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After marrying Adele, the girl of his dreams, he and Adele raised four daughters, some of whom would accompany him to tournaments. They in turn presented him with seven grandchildren. Mac played baseball during his younger years. Enjoying being around youngsters, he found time to coach an American Legion Boys Baseball team. He also spent some time as a swimming director for the Red Cross. In his leisure time he enjoyed a Ballantine Ale to relax himself. He was also known for making his own, shall we say, recipe, always being happy to share a sip or two with freinds and neighbors. We lost Mac on Sept. 09, 1969 when he passed away suddenly at the young age of 47, shortly after competing in a New England Tournament, leaving his family and freinds with a great void. In tribute to an outstanding person and beloved fellow player the Connecticut Horseshoe Pitchers Association included an annual state tournament in his name. It was 1st played in 1970 and continues to this day. |
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GETTING TO KNOW YOU A few of the horseshoe tournaments held in Connecticut are named after people connected in some way or another with the sport. There are many who don't know who some of these people are. The following is some information about one of them. Samuel W. Bartram Born Sept. 21, 1889 Ellenville, NY.
It is Just a stroke of fate that Connecticut has a horseshoe association. In 1925 Sam moved back to Bridgeport, then to Stratford in 1936, bringing with him his knowledge of horseshoe pitching. Finding lunch hours long, he brought his shoes to work, and found many people interested, not only there but outside of work. He put on exhibitions of skill in pitching the "open" shoe. At this time, definite rules and regulations were being developed for "pitching contests". As he learned these, he passed them on to others. It was time, he thought, to get proper courts in the local park. After many run-a-rounds, he finally was offered courts in the then undeveloped Beardsley Park. Not liking the site offered, he put up a howl and got the site he wanted a year later. Material for three courts was available, but there was a labor shortage with no one to do the work. Undaunted by this, Sam and some other enthusiasts built the courts themselves. Horseshoe pitching became so popular that Sam wented to hold a city championship, but to do this he had to have more courts. Without too much trouble he got five more built. The year 1931 saw the first City Championship held, with Sam wlnnlng it, and also in 1932, 33, 38 and 39. Wanting to use the courts to their fullest, this determined man publicized a State Championship to be held in Bridgeport. He was rewarded by seventeen men showing up ready to pitch. It was Sam himself who interested other pitchers in other parts of Connecticut with his exhibitions and enthusiasm. With his ever expanding push, he organized, with the help of another club in Stamford, to hold the first Fairfield County Tournament. Horseshoe pitching was so widespread with organized clubs and unorganized groups that a Connecticut State Horseshoe Pitchers Association was started in 1935 with Sam Bartrambeing elected as its first president. The State Assn. became affiliated with the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association at this time. League play within and outside of the state was started this same year. It was only after the Stamford Club proved its ability to hold and run horseshoe tournaments that he relinquished these duties to them. Part of the Stamford Clubs' enthusiasm was due to having a State Champion in their midst in their first three years of operation, he being Sam Lane. It was Sam Bartram who started him on his horseshoe pitching ways. While all the main courts fell into disrepair or became non-existent during World War II, the courts in Beardsley Park were the only ones to survive. They had in fact grown to a total of fifteen courts. It was Sam Bartram who kept the interest going, and made it possible for the Connecticut Horseshoe Pitchers Assn. to get going again. Sam was in his middle sixties when I met him while delivering his mail in my early years as a letter carrier. I can recall his eagerness to talk horseshoes with me at that time, my having an interest in the game. He had been an inactive member of both the CT HPA and the NHPA for a few years due to ill health, but he would talk horseshoes at the drop of a hat. One of his favorite pastimes was looking over his old horseshoe records. It was these records that helped provide information to the NHPA about early horseshoe history. Sam Bartram passed away Dec. 25, 1988 at the ripe old age of 97. The Sam Bartram Open is named after him.
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From Lynn Ward; I am attaching 2 photos of Sam Bartram. One is Sam at the Sam Bartram tournament. Following is what my mother, Marie (Sam's daughter) wrote about the tournament. "This is probably the first time that a Sam Bartram Tournament was held. Sam is forth from the left, front row. Sam's son Ted is second from the left front. I remember Dad always playing horseshoes at the park, right across the road from the lake that runs through the park.My brother, Ted played there too. I remember a couple of times, they let me keep score during the tournament.Dad had a horse shoe court set up in the back of his garden in Stratford. He would often practice there." The second picture is Sam sometime during the 1950's..
Sam and Ted Bartram
Honoring Sam Bartram, Article/Photo
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