Valley Girl Views: Some Early History Of Baseball In Sunbury Pa

"The "Sunbury 'Cyclones' were perhaps one of the and most colorful team of their time. Functioning in the 1920 the 'Kid' Stahl-handled team met, and defeated some of the finest amateur nines in the Commonwealth."

Early Sunbury Baseball Fields:

P.R.R. Athletic Field [Read More about the Industrial League In Sunbury here]
Meredith Field - 3rd & Packer Streets
Memorial Park [professional baseball] - located at Jefferson St extending North to present day Weis Markets and the YMCA.
Greenough Field [Amateur] - Purchased in 1947 by the Oppenheimer Playgroundas a recreational annex to the main grounds
Sunbowl [Slow Pitch & Fast Pitch]

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Amateur Baseball In Sunbury

Copied mostly from the an article written for the Centennial Celebration

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"No anniversary story about Sunbury environs would be complete history in general, and baseball backgrounds in particular. For baseball activity, at all levels of competition, is closely interwoven in to the recreational background of the Northumberland county community.

As you might naturally suspect, railroad teams or 'Dusty as they were labeled were the first organized baseball clubs in the Sunbury area. Games were played on a now 'grown over' diamond located near the current Weis Warehouse area.

Harry Weaver, retired railroader now residing on North Second street, still vividly recalls games of the 'Dusty. He pitched and played the outfield and points out that 'we all dearly loved the game and competed whenever the opportunity presented itself.

The late Dolly Burgess pitched for the team, and played anywhere else on the diamond when not working on the hill.

Y Team Excelled

The late W.P.(Rev) Shelley, long-time general secretary of the Sunbury area railroad YMCA, sponsored teams for many years. Spang Heller, Pete DeWire, Charles Willard, Mack McDonald, Dobbin Weaver and others played for the 'Y' nine,

The 'High Hat' league flourished in the Sunbury area in the period prior to World. War No. 1, The late Calvin 'Cal' Moorhead, an all-around athlete while matriculating in Pennsylvania State University, came to the Sunbury area and served as the coach of the Sunbury entry for a number of seasons.

Teams in the league besides Sunbury included Danville, Shamokin, Mount Carmel and Mahanoy City. The Lancaster area, was among the 'imports' who played for, the Sunbury nine.

The Cyclones

"Sunbury 'Cyclones' were perhaps one of the and most colorful team of their time. Functioning in the 1920s the 'Kid' Stahl-handled team met, and defeated some of the finest amateur nines in the Commonwealth.

June, 1922

Contests were played on the Greenough Field, and many oldsters will never forget a 19 inning marathon between the Cyclones and Williamsport Area PRR nine. [June 24th 1922] It featured a mound duel between 19-year old Ralph N. 'Skaly' Wagner, later try his hand at pro baseball and pro boxing, and the late Porky Fenstermacher. John Apple, long time president-principal owner of Butter Krust, Sunbury Industry, scored the tie-breaking run for the Cyclones as darkness was enveloping the playing field. Cyclones roster included Charles Stewart, Les Fecker, Fenstermacherr, "Doc" Whit, Ernie Loebe, Art Fetter, Dobbin Weaver, Frank Coombe, John Apple, Chet Rogowicz, then a student at Susquehanna U, Stu Bannon, an "import' from Lewistown, Hennie Gasull, now a retired educator-coach living in the Harrisburg area, and others.

The late George 'Kid' Stahl, with just about every type of sports activity in Sunbury, managed the Cyclones in their Infancy. Team played the best amateur clubs in the Central Pennsylvania area, plus touring Cuban all-star teams, the Harrisburg Colored Giants, House of David, and other touring clubs. Greenough Field served as the home base of operations for the Cyclones.

William Franklin "Birdie" Cree (October 23, 1882 – November 8, 1942) was a Major League Baseball outfielder. He spent his entire 8-year career (1908-1915) with the New York Highlanders, which became the New York Yankees.

Cree Hits Big Time

Prior to World War No 1, William 'Birdie' Cree. who played, some baseball in Sunbury, graduated to the old Tri-State league and ultimately earned a niche with the New York Highlanders, forerunners of the Yankees. After his playing days were over Cree, who married a Sunbury girl, returned to this city and was an employe of the First National Bank for number of years.

Another one-time Sunbury-Northumberland baseballer, the late Jack Neuer [John "Tacks" Neuer], made it to the big time as a left-handed pitcher for the Highlanders.

In the early 1930's, with the country in the throes of a depression, Sunbury hose companies got together and sponsored a Ward league for the benefit of boys in the 15- 22 years of age category. Sunbury fraternal order of Elks provided the financial support for 1st and Second ward clubs. Americus, Good Intent Hook and Ladder, Rescue Hose Goodwill, East End, and Friendship were the backers for the various teams. Youngsters played fine baseball, the games attracted good crowds, and the league produced quite a few top notch performers who went on to play inter-college baseball and later West Branch baseball,

Joe Case, Glen Etzweiler, Bill Bright are just a few of the names identified with Ward league baseball.

Sunbury Converting Works Baseball Team

To go back to the. immediate post-World War No. I days, it's recalled that a keen rivalry existed between the Sunbury Silk Mill, now the Sunbury Textile Mill, and the Sunbury Dye or converting works, now the locale for Celotex, Inc. In '20 the silk mill diamond men and thinclads 'upset' favored Dye Works teams, and a bundle of green stuff changed hands as a result of the 'surprising' results.

Professional baseball came onto the Sunbury scene shortly before the outbreak of World War No. 2, and then flourished for a number of years after the surrender of the Nazis and Japs.

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