York Town Square

John G. Coulson’s “Hanover Raiders, Minor League Baseball in Hanover, Pennsylvania” tells about the life and times and players in the Blue Ridge League. His work nicely adds to the repository of the names of major league players who hailed from or played in York and Adams counties. Background posts: Before the York Revs came the Hanover Raiders and Big league baseball fans from everywhere remember Gene Crumling and York County sports a miniature Cooperstown.

At the moment of the Atlantic League York Revolution’s home opener for season No. 3, it’s a good time to review former major leaguers with York roots as well as those who were here for a cup of coffee.
Atlanta Braves superscout Paul Snyder is from York County. So is Greg Gross. And Jim Spencer. And Gene Crumling. And Ken Raffensberger.
Robert Rohrbaugh might be the region’s next major leaguer.
York Town Square just profiled Eddie Plank, the great southpaw 300-game winner.
Just when you think you exhausted the pool of York/Adams countians with Major League Baseball ties (click here for another long and impressive list) who were born here or lived here, you run across another batch… .

These are folks who made it big and who were on the rosters of teams that played here.
We’re aware of York White Rose players who made it big.
Gene Clines played effectively for the Pirates. Dick Such pitched for the Washington Senators without effectiveness.
But now John G. Coulson in his Hanover Raiders has introduced us to an additional squad of major leaguers who touched York/Adams diamonds.
A promotion for the book names some:

“A year-by-year history of the Hanover Raiders and Minor League Baseball in the Blue Ridge League from 1915 to 1930 with a separate chapter on Willie Sherdel and stories of noted BRL players including Lefty Grove, Hack Wilson, Jimmy Dykes and others.”

Fellow blogger Pat Abdalla writes in The Southpaw that Clyde Sukeforth, signer of Jackie Robinson, played in the Blue Ridge League.
Others, according to The Southpaw: Connie Mack’s son, Earl, managed the Raiders once season. Umpire Bill McGowan, who worked games here, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame for his officiating years later.
In his fact-filled book, Coulson presents a list of Raiders players.
And oh yes, let’s not forget the most famous major leaguer who played here. Brooks Robinson. Indeed, he’s here every day in the form of his statue at Sovereign Bank Stadium.
For names of major leaguers from Pennsylvania, including some York countians, click here.