The PONY Baseball League that was in its 16th season in 1954 seemed to be secure and certain of its future. There had been shaken moments since the league started in 1939, but the minor league situation in general was such that nothing could be absolute down the pike. The Oiler's past few years had been rather rugged, but with William N. Davis now guiding the club, the situation had improved.
Olean was the scene of the start of the circuit. On November 28, 1938, twenty-one men sat down at a table in Olean to discuss the formation of a Class D baseball league that would bring organized baseball to thousand of fans in Southwestern New York, Northwestern Pennsylvania and Southern Ontario.
Those attending the meeting were Oliver French, then president of the Rochester Red Wings of the International League; Benjamin Reisman, manager Steve O'Neill and president John Gehm of the Buffalo Bisons; John McDonald and Edward Smith Jr., representatives of the Brooklyn Dodgers; John E. McAuliffe, Mayor of Olean, and Spencer Harris also of Olean.
Batavia was the scene of the next meeting and the big one was held at the Hotel Buffalo on March 8, 1939. French presided over the meeting that was attended by John Ryan, Robert E. Noonan and Vincent Callahan representing Batavia; John Quinn and Jack O'Conner representing Bradford; Spencer Harris and Charles Miller, Olean; Stuart Maguire, Jamestown; Arthur L. Swartz and Harry Bisgeier, Jamestown; and Donald E. Beach and Mr. French represented Hamilton. Each deposited a guarantee fund of $630 to qualify for membership. Robert Stedler, sports editor of the Buffalo Evening News, was named president.
The league was made up of Olean, Bradford, Niagara Falls, Batavia, Hamilton and Jamestown. The president for ten years was Stedler, who was then succeeded by Vincent M. McNamara of Buffalo. Harris of Olean was vice president and Harold Roettger of the Rochester club was secretary-treasurer.
Since then many shifts of franchise had been made. The first shift came in 1940 when Pittsburgh moved its franchise from Jamestown to London, Ontario. Bisgelier, however, moved from Niagara Falls to Jamestown during July of 1940. In 1942, the London franchise was transferred to Hornell and Lockport and Wellsville were admitted to form the first eight-team PONY League. Hamilton and Bradford were forced out during World War II (1943) and the league returned to a six-team affair, one of two Class D teams to operate during the war years.
Bradford returned in 1944 and Erie, Pa. idled by the wartime closing of the Mid-Atlantic League, entered the Pony League, which resumed with eight teams. The Erie withdrew to re-enter the Mid-Atlantic in 1946 and Hamilton returned to the PONY. Lockport fell at the end of the1950 season and was replaced by Corning. The league picture was unchanged, but on thin ice, in 1952 and 1953 operated with Batavia, Bradford, Corning, Hamilton, Hornell, Jamestown, Olean and Wellsville. in 1954, Batavia called it quits and Erie returned.
The early years were good years for Olean. Competition in the league was at high level and a large crowd of fans turned out, but this dropped off in the following years. Olean had its good fortune to have Jake Pitler as its likeable and crowd pleasing manager from 1939 thru 1943. It was Pitler's 1940 club that supplied plenty of thrills as it made the dash to the pennant after being in the cellar. In 1954 he was the coach with the Dodgers.Jake is the man that most people remember and is still talked about. He was the fiery pepper pot who guided Olean from 1939 to 1943. Jake was a real drawing card at the gate, one of the few managers, who could make that claim. He coached at third base and his antics made him a prime target to opposition fans, while the Olean fans rated him tops. His '39 and '40 clubs won pennants, and were loaded with some of the finest players ever to play in Olean. Stan Rojek, Jin Cooney, Hayden Shupe, Jess Cole, Larry Napp, who became an umpire in the American League; Fred Falzone, Oakie Moulder and Charlie LaMondola.
Another favorite here was big Herb Fash, who made sitting in right field stands a hazardous proposition. Fash might have been a major leaguer if he hadn't been killed in World War II. Catcher Walt Schmisseur is another who gave his life in World War II. A memorable game occurred in Olean on Tuesday, May 30, 1939. A near-riot capped a twin bill with Bradford. It was sometime before then police chief Jack Dempsey and his officers could restore order. Bradford manager Johnny Rosar and Pitler tangled after the latter protested a decision of the plate umpire. Pitler went down and the players poured onto the field. And so did the fans. More that 6000 saw the two games, one game was played at Bradford and the night game was played in Olean.
Charlie Harmon was a versatile performer, who could do most anything and do it well, A real top-drawer was Johnny Fusco, an Olean batboy, who held the distinction of being the only batboy tossed out of a game for showing his feelings toward an umpire.
Pitler's five-year reign at Olean was the longest for a manager. Olean's 1931 club and Jamestown's 1953 club probably held more records that any other team. Players by the hundreds have performed here; some have gone on to greater glory, while others have dropped by the wayside. The PONY record books look like a Who's Who in the Majors. Fans watched these performers as they started their climb to the majors: Warren Span, Charlie Harmon, Dick Kooks, Dick Littlefield, Frank Bulling, 'Okay' Molder, Mike Sandlock, Roy Face, Vince Shape, Fred Falconer, Scoter Koshered, Phil Paine, Joe Linnet, Dick Young, Carl Swastika, Cal Abrams, Bob Addis, Smokey Burgess, Jerry Coleman, Jim Delsing, Al Federhoff, Nellie Fox, Mike Ginsberg, Gordon Goldsberry, Jim Greengrass, Gene Hermanski. Then there was Dick Kryhoski, Bobby Morgan, Stan Rojek, Ebba St. Claire, Andy Semenick, George Shuba, Charlie Silvers, Ralph Branca, Mike Clark, Leo Kiely, Stu Miller, JohnRutherford and Jack Banta. Bradner Stadium has seen its share of baseball, some good, and some bad. Players by the hundreds have preformed here, some have gone on to greater glory, while others dropped to the wayside.
Olean Oilers Pony League Baseball
