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Morris Farrell

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Charles Morris "Morry" Farrell, born August 5th, 1890, in Chicago, IL,1 was a professional baseball player with the 1915 Little Rock Travelers. He lived in Little Rock, AR most of his life.

Biography

Farrell came from a very wealthy lumber family, and was well-known for his privileged lifestyle. Farrell was a talented young baseball player who was compared to Ty Cobb, but was never particularly successful due to his father's objection of his participation in professional baseball.

In 1915, he played with the Little Rock Travelers, followed by a stint with the Paris team of the Western Association.

Farrell died in June, 1963 in Arkansas.2 He was buried in Roselawn Memorial Park in Little Rock, AR.3

Excerpts

"Farrell comes to Morris upon the touting of Mique Finn of Mobile. Finn says that Farrell is a wonder and that the Little Rock boy will be so good that Morris will be forced to give him a berth." 4

"I can't get away to play with you today, my papa won't let me." There was a time in C. M. Farrell's life when he was forced to sing back these words to the Hensley (Arkansas) boys, but not now, for Hensley has secured the consent of his papa to participate extensively in the national pastime and this season be found clinging to one of the out garden positions on the Panther squad. Farrell is an outfielder, discovered by scout Paul Lagrave, and brought to the land of sunshine by Walter Morris. He has played very little professional ball, he admits it, but he has been playing the national game since he could toddle about the Hensley lots. Not that Farrell could not get a job with some of the minor leagues, for he has had numerous opportunities, but the senior Farrell objected to his son engaging in the occupation, and being under 21 and desiring to retain father's friendship, he clung to the paternal bidding . . . This year William Farrell has told C.M. Farrell to got to the Texas League and there make good. Last year he played with a club in the Little Rock City League. Farrell bats and throws left handed" 5

"Farrell, the outfielder from Arkansas, is one of the most promising looking ball players to don uniform. He is a big follow, also good looking, has big broad shoulders, bats and throws left-handed and has good speed"6

"Farrell is a University of Arkansas player with experience in the City League at Little Rock."7

"Besides being the best looking man on General Morris' baseball staff (verdict of the cigar counter girl), Charley Farrell is also the most versatile, all-around athlete. Several other players, most notable Witherspoon, are football men of no mean caliber, but Farrell holds the record for creditable participation in the greatest number of sports. Farrell has been out of the line-up for several days with a broken finger, but as soon as the digit heals he will go back to chasing flies in the gardens. Farrell may not be a regular this year but he probably will be retained and shoved into the line-up occasionally when the other outfielders are in a slump or need a rest. Farrell, as his name indicates, is of Turkish descent, but he was reared near little Rock, Ark. He has attended Peabody High Schools, Little Rock High, Arkansas Military Academy and the University of Arkansas. In these institutions of erudition he has acquired much learning and a very highly developed knowledge of athletics. In his repertoire are included the following diversions: baseball, football, track, basketball, tennis, swimming and billiards. Furthermore, Farrell is a crack in all of these branches of higher education with the possible exception of swimming, which he never has practiced extensively. At one school where Farrell studied he made the track, football and baseball teams. This was Arkansas Military Academy, where he was in attendance in 1905-1906. He played two years on the football team at this school, shining at halfback and doing the kicking for the team. He also played in the baseball team and between times made the track team, running in the 220 and competing in the broad and high jump. His basketball experience was chiefly gained at the Little Rock Y.M.C.A., where he played forward on the first team. In the four months he attended Arkansas University, Farrall did not go in for athletics, social duties preventing. After leaving school, Farrell dropped out of athletics for two years, being busy acting as sales manager for the Farrell Lumber Company of Little Rock. In 1911, however, he joined one of the teams in the Little Rock City League. He played in the gardens, and shone in batting and fielding so much that Secretary Paul Lagrave of the Panthers induced him to sign a contract to work for Morris this year. Farrell disputed with another player the honor of leading the league. His batting average was .336. Farrell is a very promising player. He probably has the edge on any of the other Panther gardeners when is comes to pulling down flies and his whip is good enough for any company. He bats left handed, however, and is at the mercy of a left handed flinger. Against right-handers he bats splendidly, and he runs bases in finished style. While Morris has not said stat he intends to keep Farrell, it is very probable that he will stick. He is theof player who will show improvement, being extremely observant. Farrell is popular with the other players, also, which helps a ball player."8

"Morris Farrell, son of the millionaire president of a lumber company of Little Rock, Ark., has been signed by President Allen of the Southern League club. Farrell has played with Kansas City and Waco, but quit both clubs because he objected to discipline. He has promised to take his baseball seriously now, according to Allen."9

"Allen has added Morry Farrell, a local player, who is good enough for any company, but for the fact that he reclines in the lap of luxury. He has never taken his work seriously, and though he has been much sought after by teams higher up, he could not be relied upuon, knowning that there were more pine trees for his father to fell in the Arkansas woods, so he should worry about where the next meal was coming from. Farrell has promised to play base ball for Allen, and the fans are going to see that he puts up the article he shows in the City League each year after he flies off and quits a league team, or give him a panning that he deserve." 10

"Farrell is the local son of luxury who promised to show that he is a second Ty Cobb, and who has the earmarks."11

"Farrell, with Little Rock in the Southern the early part of the season, has been added to the Paris payroll and will be given charge of the initial sack."12

Stats

1915 Little Rock Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.

1915 Paris Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.
4 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1/14/1912
5 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2/20/1912
6 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2/28/1912
7 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3/21/1912
8 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4/8/1912
9 The Evening Independent, 2/26/1915
10 The Sporting News, 2/4/1915
11 The Sporting News, 3/4/1915
12 The Sporting News, 7/8/1915