University of Vermont Athletic Hall of Fame
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Kenneth K. Newton 1923 - Baseball
Respected as one of the top pitchers ever to hurl for the University of Vermont baseball team, Kenneth "Doc" Newton carved out an impressive record in the Catamount athletic program. And, he fanned the immortal Babe Ruth.
"Doc", a 1973 UVM Hall of Fame inductee, faced Babe Ruth in Montreal in 1922, when Ruth and teammate Lou Gehrig played an exhibition game against some young collegians playing in Canada during the summer, and included among the group was Vermont's own Kenneth "Doc" Newton. The first time Ruth came to bat, Newton fed him a fastball that Ruth hit a mile high, but was caught routinely by one of Newton's outfielders. On his second appearance, with the count 1-2, Ruth was baffled by one of Newton's "off-speed" deliveries and the Bambino whiffed and the crowd went wild. What happened on his third appearance?
"Well, I threw him a fast ball down the middle and he parked in somewhere on St. Catherine Street," said the late "Doc" Newton.
Newton was an outstanding hurler for the Cats, but was even more impressive when he pitched for the Manchester (N.H.) Blue Sox following graduation in 1924. So impressive, in fact, he was offered a tryout with the Philadelphia Baseball Club in 1926 but turned it down. The "tryout" letter was written by the great Connie Mack, then treasurer and secretary of the Philadelphia franchise.
One of the most respected businessmen in the Burlington area, Newton operated a cleaning business for years. A past President of the Ethan Allen Club (1957), "Doc" was interested in youngsters and was the main cog behind the establishment of Little League baseball in Essex in 1953. "Doc" served as an assistant baseball coach at Vermont from 1928-35.
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