Chapter in new book about Torrington focuses on sports

Chapter Six entitled “Recreation” in Betsy Kaczmarcyk’s book, “Images of America — Torrington” shows an 1890s-vintage picture of the conclusion of a 20-mile bike race shot as competitors neared the finish line at the intersection of Migeon Avenue and Church Street. She wrote the book on behalf of the Torrington Historical Society and will deliver a lecture about it Wednesday night at 6:30 at the Carriage House on the Society grounds.

Sports and recreation have always been an important part of just about every American city and town, so this chapter is of particular interest to an old sports writer, me, who also enjoys history. I have a photo of my father posing with his new bike when he was about 12 years old. (FYI — that would have been 1915). I don’t know if Dad took part in bike races, but he often talked about that bike of his. Dad’s father, Fred Canfield, had a reputation as the best man with horses in the area, but the family did not own a horse, so Dad had to depend on his bicycle or the trolley for transportation.

(A car? No. There were so few cars in town at that time, Dad remembered, that when an automobile started up Main Street from the center of town, the excited words “there’s an automobile coming” would travel north much faster than the vehicle and by the time it reached the north end, a crowd of kids would be there to watch it pass by.)

This book has hooked me. I’m reading and rereading. Arcadia has published scores of them all around the country. Friend Bill Slade emailed recently, “I have one of those “Images of America” books for each town I have lived in and I’ve ordered the new Torrington one.” Slade lives in Cheshire and has also lived in Southington and towns in Rhode Island and Florida. That makes, or will make, five books.

Back to Chapter Six. Page 104 is devoted to two photographs of activities at Fuessenich Park. The upper photo depicts kids on their bikes taking part in a Park and Rec program long ago. The caption tells a few

facts about the park. Note: “In November, 1918, Frederick F. Fuessenich donated Elizabeth Blake Fuessenich Park to the Town of Torrington in memory of his wife.” The caption goes on to say the park is 7.5 acres in area and gives the many usages it has been put to over the years.

The upper photo shows the old wooden, covered grandstand which I’m sure was constructed by the

Sports and recreation have always been an important part of just about every American city and town, so this chapter is of particular interest to an old sports writer, me, who also enjoys history.

Works Projects Administration during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The grandstand was torn down when the park was renovated in 1989.

The lower photo is a long-range shot of a baseball team taking the field. It is dated 1910, apparently eight years before F.F. Fuessenich donated the parcel to the town.

One of my favorites among the 200 photos in this book is that of John Thompson, who wrote an immensely popular column in the Register called “Read It or Not, by Tomp,” for many years. My parents use to talk about Tomp, and I think my father knew him, but I never paid attention, except to the sports pages.

Thompson was Brooklyn-born, came to the Register as a substitute reporter in 1909 and stayed until he died suddenly in 1949. He was editor in chief when he died, having contributed a great deal to the paper and the town.

Save me a seat at the Carriage House, will you?