Doc Hazelton

Hazelton was born in Strafford, Vermont, the fourth son of Henry Hazelton and Amanda (Carpenter) Hazelton.[1] Hazelton's extended family included US Senator Justin Smith Morrill; Henry Hazelton's sister Sylvia was the wife of Morrill's brother Amos.[1][2] Hazelton was educated in the public schools of Strafford and Kimball Union Academy in Meriden, New Hampshire, from which he graduated in 1894.[1] During the 1894-1895 school year, he was employed as a teacher at Strafford's elementary school.[1]

In 1895, Hazelton enrolled at Dean Academy (now Dean College) in Franklin, Massachusetts.[1] The school had a strong baseball program, and its alumni included Gabby Hartnett and Heinie Stafford.[1] Hazelton had been playing baseball from his childhood days in Strafford, and was a pitcher on Dean Academy's varsity team.[1] In addition, he was elected president of the school's Class of 1897.[1]

Hazelton enrolled at Tufts University in 1897.[1] In addition to studying engineering, he organized the school's first baseball team and was chosen to serve as its captain.[1] During the summer months, he played on amateur teams located in towns throughout New England.[1] In August 1899, Hazelton was struck in the head by a pitched ball while at bat during a game at the Fabyan House hotel in New Hampshire.[1] He continued to play for several innings, then collapsed from the effects of a brain hemorrhage and skull fracture.[1] He was left temporarily paralyzed on his right side and fell into a week-long coma, and doctors had little hope he would recover.[1] After surgery to remove blood clots and pieces of bone from his brain, Hazelton regained consciousness.[1] After a month of hospitalization, he returned home to continue his recovery; doctors attributed Hazelton's survival to the excellent physical condition he maintained as a result of his participation in baseball.[1]

Following his recovery, Hazelton resumed playing baseball and studying at Tufts, and he graduated in June, 1901.[3] He then signed a contract to play for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball's National League.[1] Intent on a career as a physician, Hazelton planned to use the money he made playing baseball to finance attendance at medical school; when word of his plan spread, sports writers and teammates nicknamed him "Doc".[1]

Hazelton made his Cardinals debut on opening day, April 17, 1902.[1] The Cardinals lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 1-0, and Hazelton achieved his first hit, a single off Deacon Phillippe.[1] The following day, the Pirates beat the Cardinals 10-4; Hazelton collected the second hit of his career, another single, and every Cardinal fielder but Hazelton made at least one error.[1] In the third game of the series, Pittsburgh won 10-2; Hazelton went hitless and committed two errors.[1] His hitting slump continued, and the Cardinals released Hazelton after the seventh game of the season.[1] He never returned to the major leagues, and in his one season career, Hazelton posted a .130 batting average (3-for-23).[1] He did not get any extra-base hits, score a run, or drive in any runs.[1]

Following his release from the Cardinals, Hazelton played briefly for the Eastern League team in Rochester, New York, then broke his contract and joined an independent semi-professional team in Milford, Massachusetts.[1] He ended his full time playing career at the completion of the 1902 baseball season.[1] Because he broke his Rochester contract, Hazelton was banned from major league baseball and the organized minor leagues.[1]

In 1903, Hazelton became the baseball coach at the University of Vermont.[1] In addition to coaching the college team, he played in Vermont's semi-professional Northern League during the summer months, first for the team based in Burlington, Vermont, and later for the Newport, Vermont team.[1] He continued to play semi-pro baseball during the summer months, and spent time with several teams in New England and New York.[1]

At the start of the 1904 season, Hazelton signed a contract to play for the Toledo Mud Hens of the American Association.[1] He soon changed his mind and returned to Vermont.[1] After leading UVM to an 11-13 record in 1903, in 1904, Hazelton's team posted a record of 14 wins and 5 losses.[1] The team's 1904 success was due in part to Hazelton's success at recruiting pitcher Ed Reulbach; Ruelbach had previously played for the University of Notre Dame, but agreed to play for UVM after marrying a woman from Montpelier, Vermont.[1]

After coaching UVM through the 1905 season, Hazelton began 1906 playing for the Johnstown, Pennsylvania team of the Tri-State League; he returned to Vermont in June, and rejoined the Burlington team of the Northern League.[1] In 1907, he applied for reinstatement to major league baseball, but was denied.[1] He continued to play for semi-professional teams and returned to UVM as coach for the 1910 and 1911 seasons.[1] In 1912, he was appointed coach of the baseball team at Tufts University.[1] In 1915, he was named coach of the Dartmouth College baseball team, and led the team to a record of 12 wins and 9 losses.[1] Hazelton coached at UVM in 1916 and 1917, after which he ended his involvement in organized baseball.[1]

After leaving baseball, Hazelton was employed at a wool brokerage in New York City.[1] He retired in 1937, and his wife and he resided at the Hotel Vermont in Burlington.[1] In 1941, Hazelton was diagnosed with cancer.[1] He died at a Burlington hospital on March 10, 1941.[3] He was buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Burlington.[3]

In 1912, Hazelton married Emma Louise Beech.[1][3] They were the parents of daughter Cora (1913-1924).[1]

• Doc Hazelton at Find a Grave
• Baseball Almanac
• Baseball Reference
• Retrosheet