Ray W. Collins

A descendant of one of Burlingtons original settlers, Ray Williston Collins was born on this farm on February 11, 1887. After graduating from Burlington High School and the University of Vermont, Collins joined the Boston Red Sox in 1909 and soon established himself as one of the best left-handed pitchers in the American League. In 1913-14 he won a combined 39 games for the Red Sox, and his lifetime ERA is an impressive 2.51. When his career was cut short by an injury in 1915, Collins returned to this farm and for 35 years struggled to make a living as a dairy farmer. He was active in community affairs; among other things, he represented Colchester in the Vermont Legislature from 1941-43 and served as a University of Vermont trustee in the 1950s. Ray Collins still lived on this farm when he died on January 9, 1970.