OnlyBucs

Really sad news. When we think of great pitchers, it's easy to focus on the hard throwers like Bob Feller, Nolan Ryan, Walter Johnson. But pitchers like Whitey Ford were just as much fun to watch for me because they were so brilliant, making hitters get themselves out.



RIP, Whitey. You deserved every accolade you ever received.

I started a thread in off topic forum on Whitey as his first year in professional ball was in Butler, PA.



Curious what folks on this board know about that league (was listed as Class C).

All I know of it from my days there is that they played in Pullman Park. Kept hearing over and over that Babe Ruth played there, too. Guy probably played everywhere there was to play- in more ways than one.

122730303B0230303B3C30550 wrote: All I know of it from my days there is that they played in Pullman Park.  Kept hearing over and over that Babe Ruth played there, too.  Guy probably played everywhere there was to play- in more ways than one.
Pullman Park still exists, but it has been updated. The Park is still being used today. I cannot confirm that Ruth played there but my late Dad told me Ford pitched in Butler in the late 1940s.

I recall it coming up somewhere in my life that, yes, he did. I don't remember things from that long ago, but I think that a number of Yankees played at least one game there. Not sure if there was an affiliation of sorts. But, yes, Whitey Ford did play in Butler for sure.

Middle Atlantic League Wiki



The Uniontown Coal Barons were a Pirate affiliate from 1947-1949. 



The Scottdale Scotties later named the Scottdale Cardinals were located in my hometown. 

That age-old question- is it Scottdale...or Scottsdale?



I think there's an exit sign that says Scott(s) Dale (two words). Am I right?

Ford shows up on a lot of these World Series pitching records. 146 WS innings is amazing! Of course he played on a team that kept getting him there. Fans of the 1960 Yankees wish he could have added another 9 IP.



https://www.baseball-almanac.com/rb_ws4.shtml

4A46471C151C14191E011B2C0 wrote: All I know of it from my days there is that they played in Pullman Park.  Kept hearing over and over that Babe Ruth played there, too.  Guy probably played everywhere there was to play- in more ways than one.
Pullman Park still exists, but it has been updated. The Park is still being used today. I cannot confirm that Ruth played there but my late Dad told  me Ford pitched in Butler in the late 1940s.


The refurbished Pullman Park is a little beauty.  There was a franchise in a summer league for college players that held their games there for a few summers a couple of years back and my wife and I made it a point to take in a game at Pullman each summer. 



There are placards inside the gate that inform the fans of the past history of the park, including what famous players played there.  Sadly, either the league or the team folded.  It was always a really neat night out there.