Semi-pro Baseball Database: January 2024

Pittsburgh

general

https://paeastborosshof.com/inductees-1981/ 1981 Fred Alger and also 1920s players elected

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

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

1923-9-09 "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..."

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.

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.

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"

1926-9-05 Ollie Carnegie dethroned as HR king etc Walter Snee / is 24-3

ridiculous that the umpires can suspend players, not just eject them

PICs of top hurlers

1926-9-18 National Tube wins AAA championship

1928-5-13 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 has 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.

Picture of batting champ of Philadelphia Company League.

1931-8-16 City League pics - top xtra base hitters

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.

1930 retrospective

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

Mather season record

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.

1928-8-12 Allison, 1st half champions of Pleasant Valley League.

1928-8-26 Homewood-Brushton, County League champs. Bimmy Steele is 18-2.

1923 stars incl. Ollie Carnegie really good

1928 City League stars

1929 three public utilities pitchers

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

1968-4-03 Dolly Finn pitched w/ all-men teams in 20s

1968-4-17 info on Finn

1968-5-07 contributed to Churchill Kolman (wiki) going into song-writing when she K'd him on 3

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

1969-4-2 on Helen Kasputis (basketball)

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

1968-8-13 Elvin Hilty profile

1968-8-28 Who He #16 - 3rd installment - was Dick Goldberg

1968-9-19 #17 question posed

1968-11-20 #18 - Art Rooney - w/ quote from Bimmy Steele

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

1929-8-31 W.O.W. beats Crawford Stars in semi-final class A elimination series

less relevant stuff:

1924-5-11

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

1927 Bellevue final stats 1st half stats

1928 Homewood-Brushton

Blaisdell, Neil "Canny" 1926 National Tube

Carnegie, Ollie milb legend 1926 National Tube 1928 Homewood

McKeeta, John 1926 National Tube if-of-p 1927 National Tube

Rohleder, Charles 1926 Green Cab

Swetonic, Andrew 1927 Bellevue

Knetzer, Elmer 1926 Green Cab

1926-7-18 ROSTERS

1926 championship 3 4

1926 season summation - two incidents only

1927-5-01 ROSTERS

1927 all-star team picked also

1928 c George Susce signed to MLB BR (MLB 29-44)

1928 season retrospective

1926 National Tube

1929 Homewood

1926 sandlot stars

1926 star hurlers

1926 National Tube

1927 three Bellevue hurlers

1927 four leading sluggers

Beaver County League

1928 final pitching

Chartiers Valley League

1926

Nixon, Billy

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

Boll, Raymond Heinie 5'5"

Carnegie, Ollie 1930 Dormont

Corbett, Ty 1939 Sewickley box 1940 McDonald

Schutzman, Leon 1933 Dormont

Knetzer, Elmer 1933 Dormont

Kozar, Al 1940 McDonald

1930 Ollie Carnegie headshot

1930 Ollie Carnegie/Bimmy Steele

1930 Lefty Hughes cartoon top batter

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

Greater Pittsburgh League

1928 Homestead Aces

1929 Homestead Aces

1930 Edgewood

1949 McDonald

1950 8-02 standings

1951 6-06 standings

Corbett, Ty 1941 Stowe 2 1950 Beaver Falls American Legion

Doerflinger, Eugene p 1950 McDonald

Duplinsky, Michael 2g in IL 1947 Oakmont

Elliott, Gilbert 1940 Wildwood 1941 Wildwood 190 lb.

Filek, Rudy 1951 Mt. Washington

Garbark, Art 1930 Edgewood

Gillette, Doug Douglas "Razor" pro from 1932 to 1935 - pitcher

1940 Wildwood 1941 Wildwood Coal inducted into army 1950 North Pittsburgh

Gray, Elmer 1951 Dormont

Kalkowski, Ray 1950 North Pittsburgh 1951 North Pittsburgh

Matvey, Michael-Mickey LHP 1950 McDonald

Naponic, John 1950 Dormont was a regular in D at 16

Playfair, Robert 1947 Oakmont

Watts, Sam p 1950 McDonald

Yarmul, Edward-Eddie vg catcher in low minors 1950 McDonald

Zak, Frankie 1950 North Pittsburgh 1951 Hazlewood

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

1949-8-16 longtime feud between Dormont and McDonald

1950-8-07 benefit game for Moose Solters

1930 Quider

1949 McDonald

Fugal, John 1947

Gillette, Douglas 1947

1949 managers of Dormont & McDonald

1947
Oakmont: John Fugal

1949

Dormont: Billy Fuchs
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

Carnegie, Ollie 1929 Homewood hit 6 homers in lg season

1929-4-18 Beaver Falls working out roster

North Side Twilight League

1919 Northside Traders

1920 Northside Traders

1921 Northside Traders

1922 Northside Traders

1923 Northside Traders 7-29 standings incredibly close race for 1st 8-17 standings

1924 Millvale 8-22 standings

1925 Pleasant Valley 8-22 standings

1950

Gillette, Doug Douglas "Razor" pro from 1932 to 1935 - pitcher

1950 Wildwood

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.

https://www.timesonline.com/story/lifestyle/columns/2019/03/12/diamond-days-baseball/5734524007/

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.

Semi-pro Baseball Database

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Pittsburgh outtakes

Monday, January 29, 2024

Pittsburgh Leagues

Sunday, January 28, 2024

Saskatchewan baseball reunion

Clyde Underwood

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

Bugs Hersche

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

People with interesting clippings

Western League

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