Today's New York-Penn League Birthday: Will Pennyfeather

Credit: Bill Pucko Cards

Happy Birthday to former New York-Penn League prospect Will Pennyfeather.

Pennyfeather was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as a non-drafted free agent in 1988. He played in 75 games for the 1989 Welland Pirates (.190/.223/.263).

He progressed through the minors and played in a total of 46 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates over three seasons (1992-94).

He later played several seasons in the independent Atlantic League.

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: Milt Jordan, Jamestown Falcons

Credits: Glendale Meats via The Trading Card Database

Former PONY (New York-Penn) League prospect Milt Jordan was born on this date in 1927. He was signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1948 as an amateur free agent.

He pitched in 32 games for the 1948 Jamestown Falcons and had a 14-6 record with a 3.10 ERA. Jordan played in the minor leagues for eight seasons and appeared in eight games for the Detroit Tigers in 1953.

He died on May 13, 1993 in Ithaca, New York at the age of 66.

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.

New York-Penn League is taking a brief hiatus: No Posts, No Tweets, No Baseball - Please check back soon.

Credit: Screenshot from dictionary.com

I'm taking a brief hiatus. My wife is making me go to Greece on vacation. Sometimes, you have to make sacrifices.

I'll let you know when I'm back to my normal routine. But until then, there will be no posts, no tweets, and no baseball for me.

See you at the ballpark (soon).

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 #2: Sam Mejias (Newark Co-Pilots, 1971-72)

Credits: Topps Co. via The Trading Card Database

Happy Birthday to former New York-Penn League prospect Sam Mejias, who was born on this date in 1952, in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

He was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers as an amateur free agent in 1970 and played for the Newark (NY) Co-Pilots during two seasons (1971-72)

He played in the major leagues during six seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (1976), Montreal Expos (1977-78), Chicago Cubs (1979), and Cincinnati Reds (1979-81).

After he retired as a player, Mejias managed in minor leagues for 10 seasons in the Cincinnati Reds organization (1983-92).

He also coached in the major leagues with the Seattle Mariners (1993-99) and Baltimore Orioles (2007)

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 PONY (New York-Penn) League Birthday: Joe Shipley (Olean Giants, 1954))

Credits: Topps Co. via The Trading Card Database

Happy Birthday to former PONY (New York-Penn since 1957) League prospect Joe Shipley, who was born on this date in 1935, in Morristown, Tennessee.

He pitched in 16 games for the 1954 Olean Giants (41 IP, 1-7 win/loss record, 12.29 ERA, 3.122 WHIP). He appeared in 29 major league games over four seasons with the San Francisco Giants (1958-60) and Chicago White Sox (1963).

Shipley was the head baseball coach at East Tennessee State University from 1966 to 1977 and was elected to the school's Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.

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 #2: Orestes Destrade, 1982 Oneonta Yankees

Credits: TCMA Ltd via The Trading Card Database

Happy Birthday to former New York-Penn League prospect Orestes Destrade, who was born on this date in 1962, in Santiago de Cuba.

He was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1981 and played in 64 games (4 HR, 30 RBI, .232/.360/.366) for the1982 Oneonta Yankees (future Football Hall of Fame Quarterback John Elway was also on the team).

Destrade played in the majors during four seasons with the New York Yankees (1987), Pittsburgh Pirates (1988), and Florida Marlins (1993-94). He also played in Japan (1989-92).

After he retired as a player, he worked for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, XM Radio and ESPN.

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: Art Lopez, Auburn Yankees, 1961

Topps Co via The Trading Card Database

Happy Birthday to former New York-Penn League prospect Art Lopez, who was born on this date in 1937 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

Lopez was signed by the New York Yankees as a free agent in 1961 and assigned to the Auburn Yankees. He played in 21 games for Auburn (3 HR, 17 RBI, .303/.411/.513). 

He played in the minor leagues for six seasons and appeared in 38 games for the New York Yankees in 1965 (.143/.161/.143). He went on to play several years in Japan. 

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.