Jamaica Plain Boy - Red Sox Mascot

Time to move on from Franklin park for a while. There is more Jamaica Plain content than meet's the eye in this article. As told in the baseball article at the Jamaica Plain Historical Society web site, Joseph J. Lannin owned property in Jamaica Plain. In 1914 he owned both Fordham Court - still standing on South street near the Arborway - and Arborway Court, a long-lost apartment building that sat at the corner of South street and St Ann street (now defunct), near where Asticou road comes out to Washington street today. It may have been Lannin's connection to Jamaica Plain that got "Lefty" Glennon his job with the Red Sox described below.






Boston Daily Globe February 11, 1915


How Can The Rex Sox Lose?

Between "Lefty" Glennon, Luck Producer, and Ty Cobb Prophet,


There Seems to Be Nothing to It This Year.


Thousands of Red Sox fans will be interested in the announcement that William Joseph Glennon, the 13-year-old youngster with the deep-red hair, who was seen on the diamond every afternoon that the Boston team played in Boston last season, has been "signed" as a member of the team for the coming year in the capacity of mascot.

He is known as "Red" by his playmates, but this name has not the approval of his mother, who is naturally proud of the signal distinction of her son, coming as it does direct from Pres Lannin. The new mascot is left-handed, and she says "Lefty" is much better; so "Lefty" Glennon his name will henceforth be to Boston baseball enthusiasts.

"Lefty" Glennon is a freshman at Boston College High School; he is a bright student and well liked. He was "graduated" into the major league from a local team, the Red Sox of Jamaica Plain, an organization fostered by one of the curates of the St Thomas parish, in which he lives at 16 St Rose st.

On this team, which claimed the 12-13-year-old championship of Greater Boston, he played in centerfield and played it well, according to the fans of the neighborhood. These same experts figure also that the rise of the Red Sox near the end of the season last year was due to the daily attendance of young "Lefty."

Pres Lannin's letter notifying "Lefty" of his appointment states the hope that the team will play its way to success the coming season as a result of its mascot.



Red Sox Will Win Flag Before Sept 1 - Ty Cobb

Detroit. Feb 10 - Tyrus Raymond Cobb, writing to a Detroit friend from his home in Georgia, makes two predictions. One is that the Detroit Tigers will show an improvement over their 1914 form, and the other, of more interest to Boston, says that the Boston Red Sox will sew up the American League pennant before Sept 1.

"I say this advisedly, because I do not consider accidents. To my way of guessing, the next World's Series will be staged in Boston," Cobb says.