Meriden Silvermen

History

Meriden, Connecticut, first fielded a minor league baseball team in 1884, joining the independent Connecticut State League. That inaugural season saw the Meriden club post a 25–22 record, good for second place in the six-team circuit. Under the joint management of George Lyon and Albert Boardman, the team finished nine games behind the league-leading Waterbury squad. A future Baseball Hall of Famer, Connie Mack, suited up for Meriden in 1884 at age 21, marking his debut as a professional player. Local attorney and team promoter Cornelius J. Danaher reportedly signed Mack—then known by his birth name, Cornelius McGillicuddy—as a catcher for a monthly salary of $90. A notable game on September 15, 1884, saw Meriden win a controversial matchup against Hartford. With Meriden ahead 5–3 in the ninth inning, Hartford forfeited after refusing to continue with a replacement baseball; the original ball had been hit foul into a marsh. Earlier in that contest, Mack hit the only home run ever recorded that season at Meriden Ball Park. Decades later, on July 1, 1947, the city of Meriden held "Connie Mack Day" to honor his baseball achievements. Mack was known to have frequently brought his Philadelphia Athletics to Meriden for exhibition games against local teams during his years as owner and manager. In 1980, Meriden inducted Mack into its own hall of fame. The following season, the 1885 Meriden Maroons captured championships in two separate leagues. They started the year in the Southern New England League, compiling a 41–21 record and sitting in first place under manager William Thomas when that league disbanded on August 25. The circuit quickly reorganized as the Connecticut State League, resuming play on August 27. The Maroons continued their winning ways under Thomas, finishing the abbreviated second half with an 8–2 record to claim another first-place finish.