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| Pittsburgh Post, 1924-12-28, p.29 |
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| Cliff Barton, manager of Harmarville. Pittsburgh Post, 1924-7-27, p.27 |
4
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Pittsburgh outtakes
Monday, January 29, 2024
Pittsburgh Leagues
Pittsburgh
general
lots of clippings of w.o.w games Because ancestors Cholko played for them.
1927-1-30 Joe Cholko pic + profile. McKees Rocks outfielder. Will try out with Petersburg VIRL.
(1929-6-07 Joe and John Cholko star in outfield for W.O.W.
https://paeastborosshof.com/inductees-1981/ 1981 Fred Alger and also 1920s players elected
1923-3-04Po Pretty much the entire lineup of the Rochester Terminal club will have AA experience. Exceptions are Mickey McBride, Babe Ruth of the semi-pros of Western Pennsylvania, Dick Hughes, Ohio Valley League sensation last year, and Al McCrea, with Wierton WV last year. Roster listed - lots of impressive pros.
1923-4-22Pr Talk in advance of season opening.
1923-4-29 schedules for Press-sponsored leagues
will be no Sunday games in city, but Sunday ball will be attempted in outlying districts
"In Pittsburgh proper there are very few clubs which can make baseball a go on a semi-professionally on an independent basis, for the good reason that suitable parks are few and far between, and also because major league baseball holds forth here almost every Saturday during the season, and the Pirates draw the fans when they are at home.
With twilight baseball it is different, however, and the clubs get liberal patronage for their contests staged in the evening during the week. However, many of them have learned that league baseball is the best proposition."
1923-6-03 Steve Swetonic kills batter in college game
1923-6-03 pics of top pitchers.
1923-6-03 "Twilight Leagues All Making Money And Drawing Well." Pittsburgh needs more ball parks. The taboo on ticket sales on city fields hurts teams. [difficult to figure out exactly what they were saying.] Managers should band together into association to curtail player jumping. There should be an organized system for determining city champions. The managers that should also band together and try to get permission for Sunday baseball in Pittsburgh. There is Sunday baseball in Philadelphia etc. The applying law was made before baseball was invented.
1923-6-10 pic of Lefty Hughes & Lynn Ware, a battery that's been together since 1914 as other famed batteries have broken apart.
The season is going well for sandlot teams
1923-6-17 Salaries have grown greatly. The consequence of that is that there are only a few top teams because only a few teams draw enough fans to afford stars. The smaller teams get their stars hired away. The Northside Twilight League pays better than the minors. Teams no longer play on a split basis. Hard to understand how teams can make money paying their pitcher $20 out of $50 guarantee.
1923-6-24 pics of Beaver Falls Elks stars. Tommy Young, Joe Drugmond, etc. Discussion of players from Western Pennsylvania who populate the pros.
1923-7-01 Tommy Young, 2b, pic + profile. He always is with championship teams. He "tours to his games in a flivver and never fails to get there on time."
1923-7-01 pics of Bellevue stars; Cy Rheams, Swetonics, etc. Discussion of the top pitchers.
1923-7-08 pic of stars incl. Ollie Carnegie. Discussion of top shortstops, who abound in quality.
Semi-pro infields are not up to major league quality.
At the season's half-way mark only a few clubs have folded. Outside mining clubs have been grabbing stars. Zeal for baseball in mining towns is great. The umpiring on the other hand is very biased.
1923-7-15 Beaver Falls Elks win 18th straight game
1923-7-15 There are also not a lot of good 2nd basemen; discussion of the best
1923-7-22 lots of Blair County pics. Discussion of who the best 3rd baseman is; they're aren't a lot of good ones but the two top are probably Andy Swetonic and Dewey McGinley.
1923-7-29 pics of Triple Link stars & teams
1923-7-29 top independent catchers with pics - also first baseman
first base the final haven of veterans
1923-8-05 on cheating methods of independent hurlers Rube Haggerty resorts to most tricks
uses a nutmeg grater tin - can make roughed ball break 3 diff. ways
alleged to have put talking machine needles into ball - found when outfielder caught ball
has taught tricks to plenty of pitchers / Rube Haggerty PIC
Lefty Gantz throws mud-ball, Johnny Smith (Haggerty protege) throws emery-ball
has taught tricks to plenty of pitchers / Rube Haggerty PIC
Lefty Gantz throws mud-ball, Johnny Smith (Haggerty protege) throws emery-ball
Eddie Besterman throws rosin-ball - Alex Pearson is 46, has a few tricks of up his sleeve
plenty of spit-ballers - that's okay - but uproar if anything bigger found
1923-8-12 "League baseball is well established in the Pittsburgh district and is bound to thrive, because it is the logical solution to the sandlotters' problems."
1923-8-12 Pictures of veterans. Article about the players who are on the wrong side of 40 but still starring.
Art Rooney has hit 5 homers in 7 games.
1923-8-17 basically final standings for Northside Twilight League. (Sat.: Northside 9, Homewood 4.)
1923-8-19 list of the top sandlot pitchers - with pics
picture of Jim "Wiggy" Black - called the John McGraw of the sandlots - has won only championships since 1917 - has won five straight in Northside Twilight League, Pittsburgh's top league.
Gives w-l for 1919-22 and roster for 1923. Good team. John "Lefty" Westerwick
1923-8-19 Union Tool of Carnegie, with Honus Wagner at 1st, won 19th straight game
1923-8-20 "One thing is certain - there is no section of the good old U.S.A. where baseball interest is keener than on Pittsburgh's Northside. I could name a thousand fans over there who talk and dream baseball all summer long. Many of them are ardent Pirate followers, but their first loves are the teams in the Northside league. They know their family history, their nice points and their defects, their age and how much money each of them has. And if you want an argument, just try to belittle their favorites.
It is this intense enthusiasm which helps make the Northside Twilight league one of the finest sandlot organizations in the land."
letter from Northside fans: "There has been quite a little discussion among the fans on the Northside as to who is the best player in THE PRESS Northside Twilight League. The argument is between Harry Fowler and "Titter" Lowndes. Our gang says Harry Fowler is the best player. He plays fair and square, knows how to use his head and is the best semi-pro player in Pittsburgh. The other gang says Lowndes is most popular with the fans, that he knows more baseball than any other ten players put together, and is the best in the league."
1923-9-02 pics of top pitchers
1923-9-09 Union Tool was before 1923 mostly unknown but had great season - game by game record given -
list of low-hit games for season
Hartford EL has three Pittsburgh pitchers
1923-9-09G Pics of Beaver Falls and Consumers players and managers.
1923-9-09Pr "The semi-professional championship of the Greater Pittsburgh Baseball Commission will be decided tomorrow evening when the champion Beaver Falls Elks and the consumers of Harmarville clash in the final game at Edgar Thomson Park, Braddock...
The winners of this game will represent the Greater Pittsburgh Baseball Commission in the intercity series of the National Baseball Federation in class AAA..."
Team pic of Harwick Coal and Coke, class A city champions.
1923-9-20 rando picks an all-star team
1923-12-23 Clyde Roy will again manage Wilkinsburg Turners in 1924. They will operate on salary basis and play about 100 games. Only a few players will be retained from the 1923 team, among them Eddie Artman and Ollie Carnegie.
1924-2-24 on Bimmy Steele & pitcher salaries
1924-3-24 misc. Art Rooney refused to succeed Jimmy Black as manager of the Northside Traders.
1924-4-08 "No less than seven of the big time clubs have turned in their last game" - incl Northside Traders
1924-4-20 Team pictures of Homestead Grays and Finklehors, who met yesterday in first semi-pro game of the season. Also pictures of the umps and pitchers, incl. Lefty Williams.
The Homestead Grays won 102 out of 135 games in 1923.
"Earl in April turned out to be raw and cold and the boys of the sandlot were forced to remain idle for that reason, but the change came last week and old Sol peeped out," giving the season a chance to start.
"Over a hundred clubs have applied to Bureau of Recreation for permits this year to the play on the various city playgrounds which include the midget teams, amateurs and semi-pros, and with the grandstands that have been added to these recreation centers it will be the means of handling larger crowds for these contests. Washington Park is the only lot that is located in the downtown district and is located on Bedford avenue facing the Pennsylvania railroad station. It is the mecca for the boys of the hill section and in the evening crowds of ball players of all sizes can be seen at this park which boasts of a very good diamond. The attendants at Washington Park are high-class, and the boys can enjoy a shower after workouts."
Carl Bolster reelected head of Pittsburgh Umpire's Association.
Pictures of Jimmy Beeson, who managed the Beaver Falls Elks in 1923 and would manage the J.J. Deans in 1924, and of Stubby Werner, West Elizabeth Independents catcher and one of the top catchers in Western Pennsylvania.
1924-4-27 Martin Furnitures of Wilkinsburg roster listed - includes Ollie Carnegie.
1924-5-11 The Twilight Leagues depend for their existence on a few people. "Sand lot baseball has been sadly neglected by the civic authorities here in Pittsburgh, and for its size this city is one of the very few that does not take an active interest in the playing of baseball."
"The mediocre fields are too few by far for the present needs, and these fields are handed over to the various clubs and leagues, while others from the same neighborhood are ignored when it comes to giving out permits for the use of the field."
The Northside Twilight League has four new teams to replace the four that gave up the ghost. A review of the leagues about to start. All were founded after WWI.
West Newton roster and schedule given.
Periscoping: A number of sandlot players have been returning from minor leagues in recent weeks, finding out that despite all the talk of local sandlot ball being as good as some minor leagues, it is hard to make the grade. A number of local players in MION.
Periscoping: A number of sandlot players have been returning from minor leagues in recent weeks, finding out that despite all the talk of local sandlot ball being as good as some minor leagues, it is hard to make the grade. A number of local players in MION.
1924-5-25 May baseball was crippled by rain.
1924-6-01 w/ pics of "veteran stars of the sandlots"
"This year there are many well known faces missing from the circuit and sandlot has not benefited by their going either. At the starting bell this spring such fellows as Jimmy Black, Johnny Jones, Alex Pearson, Johnny Yoedt and others found that it would py them better to sit idly by and become a spectator than to be in there fighting for every play... Jimmy Black cut away this spring just because he was not appreciated and it is now that without a team at the Saltworks fields that they miss the congenial Jimmy and his crack ball tossers.
Johnny Jones quit the game because after some 15 years of managing teams around Beltzhoover he found the support of the fans lacking and after one heroic effort to instill the old pep into the bleacher crowds Johnny announced he was through. With his passing went a ball club that for more than 20 years enjoyed a great reputation in sandlot circles...
At one time a pitcher par excellence, Yoedt became known in every town in the tri-state section and in later years when his arm went back on him he took up various other positions. With the Fairbanks, Johnny was a fixture and known to be one of the most vicious umpire baiters in sandlot circles...
Fred Miller, who pilots the Pittsburgh Athletics, the oldest club in the independent circuit.
Not many [old boys] left and those that remain are all from the old school of managers, who could worry a dozen train conductors or ease through a main gate enough free patrons to fill a grandstand...
Yes the color is fast leaving local baseball circles, and instead of the fast thinking managers today one finds financial experts rather than men who know baseball as it is played by real tossers."
1924-6-15 Despite the earliness of the season the pitchers are firing away sweetly. A review of the best of them.
From "Periscoping" - Leo Carroll is the iron man of the year, pitching just about every day. In days of yore Joe Miller would pitch 4-5 games a week including doubleheaders. Skinny Wright, 40 if a day, recently pitched four games in five days.
Attendance was high from 1921 to 1923 and the salaries were high along with them, but those days of extravagance, when stars would receive $40-50 a game, are fading away. The fans are fewer and the steel mills are laying off men. This year, Pittsburgh semi-pro baseball is losing money. Scottdale, for instance, possesses heavy salaries and light turnouts. They are far from alone.
1924-6-22 There are hordes of fans who do not pay to watch. Only a few of the fields are enclosed. The teams need the financial support of the fans to stay alive, and how will they get it if pikers are prevalent? In one recent game a gate of $185.65 was collected from a crowd of 4,000 - and the home team alone cost $130 for the game.
Elvin Hilty is past his prime. His fee has been $50-75 a game. His spitter is his best pitch.
1924-6-29 review of the top stars at the various positions.
Bellevue had a winning streak of 26 last year. Review of some of the top teams so far this year.
Periscope: Umps are going to the dogs but better paid than ever. The Etna Elks are hoping to put up a fence to parry pikers. Eddie Kelly has resigned as manager of Jeannette; "Kelly has not given the Jeannette boosters a winning team to their way of thinking, and it is rumored they gave Kelly a neat piece of change for his contract." Hooker Phillips, Waynesburg manager, wants to see end of spitballs and other trick pitches on sandlots.
1924-7-06 (Post) Quality of umpiring is subpar this year. There have been many complaints and they are not unjust. Even the double-umpire system is not enough. The Pittsburgh Umpires' Association, which has been around for eight seasons now, is foisting inexperienced umpires on managers. The umpires should be classed into grades. Umpires are paid $5 to $10 a game.
There are many college players on the sandlots this year due to the demand for them.
1924-7-06 (Gazette) Pics of eight players who mostly play for league teams.
There's a rumor that Consumers will disband but after having a talk with Cliff Barton the reporter believes they will last the season.
There's a rumor that Consumers will disband but after having a talk with Cliff Barton the reporter believes they will last the season.
Bill Edwards threw no-hitter 7-04.
House of David proved they are no real ball club, only a novelty, after the Homestead Grays tore them limb from limb without breaking a sweat.
1924-7-13 Many ex major leaguers are still playing sandlot ball. Honus Wagner is with the Carnegie Elks. Otto Jordan, now a policeman, is playing second for Brentwood. Deacon Phillippe is scouting for the Pirates as well as pitching. Whitey Alperman manages the Etna Elks. Jack Lewis is playing for Steubenville. Elmer Knetzer, Jack Snyder, and Rube Haggerty are still stars of the mound.
The Twilight Leagues are doing much better than the independent clubs.
1924-7-20 The managers aren't in it for the money - they get little or nothing for their trials. They may even have to dig into their own pockets to keep their team going. Lists some notable manager-saints.
"In a lot of cases the home town club has the backing of some organization such as a board of trade or a lodge and then the question of managing a club is not so tough, for with financial backing the task is lightened, but even pilots of teams having this advantage often have to step in, toss of their coat, and do the bulk of the work that goes with the ball game."
27 ball clubs are ready for elimination series to determine champion of Pittsburgh. The series starts 8-3.
Also - "Periscoping the Independent Circuit"
1924-7-27 pic of some of the old veterans as discussed in 7-13 incl. Honus Wagner.
1924-7-27 pics of managers headed "Martyrs to the Independent Cause"
"Suburban District Diamonds Superior To Any City Parks"
"Little effort on part of city to given independent players adequate facilities; base hit rules necessary in most instances."
article starts: "Pittsburgh can proudly boast of having the worst sandlot ball diamonds in the country." The fields are all too small, "and in many cases a base hit rule must be put into effect during big games to cover the shortage of playing space."
"Most any small town in the suburban district can boast of a better ball lot than any one of the city parks." Beaver Falls has a "a regulation major league park." The field at Braddock "compares favorably with many major league parks." Some of the towns have great parks but no semi-pro baseball as it is does not pay there.
"Lack of playing fields in the city is one big reason why Pittsburgh has so many road clubs playing ball year after year and yet no one will come to the rescue and give the sand lotters a helping hand. The cry has been heard that there is not any available plots suitable for ball grounds left but a ride over the city streets reveals plenty of vacant land where ball parks might be placed if some of the city fathers would emerge from their lethargy long enough to say something in favor of such an action."
"Periscoping the Independent Circuit" recalls the days when the Homestead Grays were not all-black. Ziggy Walsh has not missed a game behind the plate for the Braddock Elks this season.
Rosters listed for class AAA elimination series. With full names. The Braddock Elks have added a great deal of star power lately.
1924-8-03 four star pitchers. Scores for each game of season listed for many of the top teams.
The Twilight Leagues are hosting some fierce-fought pennant races this season.
Periscoping - Cum Posey has a habit of pulling team off field in protest of umpire rulings that are actually fair.
1924-8-10 Pictures of "Local Lads Starring On Foreign Fields."
This sandlot season has been "the leanest in many years." The competition is excellent and the finances are frail - worse than frail, foul.
Scores listed for elimination series to date.
1924-8-17 Many teams are dragging their heels to play their N.B.F. elimination series games, and fan interest is dragging too.
Jim Coupland is protesting against the Braddock Elks using Andy Swetonic even though it is clearly legal - Coupland yowls at each elimination series. Cleveland's system for determining the champion is cleaner; They arranged a nine-game round-robin for the top four AAA teams and then have a three-game series between the two winners for the championship. This system has the disadvantage of leaving out a number of good teams, but it also doesn't include any extraneous teams. The whole process is much more concise and therefore, more exciting.
"Periscoping" contains the report of more complaining over the incompetence of the umpires.
1924-8-24 "Last Season's Ace Pitchers Meeting Plenty Of Bumps."
The pitching is going poorly this year.
Seven teams left in NBF elimination series.
"Periscoping" - Bill Mullen is being persecuted by the umpires, ejected from what seems like half his games
1924-8-31 elimination series talk, with but one game left before semi-finals
1924-8-31 Teams haven't made money this year; even the best are in the red. The season is winding down.
"National Tube failed to make anything on the season, but being an industrial club the players stand to lose nothing." Despite poor attendance, the high-paid salaries to players and umpires have gone on and the strain shows.
1924-9-07 Elimination scores shown. We are down to two teams: Millvale and the Harmarville Consumers. Millvale scores listed; they have record of 36-13-4.
"Periscoping" - For season Danny Taylor of West Newton hit, in 41 games, .507 with 22 home runs, 11 doubles, 38 singles, and 32 walks. Carl Poke honors his contracts; he does not pitch under assumed names. Last night Ziggy Walsh caught with a broken finger because the Braddock Elks were fighting for the championship and needed him.
1924-9-11 Harmarville beat Millvale 3-0 for championship of Pittsburgh.
1924-9-14 Harmarville beat Canton twice in inter-city series.
AWESOME - records of top pitchers listed. Cannady of Homestead Grays had best percentage, at 10-1. Abe Martin, Harmarville, had the best record of any southpaw with a mark of 30-6. Carl Poke was 24-3 for Bellevue.
1924-9-14 (Gazette) Cliff Barton, miracle man.
1924-9-21 (Gazette) a bit of a year in review. Grays played almost 150 games.
1924-9-28 pic of each Harmarville Consumer player w/ full names
1924-10-02 (Gazette) Cliff Barton did wonders by keeping team going. Has made team very popular.
1924-10-05 Harmarville loses twice to Cleveland Grennan Cakes in NBF final.
1924-11-03 fan-made all-star team
1925-3-29 A.J. "Hunch" Stoll of Braddock is a wonder at getting fans to contribute money to his team. He began persuading the fans in 1915. The Collection Man. [I guess this is how they collected money at games?]
Jack Barrett has been in independent baseball for thirty years; other veterans are Danny Hart, Sam Griffiths, and Danny Harrell. Lists some other older players.
"It is truly remarkable how [Honus] Wagner holds on to his enthusiasm for the grand old game... Since joining up with the sandlotters several years ago Honus has worked his way into the sandlotters' confidence until today he is the one fellow who is turned to by both players and managers for advice. To see Honus amidst his numerous young friends is a treat... He could have many jobs managing in the minor leagues, but these chances he passes up to be here at home playing the game he loves."
"With an umpires' association, a managers' organization, and now a players' union, some interesting moments are predicted for sandlot baseball, and meanwhile the Greater Pittsburgh commission stands by and waits for the result. If these three organizations can meet on an equal basis and thrash out their differences it would be a good thing for independent baseball in general, but observation of the work of all three makes it look as though little will be accomplished. The promoters of sandlot baseball usually come through the season sadder and wiser, while the player and umpire gets the money. Just two teams made money last year and one of these was strictly a road club with little to worry about staging games on a home lot."
previews for both Bellevue and Homewood. "For a time Bellevue had considered playing twilight league ball, but after giving the idea considerable thought the directors decided to stick to independent ball which has been successfully played in other years. Bellevue has tried league ball upon several occasions and found that it does not pay as fans at Bellevue like to see new faces rather than the same clubs playing too often.
The Bellevue players have been signed to play 14 games each month and this schedule will be adhered to during the coming campaign."
1925-5-24 (Gazette) Jim Black in his return to managing the Northside Board of Trade has proven his worth to the team. They are playing in the new-formed Allegheny County League. "Sir James, as Jim is known to the Salt Works grounds fans, has been given the title of Foxy Jim for his ability in handling the players and because of his expert knowledge of the diamond sandlot sport. With the famous Rooney brothers, Art and Dan, as chief aides,"
"In traveling over the city-owned sandlots which are under the direction of the Bureau of Recreation, the poor condition of the grounds are noticed this season more than ever, and the diamondmen of the sandlots are cautious in sliding into a base to prevent injury, which fact has a tendency to slow up the game.
Vincent Sexton, supervisor of building and grounds for the Recreation Bureau, has done everything in his power to help the sandlotters in regard to permits and in the fixing up of the fields, but the money to hire extra help for the summer work is not available. Later in the season after the regular summer program of the bureau is started the playing fields will be included."
"While the Homewood sector boasts a high-class team, it is handicapped by not having an enclosed field and the patrons who visit this lot have not been supporting the team to any great extent. The cost of the upkeep of this all-star aggregation is a big item on the expense sheet of this organization."
Three former Consumers are with Homewood.
So far the Homestead Grays are 23-1-1.
1925-5-31 Pics of top catchers.
Pittsburgh really needs to classify its teams; there are only a few top teams. It's hard for them to get competition so eventually they must fall back on playing the weak teams and the blowouts are atrocious. Lists some clubs who are newly doing well.
Among the independent clubs there are very many veterans, and it's hard for young players to break in. This can be seen especially among the catchers.
Britton set new record by striking out 14 batters in Crafton-Ingram League.
Periscope: Jimmy Beeson, former popular manager, is back after six weeks of an eye infection, and several teams are trying to sign him.
Honus Wagner needs some good pitchers for his Carnegie Elks team for it to start winning. Otherwise it's a good club: "The fact that Wagner has rounded up most of the players who made Union Tool famous back in 1923 speaks for the class of his club."
The Johnstown club is a road team because Johnstown has a MATL franchise. Bill Pritchard and Chub Ostander, Clairton Works infielders, have both hit about a dozen triples already. Both have played for top teams before.
"The Fineview club has a novel way of informing the fans when a ball game is carded on their field. The management uses the park flagpole for this purpose and when a home game is scheduled up goes a baseball flag beneath the regular National emblem that floats above the park. Visible over practically all over the Fineview district the fans are never fooled in going to the park, for with the two flags floating upon the breeze they are sure of a ball game."
After Christy Park lost to the Otto Jordans 24-2 they persuaded the Jordans to send in a fake box score so they wouldn't get canceled by teams; this is unethical and also sad, for Christy Park was once a good team.
1925-6-21 all about pitchers "the lot of the sandlot pitcher is a hard one"
1926-6-04 Post. Boxes, standings.
1926-6-27 Post. Profile + nvg pic of Archie Shaw. At age 36, when most independent pitchers are done for, he's still going strong in his two games a week. He broke into the sandlots in 1911 with the E.C. Ludwigs. While with West Bridgewater, he won 20 straight games in the Beaver County League in 1914 and beat American Bridge, Allegheny County League champs, in a post-season playoff. He was 39-2 in his two seasons with West Bridgewater. In 1915 he pitched with the J. Denny O'Neills of Wilkinsburg and was the only team to beat Ambridge all year. He was 26-5 that year.
He once pitched both ends of a doubleheader with the O'Neills, winning the first game and losing the second 1-0. Lists more teams he pitched for.
There may be a new war in independent circles. Several officials of the Associated Baseball Clubs of Western Pennsylvania, organization of which Honus Wagner is the head, are charging other officers with tampering with players on other clubs. "The organization, which this year has done little but collect dues, is likely to wake up [Hank] Daly, [Greenwood manager], hurled his bomb into their ranks."
"At present a few clubs are paying fabulous salaries, as playing worth goes, and some of the "wise" players, not satisfied with their original berths, use this kind of hammer to secure a raise in pay. No less than three clubs in this section are paying salaries that are equivalent to those paid in Class A minor leagues and these clubs being in a position to offer these salaries have first call upon the bigtime players. As matters now stand it is up to the association either to curtail this jumping about or else back down and fade out of the picture."
"the rules of the organization forbid another club from tampering with another's players."
Top stats for Allegheny-Kiski League.
Fred Alger speaks of Elvin Hilty's revival in his column. Bill Schulties, Homewood player, has two brothers in the game. All three, "raised on the good corn of Westmoreland county, have attained" 6'3".
"Now that the National Baseball Federation officials in this city have decided to pursue the same policy adopted last year for the elimination series by letting the less prominent of the Class AAA teams battle it out before given a chance at the bigger clubs, perhaps a few more entrants will line up for the classic in August. In years past teams like National Tube, Bellevue and others refused to come into the competition because of the fact that they were forced to play all the lesser lights in the series and the lopsided schedule as drawn usually meant a loss of dollars and cents to the big clubs that drew the known weak teams in the first rounds of the series. The question of whether Beaver Falls will be admitted this year because of their affiliations with the O. & P. League, rated by many as a professional league, is still undecided."
Up-and-coming pitcher named "Lefty" Cook with the Northside Civics of the Northside Twilight League.
"Where do these promising kid pitchers drift to? A few years back, not more than three, a raft of youngsters were just ripe enough for faster company but today only a few of them can be found listed among the box scores. Herron Hill boasted of a pair of keen kid pitchers in Pete Moran and Ed Edick, but today neither of them can be found listed with the better clubs. The Homestead district had Wheezy Davis, a lad who turned in four no-hit games back in 1922, but Davis is evidently through as a pitcher. Johnny McElnaney of Lincoln Place looked pretty good a few years back but where has he gone? Earl Fritz, the Lawrenceville kid sensation, looked like a comer when he set down the Homewood Tresers with one hit but Earl is not pitching for the good clubs now. Braddock had a likely lad in Johnny Sivak who burned up things around St. Vincents but Johnny is done as a pitcher.
A few years back Lefty Titz, tho Beltzhoover kid, looked like a world beater, but Lefty seldom breaks into a game as a pitcher now. Ray Poke looked like a better bet than his brother Carl a short two years back, but Ray never reached the big time of semi-pro ranks. Only last year Ernest Vavra, the Universal sensation, looked good enough for a trial with the best of them, but he is still pitching for Universal and piling up new strikeout records.
Johnny McNabb failed to make the grade this year and Nifty Gardner is still in the amateur ranks. Somehow only a few of the army of kid pitchers are able to crawl into the good ranks and only a few stick through to gain the little bit of fame that goes with the semi-pro division. How different from a decade ago when a lot of youngsters broke in. made good and are still in the business of drawing down the shekels."
A while back, Quinn Hoffman worked out with the Pirates. He didn't make the grade but he snagged a cap before leaving, which he wore for four years before turning it over to his brother Art.
Steve Swetonic is the Homestead Grays' jinx. They still have not been able to beat him, and he has beaten them seven times over the last four years and more times with the Wheeling Bauers.
1926-6-27 Post. Bad pic of George McFarland and Red Sisco, West Newton-Greensburg stars. The team went to the NBF national championships last year.
Boxes/standings. Zip Wenzel, former top hurler, with Springdale of Allegheny-Kiski League.
"For better or for worse, the Allegheny County League has started on the second half of a split season. The circuit that started like the best organized in many years in the Pittsburgh district has proven that very thing-to residents of McKeesport. National Tube outclassed the field so badly that the rest of the teams, realizing they were also-rans with but half the schedule over, have caused the calling off of all previous results, wiped the slate clean and are making a new start for top honors. The Tubers raised no serious objections; as far as they are concerned, the other clubs can start over anytime they want to and the final results will see pennant-raising festivities at McKeesport, Pa."
"A glance over the results of the first half of the race is interesting to any fan who follows the sandlotters regularly. An inspection of the box scores shows that every team made a feverish effort to strengthen up as the National Tube nine sailed smoothly along with the same bunch of boys clouting them out and picking up the grounders as when the opener had the boys figuring out chances in May."
"But if [the Allegheny County League schedule] runs into late September, then the farce of last year will repeat itself."
1926-8-02 Post. Boxes. Nifty Gardner threw no-hitter for Stowe Independents.
ridiculous that the umpires can suspend players, not just eject them
PICs of top hurlers
1927-6-05 Press. Pics of four Stowe Independents pitchers. (County League.) Pics of four Dormont sluggers, including Ollie Gardner.
Leagues should be almost done with first half, but it may take a week or two to play games postponed due to all that bad weather. Rumors that County League teams Pitcairn and McKeesport will drop out are false.
Game listings for forthcoming week.
"Besides encountering bad weather to make their labors hard,, sandlot leaders here are experiencing those lean days when open parks prove a splendid place for folks, none too generously inclined, to pass away a few pleasant hours. Are local fans giving teams and those financing them an "even break?" The consensus of opinion is "no." In some districts instead of helping boost the sport by paying at the gate some believe it more economical and practical to watch the games from peep holes through canvass covering or sit in seats of vantage overlooking playing fields. In nearly every sector where collectors are necessary the same sad remark, "The folks nickel us to death," is heard.
Generally one would be led to believe by the size of crowds that the collectors were making money until the shekels are counted, and then nothing but disappointment reigns. Teams try to stage the best sort of games, attractions which in enclosed parks would require attendants to pay not less than a dollar a head, but what do they realize for their efforts? It is a pity there aren't more enclosures."
1927-6-05 Press. Pics of four Northside Traders, including Bimmy Steele. O-P talk.
1927-6-12 Press. Beaver County League boxes, standings.
1927-6-12 Press. County League averages. Pic of Johnny Howard, McKeesport outfielder of West Newton fame. Pic of Joe Matous, Northside kid with Beltzhoover.
Plans/rules for Greater Pittsburgh Baseball Commission tournament, which will occur in late July or early August. " 'Pop' Geers' boys have turned semi-professional this year, so there is bound to be a new amateur champion..."
1927-6-12 Press. "Efforts are being made to bolster the Cambridge team in the Eastern Ohio League, where local players perform on Sundays..." Cambridge wants Carl Stewart, pitcher for Bellevue of the County League
1927-6-12 Press. Good pics of six County League players. "On the right is the best looking 'kid' in the league, Jeff Fitzgerald, Homewood outfielder, who has had more offers to 'go out' than a good many tried vets."
League talk.
1927-6-12 Press. VG pic of Lefty Blaisdell, McKeesport pitcher/slugger. Allegheny County League boxes, standings.
1927-6-12 Post. Millvale Sirlin team pic. Jimmy Smith, good catcher for Beaver Falls Elks. Pics of two former sandlotters with NYG: Jack Cummins, who started out in the Northside Twilight League, and Al Tyson, who used to pitch for Jack Onslow's Allegheny Steelers at Tarentum. "
"Dormont's plight is the real talk of the league. A sensational dash through the first few games made the borough club look like the money, but the old bugaboo of super inflation which has wrecked such great sandlot centers as Millvale, Etna, Pleasant Valley, Fineview and any number of others, seems due to get in its work in Dormont territory. Once the bidding for recognized stars becomes sprited, some club is bound to get the short end of the account. Dormont, with a lineup packed with stellar talent, found the load too heavy and as a result the wholesale signing of the early spring now finds a wholesale unloading in an effort to save a demoralized club before a big crash ends everything. From the present outlook, the fate of last year's Dormont club is to be paralleled, with a makeshift club rounding out the season with the inevitable result--a fifty-fifty record or worse for the year."
The Chartiers Valley League just opened its second season.
Game listings for week.
Profile + pic of Tom Beggs. "Sometimes sandlot baseball sticks with a fellow through thick and thin and this is the case of Tom Beggs, dean of local umpires, and for years a big time arbiter on the independent diamonds of the Greater Pittsburgh district. It is not because Tom just happens to be an umpire, but he is one of those rare fellows who grew up with the sandlot game, being a player when it meant something to be a real star of the city diamonds and later breaking into the racket of calling balls and strikes when it was as much as a man's life was worth to give a bad decision against the home club."
"When Vandergrift was in the thick of the fight for the Murdoch club it was Beggs they sought out as umpire and it took a good umpire to hold in check the big leaguers that were playing ball up the Allegheny-Kiski valley in those days."
He played with the Our Boys of Etna, a famous sandlot team in the first years of the century.
Scanning the Sandlots column.
"For the first month of the season the Dormont club books showed deficit of $673.36, and this made necessary the firing of the stars of the club. A total take of $1,588.36 with expenses totaling $2,232.10, is the answer as to why Frank Mills, Ollie Carnegie, George Frey, Paul Nixon and Harry Seigfried were given the gate. On top of this the expenses for printing, bats and other little things is not included."
Ed Harvey, Beaver Falls manager, is either lucky or has a knack for finding diamonds in the rough.
1927-6-12 PG. Allegheny County League boxes, standings.
1927-6-12 PG. "Warming Up With the Sandlotters." (Just okay.) Pop Geer's team = Stowe Independents.
1927-6-12 PG. Good column.
1928-5-13 Press. pics of some County League pitchers
1928-5-20 pics of County League players. Also pic of City League pitcher.
1928-6-10 pic of top City League pitchers
In recent double-header at Uniontown between the Homestead Grays and Havana Cubans, 14 home runs were hit in 16 innings, including five by John Beckwith.
County League players must first be released by team before signing with other team. This is coming up in the cases of Johnny Pearson and Elvin Hilty, who are sought by teams other than their current employers. Lefty Williams had 12 game winning streak broken by Beaver Falls Elks, the same team who broke his 21 game winning streak in 1926.
1928-6-17 pics of "Four County League Swatters" Also batting & pitching figures.
1928-7-22 pic/caricature of players of Homewood-Brushton, 1st half Allegheny County League champs.
Rosters listed for 2nd half of County League.
There was a lot of bad weather in 1st half of season. Ziggy Harrison is beginning to be compared to Heinie Boll at the hot corner - has "shovel hands."
1928-7-29 caricatures of players - incl Ollie Carnegie and Ralph Waner.
Article all about Ollie Carnegie, the top slugger of the sandlots.
54 teams originally entered Senior elimination series of Greater Pittsburgh
1928-8-12 caricatures of manager & players of the County League Jimmy Smith's. Roster w/ full names of team given. They are replacing Bellevue.
Profile of Eddie Kelly. Hit .370 in his eight years with Beaver Falls; hit .432 in O&P League last year. Has had plenty of pro offers; none have persuaded him.
Hilty still pitching well. "Hilty always could get the 'dough' and it is immaterial to him whether he twirls or not. He prefers to go fishing and hunting, a hobby which holds more interest for him than pitching, although many clubs have hounded him to be with them regularly." "If he can pitch so elegantly when he is only half-heartedly interested in the game, what should he able to do if he had his entire attention directed towards baseball?"
Four teams left in elimination series semi-finals.
1928-8-26 Profile & pic of Vern (Lefty) Hughes. Very popular. Now a hard-hitting outfielder, he was a pitcher of renown for years. Won 26 games in old County League in 1916. Struck out 22 in a 1917 game. Once lost by one run in 14-inning NBF game.
1928-8-26 Homestead Grays will play Homewood-Brushton in five-game series for championship of Western Pennsylvania.
1928-9-02 Four stars of Northside Civics of City League.
Homestead Grays have won 110 games.
Profile of Dick Cooley; picture of him as both player and umpire. Has been very successful.
1928-9-23 In the industrial division of the NBF Pittsburgh will be represented by a team made up of players from the Philadelphia Co. League. It's a solid team. Has former Baltimore Oriole.
1929-5-14 pictures of "Classy Sandlotters With New Clubs This Season." Incl Art Rooney & Cy Rheam.
1930-4-08 Art Rooney, manager of North Side Civics, has signed Joe Dawson, former Pirate, to pitch occasionally. Rooney became acquainted with Dawson through their shared interest in aviation; Dawson quit pro ball to found his own flying instruction school.
James Striley, former star third baseman for Beltzhoover, is dead.
1930-4-12 Homestead Aces playing in both West Penn and Greater Pittsburgh semi-season preview
1930-5-04 Northside Civics will play three times a week in City League, but would also like some independent games.
The City League opens 5-05. "An auto parade will precede the game." Has eight teams and a three-game-a-week schedule. North Side Civics have former MLB battery of Joe Dawson and Johnny Cummings.
The week's schedule of semi-pro games is listed - very expansive.
1930-9-14 1st official Press All-Star team of City League named. Caricatures/pictures.
Lefty Williams has won 27 games without a loss. Has been with Grays for a decade.
Lefty Williams has won 27 games without a loss. Has been with Grays for a decade.
Picture of batting champ of Philadelphia Company League.
1931-8-16 City League pics - top xtra base hitters
1933-7-27 Father Taylor and his two sons Lee & Bob. Lee is a pitching sensation; Bob is his catcher. They are sixteen and fourteen and play for South Hills American Legion Post 156.
1934-4-22 Pics of Crafton-Ingram Church League folks. Pre-season league commentary. If the City League can't find another team it will play with seven.
1937-4-26 Pic of Justin Fest, who will pitch for Dormont - Mt. Lebanon in the City League. MLB Gordon Hinkle will manage the Strip Steel team of the Weirton Industrial League. Each team is permitted 15 players & a playing manager.
1924-12-28 "Baseball experienced the most disastrous season in many years"
heavy rain in the early part of the season followed by an industrial depression eliminated many teams
Hamarville Consumers took crown -TEAM PIC- lost in national finals to Grennan Cakes.
some pics of some of the stars - baseball champions for season listed
"The many leagues which usually flourish around this section had harder struggles than usual and many of the loop clubs found that playing evening ball was a losing proposition."
1925-12-27 West Newton Independents - champions - PIC . List of no-hitters and other notable feats.
List of champions & top records. West Newton Independents won national NBF title.
1926-12-26 season retrospective incl. no-hitter list
1927-12-25 list of champions in Press-Spalding leagues & all-star team
1927-12-25 small summary
1928-5-01 Pittsburgh: most stars hereabouts play w/ Eastern Ohio League to pick up a little extra change over the weekends
1928-12-30 pic of Homestead Aces, Press Spalding elimination series champs. Press Spalding
champs listed.
1929-12-27 Semi-pro football throve - sandlot baseball sank.
1923-5-20 six members of Pittsburgh Umpire's Association
1923-5-27 National Tube pitchers
1923-5-27 Rankin Traction League
1923-6-24 Braddock Elks
1923-7-08 pair of Coke County stars
1923-7-15 Meadville Machine
1923-7-15 Stoney Jones of Smithon
1923-7-15 Homewood Traction Leaguers
1923-7-15 Colliers
1923-7-22 Uniontown Elks
1923-7-22 Union Tool
1923-8-19 Edgar Thomson Steel Tri-Boro
1923-8-19 Railroad Elimination Entry
1923-8-19 St. Michaels Tri-Boro
1923-8-19 J.J. MacPhee, Northside - 0-27 record & Mather club
1923-8-26 Jeannette team
1923-9-02 East Liverpool, Triple Link
1923-9-13 Harmarville Consumers. Scores up to date listed - 43-17-1 record. Lists records of their top pitchers.
1923-9-16 Alcos of Baltimore - defeated by Hamarville Consumers in NBF
1923-9-16 Beaver Falls Elks and Pittsburgh Athletics
1924-5-25 Bellevue & Etna Elks
1924-6-15 Sackville Stogies
1924-6-22 West Newton
1924-6-29 Homewood Tressers - manager, Charley Gibson, is TINY - has list of scores.
1924-7-06 Scottdale. Includes list of scores.
1924-7-13 Pitcairn Independents
1924-7-13 Carnegie of Braddock
1924-7-20 Braddock Elks & Joe Swetonic
1924-8-17 Ambridge
1924-9-07 West Newton - list of scores. Had 27-13-1 record in now-concluded season.
1924-9-07 picture of two players for Harmarville Consumers. One is 6'2" - the other is below five feet.
1925-7-08 Crafton-Ingram League two team pics
1928-8-12 Allison, 1st half champions of Pleasant Valley League.
1928-8-26 Homewood-Brushton, County League champs. Bimmy Steele is 18-2.
Andy Dugo
1967-8-29 KOKA team - 1912 to 1925 - Chris Chapman former A backed team with cash
many of the players served in France in WWI so team paused - list of players
disbanded after 1925 bc players were "money-hungry"
1967-9-21 #11 - Frank V. Spalick
1967-10-18 Adam Hahn Athletics - 1916 - had Norman French, pitcher w/ glasses
where the players are now
1967-11-21 #12 - Carl Stewart - threw spitter (described) - made more money pitching semi-pro than majors - died of a heart attack a few years ago - mostly identified with Homewood Tressers
also Kolman remembers days at Homewood Playground as w/o racial prejudice
more on Dolly Finn 1929 pic - 16 years old 110 lb
` she usually pitched against all-girl teams
1968-5-09 #15 in Who He series - threw spitter - always in demand
1968-6-13 1907 Loughridge AC & their players
1968-7-30 on William "Billy" Nixon
1968-8-28 Who He #16 - 3rd installment - was Dick Goldberg
1968-11-29 more on Art Rooney
1920-8-06 J.D. Swigart signed by Allegheny Steel, who had defeated them. Onslow manager of Allegheny Steel
less relevant stuff:
Harry Smith is a left-handed catcher in Industrial League. "This brings to mind a rare sight of seeing a crippled lad with legs paralyzed from the hips down turning in a pitching game at East McKeesport several years ago. This lad could not stand on his feet without the aid of crutches, but in pitching sat squarely upon the mound and pitched fine ball. When it came his turn to bat he sat alongside the plate and proved to be a fair hitter, but by all visiting teams was allowed a runner. Walter Berle was his name, and he played for East McKeesport several seasons and was their best twirler." (could not confirm)
Allegheny County League
1926 Green Cab final pitching 2nd half standings
1928 Homewood-Brushton
Knetzer, Elmer 1926 Green Cab
Beaver County League
1928 final pitching
Chartiers Valley League
1926
1926-6-06 consisting of 6 clubs from coal communities - has established itself as one of top circuits
City League
1929 top XBH
1930 Homewood-Brushton
1933 Books 2K ATT
1934
1935
1936
1939
1940
Knetzer, Elmer 1933 Dormont
1936-4-15 Raymond (Heinie) Boll, 3b, denies retirement. Has signed for 5th straight season as player-manager of four-time champion Gus Buch team of Mt. Washington. Edward Buch and Buck Besterling are business managers. Expected roster for season listed.
1936-9-10 Lloyd "Circus" Barnum throws a screwball. Some pics incl. Bimmy Steele
Crafton-Ingram Church League
Crafton-Ingram Church League
1923 final standings
Greater Pittsburgh League
1928 Homestead Aces
1929 Homestead Aces
1930 Edgewood
1947 6-30 standings
1949 McDonald
1950 8-02 standings
1951 6-06 standings
Gillette, Doug Douglas "Razor" pro from 1932 to 1935 - pitcher
1947-7-14 Oakmont will represent Western Pennsylvania in All-American Amateur Baseball Assn. Tournament
1949-8-07 coach not happy that captain of Notre Dame football, Leon Hart, 254 pounds, is playing for Turtle Creek
Fugal, John 1947
Gillette, Douglas 1947
MG
1947
Oakmont: John Fugal
Oakmont: John Fugal
1949
Dormont: Billy Fuchs
McDonald: Frank (Sherriff) Heinrich & Regis Smith see pics
1950
North Pittsburgh: Bobby Kroner Bus Garlick
McDonald: Frank (Sherriff) Heinrich & Regis Smith see pics
1950
North Pittsburgh: Bobby Kroner Bus Garlick
1951
Hazlewood: Frankie Zak
Homestead Community League
1924
Carnegie, Ollie 1924 Hays three Carnegies in team line-up
Inter-County League
1929 (only season) Homewood-Brushton 8-17 standings
Metropolitan League
1926
Minnick maybe also p - as best as I could tell the Minnick pitching Pittsburgh semi-pro ball stopped when the MATL Minnick started and vice versa - so I think it's him. 1926 Preston 2 3 1926 St. Richards 2 3
1926-8-22 Al Smith of the New Waterford club posts ad asking Minnick, formerly of Preston, to contact him
North Side Twilight League
1919 Northside Traders
1920 Northside Traders
1921 Northside Traders
1922 Northside Traders
1924 Millvale 8-22 standings
1925 Pleasant Valley 8-22 standings
1950
Gillette, Doug Douglas "Razor" pro from 1932 to 1935 - pitcher
1923-4-29 schedule
Beaver County
https://www.timesonline.com/story/sports/recreation/2017/02/20/in-segregated-baseball-early-last/18583682007/
discusses the Beaver Falls Elks playing the Homestead Grays. Has team pics.
picture of Junction Park. History of baseball in Beaver County.
Elwood City records - very good - standings & stats https://ellwoodcitybaseball.com/county-league-1
https://ellwoodcitybaseball.com/1892-present history & memories
Beaver County Sports HOF
Homer Benden milb. In Beaver County League hit .397 and had 143-57 record as manager.
Joe Brehany 1920s/30s player/MG. 1st salaried scout from county.
Lefty Cepull Though he signed with DET never left county for reasons of family and work. Once threw no-hitter before 8K fans in Ohio tournament - once struck out 20.
Ty Corbett Named Tyrus Raymond Cobb Corbett. Pie Traynor called him the best amateur prospect he'd ever seen when he tried out with the Pirates in 1942. p-of. milb. long career. very good.
Wilbur Estermeyer 1950s. milb+ army.
Chris Lindsay 1900s, semi-pro - MLB.
Alex Pearson career lasted from 1894 to 1942.
Arthur "Tubby" Petrosky 1937 to 1952. semi-pro/milb
Ed Harvey manager of the national champion Beaver Falls Elks
Howard Shanks MLB/semi-pro.
https://www.newspapers.com/search/results/?date-end=1923&date- start=1920&keyword=%22mickey+mcbride%22®ion=us-pa With Rochester - 1922 Rochester Reds managed by Alex Pearson, include other pros
https://www.newspapers.com/search/results/?date-end=1923&date- start=1920&keyword=%22mickey+mcbride%22®ion=us-pa With Rochester - 1922 Rochester Reds managed by Alex Pearson, include other pros
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