27
Halifax Capital player slides safely into home plate.1950
28
Bob Fitgerald of the Halifax Capitals and Halifax Shipyards runner Ted Narleski.1950
Wanderers Grounds, Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Jimmy Gray throws to first baseman Don Reimer1948
Wanderers Grounds, Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Buddy Condy of the Halifax Arrows gets safely back to first base1947
Wanderers Grounds, Halifax, Nova Scotia
31
Across the harbour the Dartmouth Arrows went the import route. The Dartmouth club began operations in 1948 when two Halifax merchants, Herm and Bob Kaplan relocated the Halifax Arrows to play at newly constructed "Little Brooklyn", a park that equaled many AA class parks in seating capacity, and which like Ebbetts Field in Brooklyn had a short right field fence. In 1949 the Kaplans hired Bob Decker, a veteran minor leaguer in the Yankees chain, to put together the club with assistance from both the Yankees and the Chicago Cubs. The '49 Arrows had only one local player, Howie Martin, on its roster, but he played a significant role as the club won the provincial championship.32
1950 Dartmouth Arrows Baseball Team, champions of the Halifax and District BAseball League1950
'Little Brooklyn', Dartmouth Nova Scotia
33
Dartmouth Arrows owner Herman Kaplan1948
'Little Brooklyn', Dartmouth Nova Scotia
34
Dartmouth Arrows dugout at ballpark in Dartmouth know as Little Brooklyn1950
'Little Brooklyn', Dartmouth Nova Scotia
35
Jim Heller of the Dartmouth Arrows argues call with umpire.1950
'Little Brooklyn', Dartmouth Nova Scotia
36
Members of the Dartmouth Arrows pose on the field of Little Brooklyn in Dartmouth1950
'Little Brooklyn', Dartmouth Nova Scotia
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Among the imports on the club, two stand out: the first was Smokey Jim Heller a hard bitten pitcher from Texas, the second a young outfielder by the name of John "Zeke" Bella. An immensely talented youngster with speed, power and a good arm, Bella starred in 1949 and 1950, and after a few years of military service returned to win the H&D league batting championship in 1954. Chattel of the New York Yankees, he never hit below .300 in the minor leagues, and eventually broke into the majors with the talent-laden Yankees before being traded to the Kansas City Athletics in 1959. With the A's, Bella suffered a career shortening shoulder injury slamming into the wall while making a running catch. Perhaps the finest all-around player ever to play in Nova Scotia, Bella never fully realized his enormous potential.38
Ray Clayton and Zeke Bella of the Dartmouth Arrows.1949
Wanderers Grounds, Halifax, Nova Scotia
39
Zeke Bella in action1949
'Little Brooklyn', Dartmouth Nova Scotia
40
Another of Decker's protégés, Jim Heller had played against Decker in the West Texas League where he won twenty games in 1948 and would repeat the feat in 1951. A crafty moundsman Heller had a delivery that kept opposing hitters off balance. Heller delivered the ball "out of his pocket almost," Johnny Watterson remembers. "You just couldn't see it in time." Heller became an instant leader with the Arrows winning ten games in 1949 and nine the following year, and Decker always turned to him in tight spots. Led by Heller and Bella, and supported by shortstop Tommy Dulmage, outfielders Doc Acocella, Joe Lay, and others, the Arrows were the class of the H&D league in 1949 and 1950 They were league championship both years. It should be noted, however, that the Central league Kentville Wildcats of 1949 with Gernert, Kaiser, Bobotas, Watterson and Chris Tonery were probably as talented as any team of the era. As a new decade began, however, forces were at work that would shift the balance of power in the league northeast to Pictou County and the Stellarton Albions. |
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