Joe Nagle

Joe Nagle

Joe Nagle grew up in Grass Flats, Pennsylvania, but moved to Jamestown and became a baseball legend. While playing third base for the Celoron Spiders, Nagle saw action against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Braves back in the days when major league teams toured the country after the season.

Nagle's brightest moment was when he hit a home run off Grover Cleveland Alexander who was touring with the House of David.

Nagle was only 5'4", 140 pounds, but that didn't stop him from doing the job as a catcher and third basemen. He had a quick bat and could hit the long ball despite his size. He claimed he never struck out more than seven times in a season.

Nagle had a tryout with Erie in the Mid-Atlantic League and manager Chief Bender was impressed with Nagle's ability. However, Bender thought Nagle's age and size could be a handicap because it was the time of scouting big men.

Nagle was also a successful manager. He was a player-manager in 1944 for the Jamestown All-Stars who won the state semi-pro tournament and made a trip to Wichita, Kansas, nationals where the team was eliminated in two straight games by close scores. ln 1947 he accompanied another team to the nationals and in 1948 Jamestown was again eligible, but didn't make the trip.

Joe Nagle

Most of Nagle's managing success came with the Jamestown Steel Partition Bombers who were constant winners in local leagues.

Joe Nagle was inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 1983. He died December 19, 1983.

This plaque is installed at Diethrick Park.