Sunday's Obituary - Hugh Barrett

The Plain Speaker, 25FEB1943, pg18

My mom's going to love this one! Hugh and his sister, Alice, Barrett were the only two children of Patrick and Bridget Barrett nee Farley that we didn't have death dates for. After doing research over several weeks and from different angles I found a possible match in the New York Death Index and sent away for the death certificate. As it turned out I did have the right person, because his sister, Alice, was the one that gave the information for his death certificate and is also stated that he was heading back to St. Gabriel's in Pennsylvania to be buried.

That was exciting news. What was more exciting was jumping on Newspapers.com over the weekend to do a search on Alice and then have Hugh's obituary pop up. Not what I was looking for, but I'll take it!

I'd often wondered if the Hugh Barrett in the sports section for the Hazleton team was mine and I've waffled back and forth with believing it was...and then wasn't. This article confirms that it was and that he was apparently pretty good.

"Hugh Barrett Passes Away

Former Baseball Star Who Died in New York to Be Buried Here.

Hugh Barrett, a pitcher for the Hazleton baseball team when the games were played at the old Hazle Park diamond, died at St. Anthony's hospital, New York City, yesterday morning after an illness of several weeks.

The body will be brought to Hazleton on the 12:35 noon L. V. R. R. train on Friday and interment will be made in St. Gabriel's cemetery. Funeral services will be held at the parish church in New York City early that morning.

While a resident of Hazleton, Mr. Barrett was engaged with the old Hazleton Gas Co., and left here 28 years ago to locate in New York City, where the late Joseph Mayer had obtained him a high position.

Member of Pioneer Family

Mr. Barrett was a son of the late Patrick and Bridget Barrett, a pioneer family of this region and was born at Humboldt, but had located in this city as a boy. He learned the gas business here and for many years remained with the local company as a foreman.

Played On Famous Team.

As a curve ball pitcher, Mr. Barrett won recognition and the became a member of one of the greatest teams in Hazlteon's history, then managed by Herry Dryfoos and playing on what is now the site of the Spaulding Bakery in West Hazleton, which at that time was a portion of Hazle Park.

The team had such stars as Joe Walser, Jack Bream, Jack Neuer, Gorge Kimmell, Joe Londrigan, Charley Stoeker, Charles "Kid" McBride, Neil Brown, Harry Weidenback, Jimmy Kelly, James Brady, and latter (sic) Charles Weidenbach and Harry Brown joined the club. Six of the players, Bream, Neuer, Kimmell, McBride, Neil Brown and Jimmy Kelly are dead.

Leaves Three Survivors

Mr. Barrett is survived by a brother and two sisters, Edward F. Barrett of Buffalo, N. Y.; Mrs. Thomas Brown of West Broad street, this city, and Miss Alice Barrett, R. N., of New York City. Two brothers, Walter and William Barrett preceded him in death."

There's lots of rather cool information in there. School is back in session for me and this is the first post I've been able to do in quite awhile, but let's hope this find can help me to finally find Hugh and/or Alice in the 1930s or 1940s census records! I'd love to find out what job it was that he took in New York and who Joseph Mayer was. Always more questions!