A couple of weeks ago I heard my friend of many years was having knee problems so common to aging athletes. I telephoned him mainly because if it were me that was hurting he’d already have called me. That was Joe, a visitor to any pal or ex-teammate in the hospital and you could always count on a get well card from him and his bride Jeanette.
I ragged on him on this call because he loved the verbal combat. I told him I saw that slide he attempted at the Playstead in an old timers reunion game; it looked like a 3 stooges move. Of course he loved me burning him. Before I hung up I thanked him for the surprise birthday card he sent me the month before. He never told me how he knew; that was just Joe.
We promised to meet for coffee on a Tuesday with his Water St Gang at the Atkinson CC. His buddies were the same as they were in those young days Jack Gage a former teammate, Bob Blanchette also a former teammate and now a retired cop, Ray Huott also played on many teams with Joe and Henry Gray a true Water Streeter.
Joe and his family lived there for all the time he worked in Raytheon and in the retirement years he moved to Hampstead NH where he said it took he and Jeanette five years to get used to the quietness of country living and no screeching tires ala Water St.
I’d played baseball against him and the guys mentioned above and in all my years of watching or playing I’ve never met a tougher competitor. If he was pitching or playing first base he was always equal to the task. He possessed a wicked fast ball and it was a heavy ball and felt like a shot put, I was his sometime catcher and all players know what a heavy ball is. He had a rubber arm and never tired. More on baseball later as he was a tremendous hoopster and was the captain of his LHS team and the only thing he had trouble doing in both sports was keeping his shirt tucked in in the back his unie. But make no mistake, if he was the opposing hurler that day you’d better bring a lunch because it’d take all day to beat Joe Cockroft.
I’m still in shock at the message I got on my phone from his son Mark. Mark who along with his sister Donna thrilled their parents as not only good citizens but by following Dad’s lead in both being inducted into their schools’ Hall of Fame.
Joe also ran track for the blue and white and for his greatness and competitive attitude he earned the school’s major athletic award but I think his whole family was sworn to secrecy about the fabled Cregg medal.
I’ve known the whole family all these years and only found out about it in his obituary.
In recent seasons he has taken to watch his granddaughter play softball for CCHS. I met both girls or should I say young women, and knew quickly why Joe was so proud of Deirdre and Haley; they were quite impressive. I’m sure Haley will carry the Cockroft name and athletic ability. Gramps will be watching and loving every minute of it.
I wouldn’t do this story justice if I didn’t mention Joe’s stint with the Cleveland Indians and the White Sox, something you never heard him dwell on. I will, however, mention the great season of 16 & 0. By the way, he was that team’s captain as well.
He was paired with his good buddy to this day they were probably this area’s most dynamic pitching partners. I can’t think of a team with Joe and Aimie Reming walking to the mound. Reming pitched a no hitter against Haverhill and the next year Joe equaled by no hit and running their main rival: Lowell. Imagine, the year before Pete Reming was the 3rd pitcher on that team.
The big game in 1954 was in the State tourney to be played in Andover against a strong Methuen team. Ed Sperling got the mound call for the Rangers and Joe for LHS.
The excitement was unbelievable and each pitcher was on top of his game. It went into extra innings before Methuen executed a perfect suicide squeeze to upset the favored Lancers.
Many years later as I was ragging my pal Joe about the guy who pulled of a perfect squeeze. Joe shut me up by saying how come you didn’t mention how I struck him out in his previous at bats.
Joe’s wake was mobbed and it seemed all Water St attended and one particularly touching moment was when his old pitching mate came in to say good-bye to his pal and former mound mate.
I wish I could finish this story with a profound statement that would go down in history but I’ll give it my best shot.
Joe was as good a person as the guy upstairs could’ve sent us. He was a great family man and husband. He was a guy you could call on if you had a need. As a young man he drove some severely physically and mentally challenged kids to their school and doctor’s appointments. Every one of us now knows we’ve lost a part of us, a part that was good, decent, and caring.
I promise you my friend I will never ever forget you. As proof, I intend to meet with LHS athletic director and will offer to sponsor a trophy in his name so he won’t be forgotten as the local newspaper has already done.
May you rest in peace in heaven and hear my prayers every night.
