WOONSOCKET GOES BIG LEAGUE
Woonsocket’s Hall-of-Famer, Napoleon Lajoie, is honored at Fenway Park
BOSTON – Noah Levreault, a catcher and just one of three 10-year-olds to compete in Woonsocket Little League’s Major Division this past spring, lists Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts as his favorite major-league ballplayer.
After listening to a panel discussion that focused on legendary native son Napoleon “Nap” Lajoie inside Fenway Park’s State Street Pavilion on Monday afternoon, there’s now a leading candidate for Levreault’s second-favorite player.
“Probably,” said the smiling youngster, who was wearing his Woonsocket All-Star jersey and a cap with “Nap” emblazoned on the side.
If the goal was to educate people like Levreault about the man dubbed baseball’s first superstar, then the production organized and orchestrated by Greg Rubano achieved its purpose. Rubano teamed up with Red Sox historian Gordon Edes and Indians historian Jeremy Feador and spoke before an estimated crowd of 150. A bus carrying 41 people left Woonsocket for Boston shortly after 10 on Monday morning.
“I wanted people to see what kind of person he was and wanted them to see his reaction to fame,” said Rubano, wearing a replica of Lajoie’s old-time Cleveland uniform. “We’re telling this story to young people.”
Told that Levreault now counts Lajoie as his favorite player after Betts, Rubano exclaimed, “We’re moving up!”
A noted Lajoie biographer who has written two books about the Woonsocket-born Lajoie, Rubano purposely asked Levreault to wear his Little League uniform to Monday’s event. Put a kid like Levreault in a baseball setting and the bewilderment in his eyes is going to be hard to miss.
Naturally, Levreault wanted to set foot on Fenway’s plush grounds. Before that could take place, he first heard about a Hall of Fame second baseman who last fall had a Little League field in his hometown dedicated in his name. Levreault calls the field that bears Lajoie’s name his spring and summer baseball address. Thanks to Monday’s presentation, the name “Lajoie” resonates even more.
To be fair, Levreault knew that Lajoie has a plaque hanging in Cooperstown. He shook his head in the negative when asked if he was aware that Lajoie was considered the Babe Ruth of his era, a point that Rubano articulated during his roughly 45-minute speech.
“I knew a little bit, but it was very interesting to listen to them talk about (Lajoie),” said John Levreault, Noah’s father and part of Woonsocket Little League’s board of directors. “Now we both have more knowledge than we did before.”
The genesis as to how this first-of-itskind outing took shape dates back to this past spring when Rubano made a presentation at a SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) Convention in Greenville, S.C.
“I mentioned all the initiatives that are going on like ‘Woonsocket Proud.’ Gordon came up to me and said he was going to help make this happen,” Rubano said. “He was the one who helped get (the State Street Pavilion) and arrange a tour of Fenway for everyone who comes.”
The more Rubano educated Edes about Lajoie, the more it appeared that an outing at Fenway would come to fruition. Recruiting the attendees was done through Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt’s office and the Museum of Work & Culture. Those who opted for the bus ride to Fenway wore T-shirts that said “Nap Lajoie Day” on the front while the back included his stats from his superb 21- year playing career, which included five batting titles and 3,243 hits.
“I also called people who had heard previous presentations and were intrigued by Lajoie,” Rubano said. “We got them on the list.”
Those hailing from Woonsocket were joined by folks from nearby and far away. Rubano noted that Monday’s audience included people who came from Virginia and Canada. It was also a stroke of good timing that the Indians were in town to play the Red Sox; Lajoie played in Cleveland for 13 seasons.
How Rubano decided the points he would accentuate to a room full of Lajoie admirers was, putting it mildly, a challenge for him. After all, if there’s anyone who speak with conviction about Lajoie’s feats both on and off the field, it’s Rubano, who arrived at Fenway Park long before the salute to Woonsocket’s baseball royalty got underway at noon.
“He did not immigrate to Woonsocket,” Rubano said. “He was born in Woonsocket and worked in a textile mill.”
Rubano told the group about Lajoie becoming the first player to be walked with the bases loaded. Later, Rubano shared how the media would get frustrated with the answers Lajoie would provide.
“How do you hit so well?” would be one of the questions that Lajoie would get, per Rubano. “I’ve got a bat,” Lajoie would respond. “He was the Bill Belichick of his time,” Rubano said as he walked around the room with one of Lajoie’s bats in his hand.
As Rubano started to put away the Lajoie memorabilia that he personally owns, he breathed a sigh of relief. By all accounts, the first-ever Lajoie outing at Fenway Park was a smashing success. He’s optimistic there will be an encore next season.
“We not only wanted to talk about his exploits on the field, but also his character,” Rubano said.
Rubano is scheduled to be back at Fenway on Tuesday night for “Rhode Island Day.” A return trip is also in the cards for John and Noah Levreault; both will be on the field as part of the pregame ceremony.
Noah Levreault plans to commemorate the occasion with a most fitting ode – by sporting his Woonsocket Little League hat with “Nap” on it.