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In Middletown there is a Pat Kidney Field and the Pat Kidney Little League, but unless you were born before 1940, you may not know who this “larger-than-life” legend was.

Pat Kidney was born on March 31, 1877, the son of Maurice Kidney and Hannah Curran. In 1906 he married Rose Hart and had four children: Helen, Rose, John and Doris.  In 1899 Kidney operated a barbershop with his partner, Michael Supple near the corner of Washington and Main. In 1914, having sold his interest in the business, Kidney embarked on what would be a legendary 33 year career with the city of Middletown. For most of that time he served the city in four capacities: Supt. of Parks and Playgrounds, Truant Officer, Probation Officer, and Field Director for the Ct. Humane Society.

To Pat, more than any other single individual, Middletown owes its interest in playgrounds and parks. He pioneered the effort and accomplished wonders by the sweat of his brow. His thinking was far ahead of that of his contemporaries. What he couldn’t get city funds for he did anyway with the help of young people and some of their elders. He marked out parks and he planted them, and having established them, he maintained them until their sheer beauty demanded more help.

It was Kidney who laid the foundation for the basketball and baseball leagues of today. It was he who began ice skating, swimming and special events at the playgrounds. It was he who began using college-bound young people as part-time summer help at the playgrounds.

Those are some of the reasons why, during the last week of playground activities each year, local children gathered at Snow School for Pat Kidney Day, and they put on a wing-ding of a carnival. In 1956 the Pat Kidney Day ceremony drew a crowd estimated to be close to 3000 parents and children. But Pat’s greatest contribution was not to the parks and playgrounds, as important as they are. Rather it was to the spirit he infused into several generations as they came under his scrutiny and care. He was at once a stern disciplinarian and a friend to the young people, and they have repaid him richly in terms of respect and affection. And to Pat also goes the credit for setting many of the city’s solid citizens on a sound foundation. He literally took them over at a time in their lives when personal responsibility had little meaning, and he straightened them out, meanwhile gaining and holding their understanding and respect. An old Middletown Press report says:

“Pat Kidney is probably the best known citizen in the community. In his long experience as truant  officer and with the court, Pat has seen youngsters come and go, grow to manhood and womanhood, marry, raise families and has followed their activities with a fatherly interest. He has always been interested in the welfare of Middletown and has given unselfishly of his time and energy when there were community solicitations for various causes. As city truant officer for many years, many an errant schoolboy remembers him for his quick but certain methods in curing boys of playing “hookey” from school. They had nothing but the highest respect for him and many on the “Pat Kidney days”, held by the Park Department, reminded him of his kindly efforts on their behalf.”

When Kidney retired at age 70 in 1947 after 33 years of service, the four positions he had held for so long were filled by four different individuals. His retirement party in the Common Council room of the Municipal Building was attended by several hundred friends and dignitaries. The Middletown Press reported:

”Mayor Lester M. Gowin and two ex-mayors, Charles Schaefer and Salvatore Cubeta were in attendance as well as lawyers, school heads, doctors, merchants, and many other citizens who have a soft spot in their hearts for all Mr. Kidney had done to help them over the years.”

Among the bundles of congratulatory letters and telegrams he received, were personal notes from Governor James McConaughy and U.S. Senator Raymond E. Baldwin. The Governor wrote:

“Dear Pat, Congratulations and good wishes from an old friend. I am very sorry that you passed your seventieth milestone without receiving a note from me. I had planned to send it earlier, but the week-end slipped by before I knew it. Anyway, from all the McConaughys, hearty congratulations and many, many happy returns!”

 

The Senator had this to say:

"My dear Pat: Mrs. Baldwin and I have the invitation to the Open House in your honor on Thursday, April seventeenth. We both wish that we might be there, but commitments here make that impossible. We extend you our warm thanks and greetings. If every public servant was as faithful and able and conscientious as you have been these many years, our Republic would be even greater than it is, and we most certainly would have a happier country and a happier world. With every good wish.”

John English took over as supt. Of Parks and Playgrounds, and had the following to say about Kidney:

“Pat was not only a loyal and dedicated public servant, but he had a deep and undying love of the City of Middletown, and especially its young people.   If we could find another like him, we would be better off today. His physical Christianity was the symbol of the old school discipline that’s missing today. But he had the confidence of the kids and they loved and respected him. When he drove his old car onto a playground, all the kids would swarm around, waiting to be greeted by Pat.”

In 1954, City Recreation Director, Bernie O’Rourke assumed the Parks and Playground duties from English. “When Pat took over the job there were three parks, but when he retired, there were 12 parks and playgrounds. He never thought there was a bad kid, just bad parents – he’d do anything for the kids. He is one of the most respected people who ever lived in Middletown,” O’Rourke said.

Pat’s ready sympathy, unfailing tact and a keen sense of humor had brought him all types of domestic tangles and almost invariably he came up with the proper solution. And for those cases where his wise council went unheeded, there was Kidney’s alimony club. When he was connected with the courts the hard-but-fair disciplinarian would require divorced husbands to bring the money they owed their wives to the Kidney home. The wives would then call at the home to collect.

In 1958 Pat received the Chamber of Commerce’s Senior Citizen Award of Merit. At the award ceremony, Chamber past president, George W. Trepp, had the following to say:

“For his long service as probationary officer of the Superior and City Courts and attendance officer of our schools, during which he exerted a profound influence for good on generations of young people; For his labors as field officer for the Connecticut Humane Society, where again by precept and example he touched the lives of many; For his pioneering work in establishing and organizing Middletown’s Park and Playground Systems, and his long service as superintendent of the department – a work that will ever remain a monument to his foresight, energy and leadership; For his devotion to Family, Church and Friends; For all these and countless unrecorded deeds of kindness and thoughtfulness to so many, Patrick Michael Kidney is nominated to receive this, The Greater Middletown Senior Citizen’s Award of Merit.”

In 1963 he was selected Irishman of the Year by the Ancient Order of Hibernians. He was the oldest member of the Knights of Columbus and served as Grand Knight in that organization. Pat was also a charter member of the Middletown chapter of Elks.

Pat Kidney’s long career with the City was not just a job, it was a mission, a calling, and the City is a better place for his efforts. Generations of its youth were fortunate to have had him as a roll model. He not only saved the young from wasting their lives but over the years he physically saved many of them from drowning in the treacherous currents of the Connecticut River. One would be hard pressed to find anyone in the history of Middletown who has done more for the quality of life and for the youth of this City. Pat Kidney died in 1967 at the age of 90.