Johnny O’Neil, Falk of ’41, Returns to Jamestown Club

Affable, little Johnny O’Neil, whose busy baseball feet carried him from Municipal Stadium up to the majors, today is back where the trail began.O’Neil this morning signed to play with the Jamestown Falcons throughout the remainder of the season and general manager Hillman Lyons termed it “the move that will likely win us the PONY League pennant.”

Lyons was quick to point out “this does not mean Johnny will be a Class D baa player the rest of his life – we have plans for him in the Detroit organization.”

Was At Salinas

O’Neil, who recently stepped down as manager of the Salinas, Calif., club of the California league, looked out across the stadium’s green expanse and sighed, “It’s good to be back – Class D baseball, sure, but the finest D ball in the country.”

O’Neil played shortstop for Jamestown’s 1941 pennant winning club.

“I’d like to be on another Jamestown flag winner and this looks like the one to me,” he laughed after inking a contract for the remainder of the 1954 season.

Lyons said O’Neil will break into the lineup Wednesday night.

“Utility” Infielder

“We are not sure where we will play him – probably all around the infield. Let’s just call him a utility infielder,” said Lyons.

O’Neil signed with Tallahassee, Fla., in 1939 and went to Greenville, Tenn., a short time later. The club had a working agreement with Buffalo and that was the chain that brought Johnny to Jamestown, then owned by Harry Bisgeier. In 1940 he went to spring training with the Bisons, was shipped to Winston-Salem, N. C., then to Bristol, Tenn., and the next year wound up in Falcons livery to play for Greg Mulleavy.

The Falks won the pennant in ’41 and O’Neil moved on to Buffalo, Elmira of the eastern League and Pittsfield of the Can-Am in ’42 as his busy cleats started eating up the miles along baseball’s highway.

Makes Big League

Johnny reached the jumping off place to the majors when he went to Portland, Ore., of the Pacific Coast League, now open classification, not the Triple A. He remained with the Beavers through the next three campaigns and finally made the big show with the Phils in ’46.

He played shortstop in 46 games for Manager Ben Chapman hitting .266.The next year he headed for the Pacific Coast League again as Seattle chattel, spending ’47 and ’48 with the Rainiers. Hollywood knew his sparkling brand of infield play from 1949 to 1951. He was with Hollywood and New Orleans in ‘52, Hollywood and Oakland in ’53 and this season took on his first managerial position at Salinas.

Dual Help for Falks

John Francis O’Neil was born in Shelbiana, Ky., on April 19, 1921. Soft-spoken, friendly, he’s a fan’s ball player in every respect.

“People like him and he will help us in two ways,” Lyons said. “We’re taking dead aim at Corning and can use him and he’ll help us at the gate.”

O’Neil met and married the former Janette Swanson when playing ball here. They have a daughter Bonnie Lou, 9. Right now the family is living with Mrs. O’Neil’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Swanson. Mr. Swanson operates Ed’s Market at 704 East Second.