Many have called Abby Abbruzzi one of the two or three best hitters in Warren baseball history.

His first mention in the local press came as a member of the Warren Post’s American Legion Baseball District Two Champions of 1931.

Abby was a fixture in the Warren Twilight Baseball League from 1934 to 1949 (with time out for military service).  His Centrals and Massasoits nine won championships in 1934, 1935, and 1946, while he was also a member of the 1947 titlists, the Knights of Columbus team.  He served as his squad’s player-manager in both 1946 and 1947.  In the league’s final season of 1949 Abby hit .458 and was named its All Star second baseman.

He played in thirty games of the Warren versus Bristol Baseball Little World Series between 1935 and 1949.  He was often his team’s leading hitter, batting .500 in 1935, .667 in 1938, .435 in 1946 (when his seven hits in the last two games brought Warren back from a two games to one deficit), and .429 in 1949.  In 1947 he served as a player-manager and led his team to victory.

Abby was a very good football running back and played for the Warren Townies and Wanderers in the late 1930s and early 1940s.  Unfortunately his most noteworthy play was a negative one, as he fumbled on the one-foot line in the final seconds of a 1941 scoreless tie.

He played in numerous baseball and softball leagues throughout Rhode Island and was a member of many other title teams.  These included the Bristol County Softball League 1938 Champions Pulaski A. C., the Warren Fast-Pitch Softball League Champions Narries of 1940; the Rhode Island Baseball League

1941 Champions Crown Zippers, the Warren Fast-Pitch Softball League Playoff Champions Kettlety’s Firestones of 1946, and the 1950 Barrington Twilight Baseball League Champions, the Warren Drugstore Cowboys, for whom he hit .412.

Abby umpired both Little League Baseball and Babe Ruth Baseball games throughout the 1950s.  He taught a number of youngsters how to play the game from his position behind home plate.

He once had too much to drink as his sister’s wedding reception and, as a result, was “only” able to garner five hits in six at-bats in a ball game that evening.  The only out came on a ringing line drive to center field.

Picture from Hall of Fame archives (1952 Little League Umpires Team)