Concord Monitor from Concord, New Hampshire • 6

A6 CONCORD MONITOR Tuesday September 7 1999 crs 1912 season his weight had Courtesy photo Red Rolfe played with some of the all time greats At the 1938 All Star Game Rolfe (second from left) joined Lou Gehrig (left) Joe DiMaggio (third from left) and Jimmie oxx (third from right) When Rolfe took over the AD position 1953 the Dartmouth foot ball team was a struggling pro gram It had not had a winning season since 1949 Coach Tuss McLaughry had to go There were no two ways about it After watching the football team endure its fifth straight los ing season in 1954 Rolfe cut his losses bit the bullet and made a dropped from 172 to 138 pounds inning Williams who rarely lie hattca omy zrj mat year ne was 34 years old luckiest thing 1 ever did was sign with the Rolfe once said with really great players they pull you Up and down in Detroit His playing days done Rolfe spent the war years coaching bas ketball and baseball at Yale before the Yankees hired him back to coach first base It was the begin ning of a second career in which he jumped from job to job for sev eral years even coaching the Toronto Huskies in the first year of the NBA His basketball club fin ished 22 38 tied for last in the Eastern Division 27 games out of first place Rolfe joined the Detroit Tigers as director of scouting but was soon named manager He was suc cessful for a while he was the American manager of the year in 1950 after leading the Tigers to a second place finish three games behind New York But the colitis wore him down During one road trip he fell very ill of those days in Tigers Coach Ted Lyons told a writer for Look magazine was obviously in such bad shape I wondered how he could even stand up Our players knew how weak he was and wnat was cosung mm io be out there But there he was not missing a Rolle was just 42 at the time As a player under Joe McCarthy Rolfe had learned that a team made stars not the other way around And he a fan of whose symptoms include mflam thc lining of the colon is destroyed ulcers form releasing mucus pus and blood The disease is painful and debilitating Rolfe stuck around to win a fifth limited to just 89 games after title with the Yankees batting 300 1 with Max Bishop The Yankees missed the World Scries but Rolfe made his off season just as eventful marrying Isabel Africa in a family wedding in Manchester In 1936 with the arrival of Joe DiMaggio New York became the team to beat Rolfe was a vital member of the four con secutive World Series teams from 1936 39 as the No 2 batter in the lineup and a solid defensive player director in 1967 McLaughry was a wonderful coach and gentle man but the league got more ivicoaugmy was it ao a uia seasons i nc man iwne mreu io days as a professional athlete were numbered when he was the best third baseman in the business he was a sick Hall of ame columnist Red Smith wrote at the time of death will ever know how great he might have been if he had had his When Rolfe left baseball as manager Dizzy the ROLE Continued from Page A i this talent that got him on the Penacook High School baseball team as a seventh grader it was the need for players He played for Elks in the Sunset League a few years later taking the Most Valuable Player award as a 16 year old in 1925 an impressive feat considering most of the players were much older After graduating from Pena cook High in the spring of 1926 Rolfe spent a post graduate year at Phillips Exeter where he picked up the nickname that would stick with him for the rest of his life At Dartmouth Rolfe fell under the direction of ex Major League pitcher Jeff Tesreau As a sopho more he led the Eastern League in hitting Scouts began to lake notice As the team captain his senior year Rolfe was named to the Col lege Humor All America team He hit 359 in 19 league games and fin ished as the best fielding short stop In 1931 Gene McCann a scout for the New York Yankees signed Rolfe to a deal five days after he graduated from Dart mouth with a degree in English the first time since the days of Young more than 20 years ago Concord is to have a boy in the big wrote Ruel Colby in the June 22 1931 edition Rolfe captain of this Dartmouth nine and product first of sand lots and the Sunset League is the local youth who starts tomorrow making his bid for fame in the The big time paid Rolfe $600 a month He also received a $5000 signing bonus Rolfe played one game for the Yanks that season Manager Joe McCarthy had a custom of letting youngsters get in al least a taste of the big leagues before sending them to the minors Babe Ruth hit a home run in that game and Rolfe made an appearance as a defensive replacement He was sent to Albany of the Eastern League to season Rapid rise faster fall Rolfe quickly moved through the minor league organi zation winning a Little World Scries title in 1932 and the Interna tional League MVP award in The New York brass thought they had their shortstop of the future They were wrong Rolfe left the Yankees spring training in 1934 as the best hitter (4194 to 4188) but he sat out the opener in New York uvcausc Ul UU11S UII HIS Hiltfl! dllU lUdl wmwi iwmv uvuii iv iwi pulled tendon He tried to get the the effects of a disease that would boils to go away by taking a heat end his career too hastily It was lamp to the affected area but that colitis an incurable condition only made them worse whose symptoms include inflam Whcn Rolfe came back from his mation of the colon and rectum As injury two weeks later McCarthy figured out he suited to be a shortstop He moved Rolfe to third Rolfe finished the year with a287 batting average but he was siws'm lMAn zirx! 1 1 In illTk 101 1 CfU'IHC I'Hlt' il)Q unis iineinn'e uichnn Thr rinvc a nmfpKsinnnl iif hlofo were special treatment for cci tain play We used to call him Technicali ty Red Sox Hall of Earner Ted Williams said recently there was anything to yak about find a reason to do Williams may have had one par ticular incident in mind One day during tenure struck out Williams to end the retired with a 104 37 3 mark someone who gave the impression that he thought he was said Blackman recalling his first meeting with Rolfe Blackman stayed at house in Hanover the night of his interview so that people find out who was interviewing for the job If Rolfe was well known for his modesty he was notorious for his tight wallet come in and the first thing do would be to track all his slocks in the morning" said Peters who added that Rolfe was a shrewd investor used to kid Red that he spent his first World Scries check Blackman said with a laugh time we were playing golf al Sunapee Country Club and he hit a bad drive and he threw his driver into the air He happened to toss the driver into a tree and we see it He came back and looked lor it for three hours and he find it never threw another But while his frugality caught him a few barbs from friends Rolle gave in easily to good caus es And his widow Isabel who died in December 1998 was a silent philanthropist after her at third base know they talk about all the other fellas (on the Yankees) but I notice the man that hurts us is that third said Hall of ame Manager Connie Mack who scouted Rolfe in college is a real team player You might get him out three times but then come up where it means the ball game and sure as anything going to knock in those runs Or if the Yankees need that one big play in the field they usually get it at third Rolfe made his first All Star team in 1937 and returned in 1938 and In 1939 he had the best season of his career leading the league in hits (213) doubles (46) and runs (139) He also set a record that has yet to be broken and typifies the type of player he was and the type of team he played for Rolfe scored a run in 18 consec utive games in August of The streak was snapped when Rolfe was picked off first base alter sin gling the only time he reached base He would have scored with little effort as it turned out the next three batters walked After that season in which New York swept the Cincinnati Reds for the World Series title Rolfe ended up in a contract dispute that at least according to own handwriting could have ended his career prematurely In 1940 the Yankees offered Rolfe $16000 He took it as a slap in the face and wrote a long hitter to Yankees President Ed Barrow after failing to get him on the phone Rolfe threatened to give up baseball and run his Penacook ser vice station business full time you can pay a pitcher $20000 there is no reason why an infielder who ranks as high at his position cannot be similarly Rolfe wrote time I reached the $20000 He told Barrow he could stay home and earn $3000 to $5000 at the service station which is still in Penacook (it is now Tex aco) might be boosted a lit tle for there are bound to be a lot of people who stop in to see a fel low foolish enough to turn down $16000 for he wrote Rolfe wanted Barrow to know he blowing smoko will pay you to give more than ordinal attention to the complaints of this ballplayer I hope that I have given you the impression that I am dead serious If I then you are going to make a big mistake by turning me Rolfe eventually settled for $18000 That winter Rolfe began to feel watched a third strike pass him by like umpire Joe Paparel call and Hipped his bat high in the air It landed 30 feet away Panarclla sec the Splendid Splinter throw his bat and did nothing As Williams ran out to left field Rolfe infuriated ran to the plate and protested in vain that Williams chntilH hn ninrtnrt one of my players done change that probably had to be that or any other Red Sox player said Seaver Peters who been guilty of that Rolfe took over for Rolfe as athletic said aitcrwara ne wouia nave been thrown out of the game so fast he know what hap pened But 1 guess a case of aggressive' ilwbinrt In HA MrTMiiftl LIU rUHU LOU UU HU fflUUK Tkmuc? fiwid Unlfn in 109 lOcnncntlR after the team got off to a 23 49 replace him Bob Blackman start lie never could get ms play ers to conform to his strict man agerial style think the world of said Hal Newhouscr who played for Rolfe in Detroit knew base ball as well as anybody else He was a great manager and a great man He worked himself into one of the best third basemen in the league He could have been one super His final calling What he did become was an excellent administrator one who made tough personnel decisions even clashed with coaches at times but still garnered and gave the respect necessary of liis posi tion as athletic director at Dart mouth College He was also a hero to many of the athletes guess what I remember was that I knew him and he knew said Bill Morton a running back and lacrosse player at Dartmouth and now the chairman of the Boston Stock Exchange remember sitting around talking about the economy but he knew me and he knew a lot of the ath letes We were important to And winning any way within the rules was also important wWwawkBI i iMwl iWSr wl vit iweimr in ai ui V' death Health catches up There were two things that Rolfe wanted to accomplish above all else at Dartmouth irst Rolfe wanted to win second he wanted to get Granite Staters into Dart mouth Make that three things: He wanted to have the month of August off come hell or high water that Peters said always felt that he fell that the Dartmouth years getting the New Hampshire kids into Dart mouth ana having them succeed and do well not necessarily in sports but just do well and gradu ate was what he said nephew Don Randall After Rolfe left said former Dartmouth baseball Coach Tony Lupicn went from an admin istration that was solidly interest ed in athletics to one that care less We were no longer a reflection of middle class Ameri And while Rolfe was working hard to give kids a chance at an Ivy League school those kids responded by winning champi onships was a said Blackman whose football team went undefeated in 1962 1965 and 1970 wanted to win He know much about football and he figure out why a defensive back be right on top of a receiver and why the receiver catch the ball every His desire to win rubbed off on the players was a very very kind and gentle man said Jake Crouthamel a former Dartmouth football player who went on to coach the Green and is now the AD at Syracuse University want to overemphasize that it interfered with what he expected of his athletes because it interfere He told you what he wanted to be done and he expected it to be Rolfe a teacher first and admin istrator second above going out on the basketball court during practice and helping players learn different fundamentals Well known for his love of fishing and the outdoors Rolfe look Black man and many others on fishing trips and invited coaches to come stay at his camp on Lake Win neiockel in Webster or to his home on Island in Gilford That not only helped build a mutual respect and friendship among the coaches and their boss but also helped the coaches sec Rolfe for what he was a regular man would talk to you and he look down his nose at you like a Yankee great and just a college said Morton I appreciated most was that here was a former big leaguer in every sense of the word and he tried to get to know In the winter of 1967 Rolfe had surgery after complaining of stom ach pain He stayed in the hospital three weeks and al the age of 58 Rolfe retired as athletic director Peters was named his successor Rolfe died July 8 1969 Every major newspaper in the Northeast ran news of his death But as they lined the streets to say goodbye outside his private family funeral that was of little import Rod Rolfe made himself famous by playing with big stars in the Big Apple That got his name into the papers What Rolfe did afterward got him into the hearts of Granite Staters BEN GARVIN Monitor staff Romeo a 25 year old Lipizzan stallion enjoys a snack courtesy of Dole at the Hopkinton air it reefer i rr JOE GATTUSO TRIO 6:30 tO Wif in our upslalrs lounge No Cover ull Menu Available HEWAHOS 1 1 Hills Avo Concord 224 5669 WINSTON CUP SHUTTLE September 10 1999 Only $15 Call (403) 224 1891 wwwconcordnhchambercom You'ffit torry if you miss tfiir 6usl Native Pine I liuln HiUtmx SAWMIIJXUMM Cl'imt CflllCl'KlWl Kir 1 more CIlIlIlllSllT TOD 5135 Cedar Decking I R' 10 Minute from Mmo Coiicunl wwwconcordmonitorcom DOLE Continued from Page A Education is among the issues Dole feels is important to New Hampshire voters Colleges and universities should hold student teachers to a higher standard she said Better educated teachers will increase the pay and prestige thus attracting better qualified people are a lol of really great teachers but there are a few who be in the Dole said As president Dole said she would set up schools to experiment with different ways of educating kids Parents should be able to chose the schools for their children she said whether public private or parochial would be in favor of giving low income to lower middle class parents the same opportunities thit the president and vice presi dent Dole said put computers in every classroom I think we should put parents back in every Thrcc ycar old Aidan of Concord and his mother Amy both sported yellow Elizabeth Dole for President shirts yester day or there one issue that distinguishes Dole from the other candidates has moderate views on said think things should be ultra con servative or ultra Dole being a woman has to do with her support said is nice to see a woman rise to such a level in her she said of Dole who headed the Red Cross and held a Cabinet position in the Bush administra tion While the impact of gen der on her candidacy has been fodder for political pundits Car olyn Udaloy chairwoman in Warner see it as an issue look at the sex of the candidate I look al the experience of the Udaloy said is a very positive person who will come up with solutions to Udaloy lauded position The Monitor on the Web INTERNET services by WiNSTARO' 877 334 5108 wwwwlnstarcom ra i Vacuum Cleaner Dealer SOLON APPLIANCE 2 Nonlli Strvel Concord I' st I against taxes on the Internet and her desire to reduce gun violence in the country experience resonates with Dave Poulin a Republican state representative and Concord city councilor will bring hon esty and integrity back to the Oval he said at the fair In addition to her own experi ences in government Dole also has experience with presidential campaigns which is very impor tant said Poulin who is organiz ing volunteers for Dole in Con cord Dole also proved a crowd pleaser for the host of animals at the fair Al a pelting zoo Dole fed some sheep and goats soliciting some help from a few children on now we have got to she told a couple goats who wait for her handouts and jumped up on her One such animal mistook black dress for a treat and started nibbling on it to the laugh ter of Dole and all in the vicinity DAVID LEVINE ORIENTAL RUGS 34 WAHKI SHUT 1 CONCORD Nil We luive over 21MMI rugs In our shop All liumlwown All will uahiial dyes All 1 tom liaiulspuu wool You enn sec lire ililTeicncc IS KILIMS I'KIHAL WhAVINliS THUE HAND WASHING IN HOUSE 225 55 1 2 wwwiiliriinciiiii Concord itness Center 228 9000 30 Day ITcc Trial Membership Expires Daycare Strength Training Classes (her 111 years 4.