter Browning and the Easterns certainly had a memorable Fourth of July in 1910.

“Easterns take two games from Millinocket – were interesting contests,” proclaimed the July 5 headline in the Bangor Daily News.

The Easterns won the morning game 14-9, and the later contest 4-2, both times coming from behind.

Most of the names in the 1910 box scores were different from those in the photograph. As recorded by the NEWS, Foote led off, playing center field, followed by left-fielder Neptune and catcher F. Soucie. First-baseman Burke batted cleanup, then Kiah at third, Reed from right field, O. Soucie at second base and shortstop Halliday. The final batter in the first game was pitcher Millett, although Browning pitched a little, too.

The afternoon game, according to the NEWS, “was fast and clean and anybody’s game until the last man was out.”

Browning struck out 10 and also helped himself at the plate by swatting a double.

He may also have played for the Easterns in 1911, but many of the box scores for that season listed Browning as pitching for Dover-Foxcroft.

“Great work by Browning against former teammates lands clean 5 to 1 victory,” was one headline from 1911.

Playing for Brewer’s Easterns in that game, only the second they’d lost that season, were Foote, Parker, Pond, Soucy, Burke, Chase, Baker, Williams and pitcher Glover.

Browning’s teammates from Dover-Foxcroft that day were Reed, Eberhart, Mullen, Clifford, Fowles, Blethen, Hibbard, Bresette and Boyle. Browning batted fifth, and scored a run.

According to the article, “Browning, formerly of the Easterns, was about the whole thing and pitched the game of his life.”

He struck out 12 and walked just one.

Even the trolley service in Brewer was worth a mention in the NEWS story.

“The car service was good; what there was of it, but was entirely swamped at the end of the game. Next year things will be better with the cars running across the bridge which ought to swell the attendance for the Eastern grounds. If the Easterns hold up their reputation, as they no doubt will, there will be big crowds figuring up to 1000 on ‘big’ days.”

Later stories indicated the Easterns must have won a number of contests against Dover-Foxcroft that year. Two games were scheduled in South Brewer to wind up the regular season.

“On Saturday night comes the annual benefit dance in Segeunkedunk Hall, South Brewer, for the local or no-salaried members of the Eastern team. Four pieces of Pullen’s orchestra will furnish the music, and everybody is guaranteed a good time.”

Browning was one of the salaried players, John Browning said. His grandfather’s sports career also included playing baseball outside Maine and boxing.

Anyone who knows the name of the unidentified player in the photo’s first row may call Roxanne Saucier at 990-8139.