THE IRON MAN LEFTY
George Rivard was born in Providence in 1888 and would embark on a long impressive career as a baseball pitcher for hire. "The Iron Man Lefty" pitched for so many teams it is often difficult to name how many he toed the slab for. He started in the Providence Junior League and churched-sponsored teams in 1902. When Tim O'Neil started his Providence Amateur League he was a member of the Pilgrims, the first champions of the league in 1904. His amateur league career was outstanding in Rhode Island and it led to opportunities to pitch for the Fall River Indians in 1907, 1908 Lowell Tigers and 1909 Worcester Busters in the New England League (B) as well as stints with the Providence Grays (A) in the Eastern League from 1908-1911. In 1911 he pitched in the Southwest Texas League (D) for three teams (Beeville Orange Growers, Brownsville Brownies and Victoria Rosebuds) and after a long absence in Minor ball with the Danville Tobacconists and Raleigh Red Birds in the Piedmont League (C) and Reidsville Luckys in the Bi-State League (D) in 1921. He was a baseball vagabond always finding a team for his services not only for his prowess on the mound but with the bat as an outfielder.
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"Riv" put many uniforms on for amateur and semi-pro teams throughout Rhode Island from the early 1900s to the early 1930s. Many times during the same season when he was negotiating with Minor league clubs he was called upon by local teams to pitch in big games. During his stints with the Providence Grays and New England League teams he stayed sharp pitching for local clubs. He would play in multiple leagues in the same season. Rivard also had early success with the Regents of the Providence Amateur League and Iroquis of the Inter-City League. In a deciding game against the Monitors he led Iroquis to victory with a 15 strikeout performance in 1907. He made headlines pitching for Berkeley in the Woonsocket Mill League with a championship in 1909.
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He formed a formidable one-two punch with pitcher Leo Cotter on the Universal Winding teams in the Providence Amateur League winning championships in 1916 and 1919. They were also rivals in the Catholic Union Twilight League. In August 1924 Rivard's St. Mary's met Leo Cotter's Assumption at Bucklin Park in front of 5000 spectators witnessing a 2-2 pitcher's duel. He threw for Centerdale, Lymansville and the Eddie McGinley's semi-pro Providence Independents in the 1920s. When the Providence Steam Roller name found its way to semi-pro baseball Rivard was recruited to take the mound for catcher/Manager McGinley once again. He played against the St. Louis Cardinals and Boston Braves when they met the Roller at Kinsley Park in 1923. The "Iron Man" continued in the Pawtucket and District Manufacturers League with the potent Glenlyon for a long tenure before ending a remarkable career in baseball in the early 1930s.
