Today's NYPL Birthday: Former Brookyn Cyclones Broadcaster Warner "Fuse" Fusselle

New York Daily News via newspapers.com

Former Brooklyn Cyclones broadcaster Warner Fusselle was born on this date in 1944 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Best known as the host of the televison show This Week in Baseball, Fusselle was the radio broadcaster for the Brooklyn Cyclones from 2001 until his death on June 10, 2012 at the age of 68.

He was elected to the New York-Penn League Hall of Fame in 2017. The NYPL awards the Warner Fusselle Award for Broadcast Excellence annually to the league's top broadcaster.

Sources: Baseball Reference; MiLB.com; BrooklynCyclone.com




NY-Penn League News and History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League or any of its teams

Today's New York-Penn League Birthday: Phi Regan (Jamestown Falcons, 1956)

Topps Co. via The Trading Card Database

Happy Birthday to former PONY (New York-Penn) League prospect Phil Regan (Jamestown Falcons, 1956), who was born on this date in 1937 in Otsego, Michigan.

Regan was signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 1956 out the Western Michigan University. He pitched in 34 games for Jamestown that summer (17-9, 229 IP, 3.66 ERA). He worked his way thru the Tigers organization and made his major league debut in 1960.

He pitched for Detroit until 1965 and was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 15, 1965 for another PONY alum, Dick Tracewski (Hornell Dodgers, 1954). He was traded to the Chicago Cubs on April 23, 1968. He spent five seasons with the Cubs and was sold the the Chicago White Sox on June 2, 1972. He appeared in 10 games for the White Sox and was released on July 20, 1972. Regan had a career record of 96-81 in 13 major league seasons.

Following retirement as a player, Regan was a college head coach (Grand Valley State, 1974-82) and was a major league pitching coach with the  Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago Cubs. He managed the Baltimore Orioles in 1995 (71-73) and later managed and coached in the minor leagues.

Source: Baseball Reference

NY-Penn League News and History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League or any of its teams

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

NY-Penn League News and History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League or any of its teams

Today's New York-Penn League Birthday - Gary Geiger, 1955 Hamilton Cardinals

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Former PONY (known as New York-Penn after 1957) prospect Gary Geiger was born on April 4, 1937 in Sand Ridge, Illinois.

Originally a pitcher, he went 20-7 with a 1.98 ERA for the 1955 Hamilton Cardinals. He was switched to the outfield in 1957 while playing with the AAA Omaha Cardinals and Rochester Red Wings.

Geiger spent 12 seasons in the majors with the Cleveland Indians (1958), Boston Red Sox (1959-65), Atlanta Braves (1966-67), and Houston Astros (1968-69).

He was involved in a noteworthy trade on December 2, 1958, when along with Vic Wertz, he was sent to the Boston Red Sox for Jimmy Piersall.

Following his playing days, Geiger managed in the minor leagues for three seasons.

Geiger died on April 24, 1996 at the age of 59.

Source: Baseball Reference

NY-Penn League News and History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League or any of its teams

Today's New York-Penn League Birthday: Danilo Leon (Jametown Expos, 1987-88)

Credits: Pro Card, Inc. via The Trading Card Database

Happy Birthday to former New York-Penn League prospect Danilo Leon (Jamestown Expos, 1987-88). He was born on April 3, 1967 in La Canada, Venezuela.

Leon was signed by the Montreal Expos as an amateur free agent on January 11, 1986. After spending the 1986 season with the Gulf Coast Expos, he pitched in three games for the 1987 Jamestown Expos (0-0, 16.20 ERA, 3 SO). He started the 1988 in Jamestown, appearing in 15 games (10-3, 1.16 ERA, 116 IP, 100 SO, 48 BB, 1.060 WHIP) and finished the season with the West Palm Beach Expos in the Florida State League.

He made it to the major leagues in 1992, appearing in 15 games with the Texas Rangers. See Leon's complete stats at Baseball Reference.

Source: Baseball Reference

NY-Penn League News and History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League or any of its teams

Today's New York-Penn League Birthday - Mike Gallo, 1999 Auburn Doubledays

Credits: Topps Co. via The Trading Card Database

Happy Birthday to former New York-Penn League prospect Mike Gallo (Auburn Doubledays, 1999). Gallo was born on April 2, 1977 in Long Beach, California.

Gallo was the starting pitcher in three games for the Doubledays in 1999 (1-0, 1.23 ERA, 14.2 IP, 11 SO, 7 BB). He pitched for the Houston Astros during four seasons (2003-06). See his complete stats at Baseball Reference.

Source: Baseball Reference.

NY-Penn League News and History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League or any of its teams

Today's Birthday: Ted Sadowski (1955 Erie Senators)

Topps Co. via The Trading Card Database

Former Erie Senators' pitcher Ted Sadowski was born on April 1, 1936. He played for Erie in 1955, appearing in 11 games and had a 6-0 record (68 IP, 2.91 ERA).

Sadowski pitched in the major leagues during three seasons with the Washington Senators (1960) and the relocated Minnesota Twins (1961-62). See his complete stats at Baseball Reference.

He is the brother of former major leaguers Bob and Ed Sadowski and the uncle of Jim Sadowski.

Ted Sadowski died on July 18, 1993.

Source: Baseball Reference

NY-Penn League News and History is not affiliated in any way with Minor League Baseball, the New York-Penn League or any of its teams