Pitcher Follows a Road Less Traveled

Brad Hassinger/For The Daily ItemBrad Hassinger, second from right, poses with his family at the induction ceremony for the Elizabethtown College Ira R. Herr Athletic Hall of Fame. An Upper Dauphin grad, Hassinger pitched in the minor leagues for the Phillies and Braves. With Hassinger, from left, are his mother, Nada, his father Dick, wife Heather and brother, Kerry.
Photo courtesy of www.dailyitem.com

It was the summer of 1978 and I was playing little league baseball for the St. Stan's Condors in Shamokin as part of the Twin County Little League. Although we weren't sactioned by Little League Inc., we were a very good league.

As the season winded down, I along with four other teammates were chosen to play in on league all-star team for a tournament based in Millersburg against other towns in the Lykens Valley.

One of the players on that all-star team was a 10 year-old from Berrysburg, PA named Brad Hassinger. Brad and I had not talked in 31 years but he had the great honor of being inducted into the Elizabethtown College Hall of Fame.

Here is a great article from William Bowman of the Daily-Item.

Not only does the article talk about the induction, but also a stellar minor league career that if not for a trade involving a Cy Young winner, "Haas" as we called him could have made the majors.

As a 10 year-old, Brad had blazing fastball and could play a great third base when not pitching. His brother Kerry was also a great player and was two years older than me.

In that tournament, our league took second place losing two in a row to Williamstown. Williamstown was led by George Ancheff who's son Ben was a big cog in Williams Valley's District Championship season.