Celebrate another holiday with ‘Nap’

City’s annual ornament features likeness of Hall of Famer Napoleon Lajoie

WOONSOCKET — If you had a chance to stop by the Napoleon “Nap” Lajoie booth at Autumnfest over the weekend and meet G r eg Rubano – his area biographer – during Autumnfest, you might also want to pick up the city’s holiday ornament honoring the local Baseball Hall of Fame member before they sell out.

Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt said this year’s City of Woonsocket ornament will feature Napoleon Lajoie, a city native who went on to become one of the best hitters and fielders of his era in baseball and who earned a career batting average of .338.

The ornament depicts the hand-carved sign honoring Lajoie at Napoleon Lajoie Field in World War II Veterans Memorial Park that was dedicated in the famed ballplayer’s memory during Autumnfest.

The ornaments cost $15 and are available at City Hall until the limited supply runs out.

“Our City’s ornament is a fixture of every holiday season and this year it features Woonsocket legend and baseball Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie,” said Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt. “I am proud to carry on this tradition that so many in our community cherish and look forward to every year. This year’s ornament highlights our

City’s remarkable past and presents an opportunity to share it with the community.”

The Lajoie ornament was produced by the Chem Art Company based in Lincoln, widely known as the manufacturer of the annual White House ornament since 1981. Napoleon Lajoie was born in Woonsocket in 1874 and went on to become one of the finest baseball players in the history of the sport, enjoying a career that lasted from 1896 to 1916, according to the Mayor’s office. Lajoie with a single season American League batting average record of .426, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937.

Rubano, a retired English teacher and baseball historian, has authored two books on Lajoie, “Before the Babe, the Emperor,” for middle school readers, and “In Ty Cobb’s Shadow: The Story of Napoleon Lajoie, Baseball’s First Superstar,” both available from the city’s Museum of Work & Culture.

For more information on how to purchase the 2016 Holiday Ornament, call 401767-9282.

Joseph B. Nadeau/The Call Greg Rubano, right, and Frankie Gonzales of Woonsocket talk a little baseball while Rubano mans the Napoleon Lajoie booth at Autumnfest.