Edward Gerrity Remembers Jimmy O'Neill and Minooka Blues

This is My Town by Edward J. Gerrity
Scranton Times

September 1976

This is a story that can appropriately be title, “The Last of the Blues”—the famed Minooka Blues, a baseball team organized in the very early 1900s that won acclaim nationwide for its smart and brilliant playing on its home field in Minooka and on lots faraway from home, too. It was a selected group of youths that was taught the diamond sport from A to Z, and in their first three seasons, there was not a single defeat marked on their outstanding record.

On last September 5, James O’Neill of Mercersburg, a former Minooka resident who had played shortstop for the Blues and whose diamond performances attracted a scout for the Washington Senators and later was signed for the start of a major-league career, died in Mercersburg. So far as can be ascertained, he was the last survivor of the great Minooka Blues.*

Jimmy came from a family of brothers who graduated from local sandlots to the major leagues in the early 1900s. Jimmy played two seasons with Washington in the early 1900s. Jimmy played two seasons with Washington in the American League in 1920 and 1923. His brother, Steve, who was the star catcher in his days with the Blues, signed with the Cleveland Indians as a maskman and was an outstanding fellow who handled all types of pitchers while at Cleveland from 1911 to 1928. Sports writers termed Steve as the best catcher in baseball at that time.

Used Squeeze Play

Jack, another O’Neill brother, was a catcher with National League teams during his career, and Mike, the fourth of the O’Neill brothers, was a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. All four O’Neills wound up with big-league records that all Minooka was proud of.

When Jimmy passed away Sept. 5, he was the last of the O’Neill baseball players, Steve, Jack, and Mike had preceded him in death. But there was a fifth member of the O’Neill clan who did not play the great American game. He was Patrick O’Neill, brother of the other four O’Neills. Pat knew baseball from A to Z, and it was Pat who organized the Minooka Blues in the long ago and taught the boys the finer points and tricks of the game. Under Pat, the Minooka Blues were credited to be the first amateur team in the country to use the squeeze play to perfection.

Like the writer, then in the teenage bracket, hundreds of young fellows and older ones used to travel to Minooka and other ballfields to see the Blues in action. In one game, we saw them work the squeeze twice, and each time score a run. Their fielding was sharp, and nearly all were good hitters.

McNally in Headlines

But while the four O’Neill brothers played in the major leagues, records show that there were Minooka Blues players who also made it up to the big show. They included Mike McNally, who played with the New York Yankees in the days of the mighty Babe Ruth. Mike had been captain and third baseman for the Blue. He was a colorful and admired diamond star and won the headlines in a World Series game when he stole home from third. It was a daring piece of baseball running and a surprise play that Pat O’Neill had taught him.

Charles (Chick) Shorten, another young man who played, was an outfielder with the Blues and went to the big leagues. Other members of the Minooka Blues were: Tom Morrison, catcher; Tony Walsh, second base; Pete Walsh, left field; Mike Walsh; first base; Dominick Moran, pitcher; Festus Higgins, pitcher; John (Butcher) Gallagher, right field; Walter Pisarski, pitcher, and James Connally, mascot.

Festus Higgins, one of the stars with the Blues, seemed bound for a big-league pitching berth. Higgins’ career was cut short when he was struck in the head by a batted ball. He died in 1924 as a result of the injury, Higgins had played with Scranton in the old New York State League and the Eastern League. He was a swell hurler.

Blues Cited as Stars

During the seasons of 1906, ’07, ’08, and ’09, the Blues set a record that had never been equaled up to that time, especially by players ranging in age from 12 to 15 years. The Blues were cited by sports writers over the nation as “A team of amateurs playing baseball better than some professional clubs.”

It was after a few years in the minors that Mike McNally was signed by the Boston Red Sox and Shorten was signed by the same club. McNally later went to the New York Yankees in a deal that sent Babe Ruth and two other players to Manhattan. McNally played in three World Series with the Yankees in 1921, 1922, and 1923.

Chick Shorten later went to Detroit after several seasons with Boston. Shorten also played later with the St. Louis Browns. He ended his big-league activity with the Cincinnati Reds. Both McNally and Shorten managed minor-league clubs as their last acts in baseball.

The late Rev. Leo O’Malley was such an avid booster for Minooka Blues that he never missed on of their games, and the players and Manager Pat O’Neill named the popular priest their chaplain.

Jimmy at Rest in Hometown

Two others of the O’Neill clan, Mike and Jack, were grown men and did not play on the Blues because they were considered too old for Pat’s Boys. At one time, Jack and Mike formed the battery for the St. Louis Cardinals. Sports writers gave them plenty of publicity because of not using their fingers or hands to throw signals during a game. Instead, they shouted to each other in Irish, and their opponents were baffled and did not know what Jack and Mike were saying.

When Jimmy O’Neill died Sept. 5, it was disclosed that he and his wife, the former Nan O’Hara, had celebrated their 41^st wedding anniversary last April 25. Jimmy’s body was brought home to his b beloved Minooka where he got his start in baseball with his brothers. He was waked in Mary Eagen’s Funeral Home, 2908 Birney Ave. Mass was celebrated in St. Joseph’s Church, and the last of the famous O’Neill brothers was laid to final rest in the parish cemetery with Minooka residents attending the services.

*The last of the Minooka Blues was Anthony “Tone” Walsh (b. 1893) died on August 4, 1980 in Scranton.