Continuing...When Harry Pattee stopped coaching baseball at Brown, he opened his own insurance company in Providence, bought a home in Barrington and began raising his family (2 girls, 3 boys). He had 7 grandchildren. The first did not survive infancy, the other six are still alive. He came to live with our family in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1964, where he lived until he passed away in 1972. Don North
Harry Pattee was my grandfather, my mother's father. I suspect he was an excellent athlete and had he not injured his knee might have played several years in the bigs. I attended college on a football scholarship, injured my knee in my freshman year and had surgery to remove the cartilage. He tore ligaments in his knee in the spring of 1908, and since knee surgery did not exist at the time, he wore a leather knee brace with whalebone struts in it the rest of his playing career. Gave him support but took away his greatest asset, his speed.
I didn't know that he tore ligaments in his knee that spring, actually. The new I got from the newspapers is that he injured the knee during that summer, after he was out for two weeks due to a piece of ash blowing into his eye from the factories across the street from Washington Park.
He sure was fast, though. There's no doubt about that. I think he would have been great if he had learned a few better baserunning skills. Given that it was 1908, he sure had a great rookie year!
Sorry to hear that you injured your knee your freshman year!
You are right that Harry Pattee hurt his knee in the summer. I had that wrong. He played a good number of games before he hurt his knee and the injury couldn't have happened in the spring. I just wish the practice of surgery was advanced enough then that he could have had a chance to come back and play at a higher level after the injury. I had surgery on my knee in my freshman year and played 3 years of varsity ball after the surgery.
Continuing...When Harry Pattee stopped coaching baseball at Brown, he opened his own insurance company in Providence, bought a home in Barrington and began raising his family (2 girls, 3 boys). He had 7 grandchildren. The first did not survive infancy, the other six are still alive. He came to live with our family in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1964, where he lived until he passed away in 1972. Don North
Thanks, Don!
I'm afraid that the first part of your message seems to have been lost somewhere.
I'd love to learn more. Harry didn't have the best year in 1908 — but I've been fascinated with him ever since I unearthed his story.
Daniel,
Harry Pattee was my grandfather, my mother's father. I suspect he was an excellent athlete and had he not injured his knee might have played several years in the bigs. I attended college on a football scholarship, injured my knee in my freshman year and had surgery to remove the cartilage. He tore ligaments in his knee in the spring of 1908, and since knee surgery did not exist at the time, he wore a leather knee brace with whalebone struts in it the rest of his playing career. Gave him support but took away his greatest asset, his speed.
Don North
Holy cow! I'm really pleased to meet you!
I didn't know that he tore ligaments in his knee that spring, actually. The new I got from the newspapers is that he injured the knee during that summer, after he was out for two weeks due to a piece of ash blowing into his eye from the factories across the street from Washington Park.
He sure was fast, though. There's no doubt about that. I think he would have been great if he had learned a few better baserunning skills. Given that it was 1908, he sure had a great rookie year!
Sorry to hear that you injured your knee your freshman year!
Daniel,
You are right that Harry Pattee hurt his knee in the summer. I had that wrong. He played a good number of games before he hurt his knee and the injury couldn't have happened in the spring. I just wish the practice of surgery was advanced enough then that he could have had a chance to come back and play at a higher level after the injury. I had surgery on my knee in my freshman year and played 3 years of varsity ball after the surgery.
Don