Batting King Is To Leave Pony League

Sale of Johnny (Roly Poly) Newman, the PONY League’s Sovereign of Smack, to the Buffalo Bisons of the International League, for an undisclosed re-numeration, was announced today by President Harry Bisgeier of the Jamestown Baseball Club.The Belting Blimp, who led the PONY League in hitting, total bases, home runs, runs scored and bases on balls received, will report to the Buffalo club when the Bisons go South for Spring training in 1942.

The deal is conditional, Mr. Bisgeier explained, on whether Newman shows enough talent to be retained by the Bisons. He has been listed as a catcher, a role in which he played before reaching Class AA ball in the American Association.

If Buffalo decides to keep Newman, who playing regularly might create a new International League home run record because of the short fences in Offerman Stadium, the Jamestown club will ask for players rather than cash, Mr. Bisgeier explained.

“We have lost many of the members of our championship cast of 1941 and intend to rebuild to seek a second straight pennant. The Falcons have made provision to spend money on talent and if we can get the right kind of players in exchange for Newman, that will be dandy,” the club’s leader said.

Ol’ Roly Poly heard the big news several days ago, as did this writer, who forthwith made inquiry of Mr. Bisgeier. The latter admitted the deal , but requested an interval before an announcement was made, since some papers in the transaction remained to be executed.

Would Be Used As Catcher

If Newman is returned to the local club, he will be used as a catcher next season, according to a plan devised by President Bisgeier and Manager Mulleavy. It became known yesterday, in the Sportorial’s column, that during the past season Mr. Bisgeier bought the contract of Buffalo Bill Harnick, hard-hitting outfielder of the Falcon team of 1939. Harnick batted .299 for Elmira of the Eastern League and was hitting well above .300 at Hagerstown in the Eastern Shore League when he was incapacitated by a shoulder injury. He returned to his home in Buffalo to recuperate and during his convalescence was purchased by Jamestown. Present plans for the 1942 outfield include Harnick, Johnny (Cy) Williams, and Billy Hardin, all long-ball hitters and capable gardeners. This program, in the event Newman should be returned to Jamestown, would place Johnny squarely behind the bat where he literally cuts a big figure.

“We are very sorry to lose a ballplayer like Newman. His kind doesn’t come along more than once in a decade or two or three, but the Jamestown club’s policy calls for giving every ballplayer an opportunity to improve himself. We won’t stand in his way, no matter what the cost, because whatever the amount, it isn’t worth ruining a boy’s chance to go up the profession. After all, the main mission of Class D baseball is to give young fellows a start. In Newman’s case, Class D ball gave him a chance at a comeback after a broken leg forced him out of Class AA ball in the American Association. Johnny is only 27 and he should have several years of good baseball left in his system,” Bisgeier remarked.

Thought He Had Been Skipped

“Johnny was crestfallen when the club announced that six other players were being promoted to Class A and Class AA leagues. At the time, we had the Newman deal with Buffalo on the fire, but couldn’t let him know about it. It so happened that a certain local sports writer got a tip-off from a friend in Buffalo and was going to run the story, but laid off until today as a courtesy to the club. When I informed Newman of the transaction, he was as tickled as a youngster getting his first chance to break into organized baseball. He threw his big arms around me,” said President Bisgeier, “and I thought he’d crush the life out of me.”

Bisgeier said the Buffalo club had already mentioned several promising young ballplayers who might be sent to Jamestown in the Newman deal, if the big belter is retained by the Bisons.

Newman, learning of the sale, expressed sincere regret that he was leaving Jamestown, saying he never enjoyed playing anywhere more than Jamestown. He wanted to make his home here permanently, had he been able to obtain favorable employment. A few days ago, however, he departed for his home in Chicago where he has found a good position in the defense industry.

Gets Long Training Term

The Bisons are in training six weeks before the PONY League clubs go South and in that period Newman expects to get down to the lowest playing weight of his career. Buffalo’s coaching staff the past season was decidedly erratic. With better physical conditions, the benefit of expert instruction and the moving in faster company, Roly Poly is expected by Buffalo club officials to develop into a capable Backstop.

Johnny Stiglmeier, general manager of the Bisons, told this writer: “Say, if that fellow can hold his own behind the plate, don’t worry about the rest of it. He hits well enough for major league ball. I’m surprised he hasn’t decapitated some pitchers and infielders in the PONY League, and those in the International had better start ducking right now.”