Joe Soltys
by Owen Canfield
Hartford Courant
It has been almost 20 years since Joe Soltys retired
from his position as sports information director at
the University of Connecticut.
"I can't get out like I used to," Soltys said. "But I
did go to the men's basketball Senior Night and the
women's Senior Night at Gampel Pavilion last week.
Also, when the new football stadium, Rentschler Field,
opened, I was there."
He's 83 years old, but people around the state,
including many in the Northwest Corner, remember him
and what he did for 25 years at UConn.
I met him when I was sports editor of The Torrington
Register (now known as the Register-Citizen) in 1962.
Soltys never missed a chance to publicize his
university. I was young and knew little about sports
writing, universities or public relations. But I was
brand-new and I realized everybody was interested in
UConn.
Joe called one day. "I've got a press ticket over here
for you," he coaxed. I went - it seemed like an
interminably long drive - and found myself in a real
press box at Memorial Field, with big-time sports
writers from Hartford, New Haven and Waterbury and a
lot of little-timers such as me. There were sandwiches
and coffee or soda for everyone. Bob Ingalls was UConn
coach.
I can't remember the date or UConn's opponent but
Soltys made an impression. He was quick with answers
and statistics, knew everybody by their first names
and was always there. His student helpers listened and
knew what to do.
Two Sundays ago, Joe called me. "I have to correct
something I just read in your column," he said. "You
called Charlie Eshbach `a bright young University of
Massachusetts grad.' Charlie was a bright young
University of Connecticut grad and I know, because he
was one of my guys."
As soon as he mentioned Eshbach, I remembered that
Charlie was a native of Amherst, Mass., where UMass is
located, but attended UConn. At 22, he became owner
Joe Buzas' right-hand man and general manager of the
Bristol Red Sox Eastern League baseball team at Muzzy
Field.
Soltys remembered: "Charlie worked in the sports
information department with me and was very good. When
he was ready to graduate he told me he had a chance to
get a job with Buzas in Elmira, N.Y., but that the pay
was very low. I said, `You're young and full of energy
and you love this work. Take the job.' He did."
Eshbach married a Torrington girl, Ann Marie Ficca. He
stuck with baseball and is now part owner and general
manager of the Portland, Maine, Sea Dogs.
Widowed since his wife, Betsy, died last fall, Soltys
had a bit of heart trouble and said he still doesn't
have a lot of pep. He relies on TV for his UConn
sports. But he loves to remember the early days.
He grew up in Williamsburg, Mass., near Northampton
and was a sports correspondent for the Northampton and
Springfield newspapers.
After a hitch in the U.S. Navy, Soltys succeeded his
brother Henry as sports editor of the Northampton
Gazette. In 1959, he succeeded another brother, Frank,
as UConn sports information director.
No, he didn't go to college.
"I think one of the best things I did at UConn was
help Bill Rasmussen get ESPN off the ground," he said.
"Bill came out to Storrs to try to convince a panel of
educators and administrators at UConn that he had a
really strong idea. He wanted to broadcast UConn
sports on satellite but the board turned him down. I
ran into him as he was leaving that day. He was really
frustrated. He explained what he had to me and it
sounded good.
"I went to see John Toner [athletic director]. I said,
`Did anyone ask our coaches? This is a hell of a good
deal and no other schools will have it.' John listened
and said, `Give me his phone number.' Well, that
started it. Bill, calling his new baby `Entertainment
and Sports Programming Network,' began broadcasting 41
UConn sports. Look at it now."
Soltys' son, Mike, has worked for many years for ESPN.
"He's vice president of communications," Joe said. He
chuckled, "Mike used to borrow my car to get over to
Bristol when he was a UConn student and an intern at
ESPN," he said. "So I was left all day with no car."
Owen Canfield can be reached online at
ocanfield@snet.net