Today's New York-Penn League Birthday: Gene Crumling (Wellsville Rockets, 1952)

Credit: SABR

Former PONY (New York-Penn since 1957) League player-manager (Wellsville Rockets, 1952)  Gene Crumling was born on the this date in 1922 in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania.

Crumling began his professional baseball career in 1941 with the Hagerstown Owls, an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. He played in the minors from 1941-45, before playing in six games for the St. Louis Cardinals during the 1945 season (14 plate appearances, .083/.083/.167).

The Daily Item, Sunbury, PA via newspaper.com

He returned to the minors in 1946 until 1952. He began the 1952 season in the PONY League as player/manager of the Wellesville Rockets until he was released on June 23. He finished his last season in professional baseball with the York White Roses in the Interstate league.

Crumling died on February 11, 2012 in Yorkana, Pennsylvania.

Sources: Baseball Reference; SABR

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