# Gene Connell

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**Eugene Joseph Connell** (May 10, 1906 – August 31, 1937) was an American professional [baseball](/source/Baseball) player who played in [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) for the [Philadelphia Phillies](/source/Philadelphia_Phillies) in 1931. He was the younger brother of fellow major leaguer [Joe Connell](/source/Joe_Connell).

## Biography

A native of [Hazleton, Pennsylvania](/source/Hazleton,_Pennsylvania), Connell attended the [University of Pennsylvania](/source/University_of_Pennsylvania), where he lettered in basketball and baseball, graduating in 1928. He was captain of [Penn's 1928 basketball team](/source/Penn_Quakers_men's_basketball), which took the [Eastern Intercollegiate Basketball League](/source/Eastern_Intercollegiate_Basketball_League) title, defeating [Princeton](/source/Princeton), 24-22, before a reported 10,000 fans at [The Palestra](/source/The_Palestra).[1]

From 1927 to 1930, he played summer baseball in the [Cape Cod Baseball League](/source/Cape_Cod_Baseball_League) (CCBL). Connell played catcher for the CCBL's [Falmouth team](/source/Falmouth_Commodores) from 1927 to 1929, clobbering home runs in three consecutive games in 1928, and helping the team to the league pennant in 1929.[2][3][4] He returned to the league in 1930 to play for that season's pennant-winning [Wareham team](/source/Wareham_Gatemen).[5][6] An all-league CCBL selection at catcher, it was reported that Connell "has all the requirements for a big league catcher and is at all times a steady, dependable player who has a pleasing personality to add to his ability as a ball player."[7]

Connell made his major league debut in 1931, and played in six games at catcher for the Phillies during [that season](/source/1931_Philadelphia_Phillies_season). His first appearance came on July 4 when he entered as a late-inning replacement for Phillies catcher [Spud Davis](/source/Spud_Davis) in the second game of a [doubleheader](/source/Doubleheader_(baseball)) against the [Boston Braves](/source/Boston_Braves_(baseball)) at [Braves Field](/source/Braves_Field).[8] Connell's first hit came one week later against the [New York Giants](/source/New_York_Giants_(NL)) at the [Baker Bowl](/source/Baker_Bowl), when he singled off New York's [Clarence Mitchell](/source/Clarence_Mitchell_(baseball)).[9] On September 14, he singled and scored a run against the eventual [World Series](/source/1931_World_Series) champion [St. Louis Cardinals](/source/St._Louis_Cardinals) and pitcher [Allyn Stout](/source/Allyn_Stout) at [Sportsman's Park](/source/Sportsman's_Park). The Cardinals, who boasted a lineup that included [Baseball Hall of Famers](/source/Baseball_Hall_of_Famers) [Jim Bottomley](/source/Jim_Bottomley), [Chick Hafey](/source/Chick_Hafey), and [Frankie Frisch](/source/Frankie_Frisch), prevailed over the Phils, 13–5.[10] Connell's final major league appearance was also his only major league start. It came on September 27, when he caught Phils hurler [Bob Adams](/source/Bob_Adams_(1930s_pitcher)) and got a hit off [Ben Cantwell](/source/Ben_Cantwell) in Philadelphia's 12–2 drubbing at the hands of the Braves in Boston.[11] In 12 major league at-bats, Connell recorded three hits and scored one run. He never made an error behind the plate.[12]

Connell died in an automobile accident in [Waverly, New York](/source/Waverly,_Tioga_County,_New_York) in 1937 at the age of 31.[5][13]

## References

1. ["Stars in Their Eyes"](https://thepenngazette.com/stars-in-their-eyes/). thepenngazette.com. April 24, 2018. Retrieved January 9, 2020.

1. ["Falmouth Wins From Orleans 6 to 2"](http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Falmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=FEN%2F1928%2F07%2F26&id=Ar00911&sk=CD4D2A42&viewMode=image). *Falmouth Enterprise*. July 26, 1928. p. 9.[dead link]

1. ["Falmouth Base Ball Team of 1929"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150214194208/http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Falmouth/#panel=search&search=5). *Falmouth Enterprise*. July 18, 1929. p. 7. Archived from [the original](http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Falmouth/#panel=search&search=5) on February 14, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2019.

1. ["League Pennant Comes to Falmouth"](https://web.archive.org/web/20231126180805/http://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/apa/falmouth/sharedview.article.aspx?href=FEN/1929/09/05&id=Ar00706&sk=A6CA6E16&viewMode=image). *Falmouth Enterprise*. September 5, 1929. p. 7. Archived from [the original](http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Falmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=FEN%2F1929%2F09%2F05&id=Ar00706&sk=A6CA6E16&viewMode=image) on November 26, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2019.

1. ["Local Athlete Killed as Coupe Crashes Tree"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/24782429/the_morning_call/). *The Morning Call*. September 1, 1937. p. 16.

1. ["Falmouth Team Fifth in League Appeals to Fans for Funds"](https://web.archive.org/web/20231018023136/http://digital.olivesoftware.com/olive/apa/falmouth/sharedview.article.aspx?href=FEN/1930/08/07&id=Ar01000&sk=33D2C623&viewMode=image). *Falmouth Enterprise*. August 7, 1930. p. 10. Archived from [the original](http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Falmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=FEN%2F1930%2F08%2F07&id=Ar01000&sk=33D2C623&viewMode=image) on October 18, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2019.

1. [""Enterprise" All-Cape Team"](https://web.archive.org/web/20200705231649/http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Falmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=FEN/1927/09/08&id=Ar00615&sk=BEFEC6E4&viewMode=image). *Falmouth Enterprise*. September 8, 1927. p. 6. Archived from [the original](http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Falmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=FEN%2F1927%2F09%2F08&id=Ar00615&sk=BEFEC6E4&viewMode=image) on July 5, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2019.

1. ["Philadelphia Phillies at Boston Braves Box Score, July 4, 1931"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BSN/BSN193107042.shtml). baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 11, 2020.

1. ["New York Giants at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score, July 11, 1931"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI193107111.shtml). baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 11, 2020.

1. ["Philadelphia Phillies at St. Louis Cardinals Box Score, September 14, 1931"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN193109141.shtml). baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 11, 2020.

1. ["Philadelphia Phillies at Boston Braves Box Score, September 27, 1931"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BSN/BSN193109272.shtml). baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 11, 2020.

1. ["Gene Connell"](https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=connel001eug). baseball-reference.com. Retrieved January 9, 2020.

1. ["Eugene Joseph Connell"](https://archives.upenn.edu/exhibits/penn-people/biography/eugene-joseph-connell). upenn.edu. Retrieved September 25, 2019.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gene Connell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Connell) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Connell?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.