"Tribute to a Sportsman" by Sanford Kaplan
dedicated to Vinnie Crawford January, 2007
An old time sportsman
came up the hard way,
played basketball in winter,
baseball every summer day.
Signed with a farm team,
left home to make a name,
but couldn’t feed the family
by playing this game.
Came home and went to work.
Local teams wanted him to play.
Became a great star here,
but modesty was his way.
Everyone went to see him,
kids were awed by his might,
always a true gentleman,
never an argument or fight.
No helmets or batting gloves
these players were tough,
when hit by a pitched ball
said “Show me some better stuff!”
Famous for his home runs,
his fielding was an art,
Vinnie Crawford was his name
Baseball was in his heart.
By permission SUITCASE SAM PRODUCTIONS
Sam wrote this poem for his wife Linda’s uncle Vinnie, but unfortunately Vinnie passed away before Sam could give it to him.
It was read at the funeral by Vinnie’s son Bill.
AHS Salutes a Legend - Vinnie Crawford
By Arlene Iuliano and fans of Amenia
One of Dutchess County’s greatest baseball players recently passed away at the age of 96. His outstanding career has been documented by journalists, writers and ballplayers, past and present. The Amenia Historical Society takes this opportunity to join in a tribute to him.
Vincent C. (Vinnie) Crawford was a resident of Millerton for almost ninety years. His great passion was baseball. He played for both the Millerton and Amenia clubs, and for many other local Dutchess and Columbia County teams, as well as doing a stint in the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox Farm Club during the 1930’s.
John Segalla, who played for Canaan in the Inter-State League when Vinnie was playing said he was the nicest guy you would ever want to meet, a class act who could hit a ball a mile and was a major leaguer in the making. Francis “Babe” Foley, who played for Amenia and knew Vinnie echoed similar sentiments. “What a pleasure it was to play in those days,” he said - noting the competitiveness and fun of playing baseball then. Bob “Jolly” Tompkins, an Amenia High School standout in the early 1940’s did not play with or against Vinnie but knew of him as a great ball player who could really hit. Bill Carroll, ball player, coach and assistant manager for Tom Downey III and the Amenia Monarchs for over 25 years knew of Vinnie and reinforced the legendary stature of the man, so well known for his strong playing abilities.
Mary Jo Bartlett (Ms. “Doc” Bartlett), remembers him well when he played both for and against the Amenia Club. He was the type of player who was steady, a “Steady Eddy” she called him, and an extremely good player, as well as being a really nice guy. Rose Cunningham Greer, whose brothers Walter and Larry played both for and against Vinnie, remembers him as big man, blond and powerful who played in many All-Star games, so popular in that era.
Joe Poillucci in his book “Baseball in Dutchess County” devoted a section to Vinnie. “Throughout his long career” Joe said, “he demonstrated an uncanny ability to come up with the big hit in a close game, as well as field with silky grace”. In the 1940’s, while in the military service and stationed at West Point, he played on the weekends with an All-Star Team at Riverside Park in Poughkeepsie. At one of these games, Poillucci writes, the All-Stars were loaded with such big leaguers as Hank Sauer, Chuck (the Rifleman) Connors, and Wes Westrum, with Vinnie playing second base and batting fourth. When it was over Vinnie was their leading hitter with a .500 average.
On September 12, 1984 Vinnie Crawford was honored at Eddie Collins Park in Millerton on Crawford Day, an event organized by Harry Schroeder and newspaperman Brian Gleason. A game between the Millerton Red Sox, who had been recently revived as a team by Harry after disbanding in 1968, were to play the Amenia Monarchs. The master of ceremonies was Bill “Doc” Bartlett and there was an all-out call for any old timers who ever played in the Inter-State League. It was a fitting tribute to one of the finest baseball players of his time, who could have chosen to make a living playing professional baseball for the asking, but who instead chose to remain in Millerton and raise his family, and provide us with the benefits of his great talents. How lucky we were.
For more information about local baseball check out Baseball in Dutchess County, a paperback by Joseph Pallucci – published in 2000.
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