Baseball
(and other cool stuff)
By Andrew Linker
The Daily Pitch
Pic of the Day
Double-jointed Max Patkin – the pride of Philadelphia’s West Philadelphia High School – performs in Cleveland as the “Clown Prince of Baseball” during the summer of 1946. Earlier that season, Patkin makes his formal debut as a baseball clown on Harrisburg’s City Island. Patkin’s clowning career lasts for more than 50 years. Now if you think doing this is easy, try it out at home ... without losing your balance and falling face first on the floor. Then again, maybe don’t try this.
.
A Look At Harrisburg’s Rich Baseball History
( just click the arrows on the left and right to see the caption for each photo)
City Island in the early 1900s.
Albert "Chief" Bender pitches in Harrisburg in 1902 before joining the Philadelphia Athletics.
1907 Harrisburg Senators.
The 1908 Harrisburg Giants with outfielder Spottswood Poles (seated, second from right).
Island Park in the early 1900s.
1915 Harrisburg outfielder Jim Thorpe.
Remembering the Giants.
Harrisburg Giant star Oscar Charleston.
1924 Harrisburg Giants.
1928 player-manager Glenn Killinger.
New York Yankees exhibition game 1928.
City Island during the 1936 flood.
City Island reopens for the Senators in 1940.
Managers Connie Mack and Les Bell before 1940 exhibition game.
"Clown Prince of Baseball" Max Patkin gets his start in 1946 on City Island.
Willie Mays homers on City Island in 1950 for Trenton.
Eleanor Engle signs in 1952 to play for the Senators.
Shortstop Al Isreal in 1952.
City Island toward the end of the Senators' run in 1952.
Hall of Famer Satchel Paige is a City Island regular during the 1930s, '40s and '50s.
Brooks Lawrence, Harrisburg's first Black pitcher who becomes a National League All-Star.
RiverSide Stadium under construction in early 1987.
David Ellis purchases the first tickets in 1987 return.
City Island on Opening Day 1987.
Opening Day program 1987.
Jim Neidlinger delivers the first pitch in 1987.
RiverSide Stadium bleacher view 1987.
1987 Eastern League champions.
1988 Pittsburgh Pirates exhibition game.
Afternoon game on City Island in the late 1980s.
Late 1980s look inside RiverSide Stadium.
Senators batting practice in late 1980s.
Future All-Star Moises Alou in 1989.
Randy Tomlin and third baseman John Wehner in 1990.
Future major leaguer Matt Stairs in 1991.
Preseason flood 1993.
Future major league All-Star Cliff Floyd in 1993.
Eastern League MVP Cliff Floyd in 1993.
Game 5 lineup card 1993 EL finals.
Celebrating 1993 Eastern League title.
1993 Eastern League championship trophy.
Filming "Major League 2" in 1993.
Mark Grudzielanek in 1994.
Vladimir Guerrero in 1996.
Vladimir Guerrero in 1996.
Celebrating 1997 Eastern League title.
Geoff Blum in 1998.
Michael Barrett in 1998.
Celebrating 1998 Eastern League title.
Milton Bradley's title-winning slam in 1999.
Celebrating 1999 Eastern League title.
Milton Bradley at 2000 FanFest.
Filling the manager's office in Reading, 2000.
Cliff Lee in 2002.
Cliff Lee in 2002.
Boxscore from Sueng Song's 2003 no-hitter.
Ryan Zimmerman in 2005.
Wilmer Difo in 2015.
Austin Voth in 2015.
City Island today.