Pete Rose Highlights Inaugural New York-Penn League All-Time Team
The New York-Penn League, a Class-A Short Season league established in 1939, is celebrating its 72nd consecutive season with the naming of their All-Time Team. The players, selected by an online fan ballot, represent more than 70 years of baseball greats.
Sponsored by the Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA), voting got underway April 20 and concluded August 1, with fans and experts from all 14 current NYPL clubs, as well as baseball fans around the world.
Most noteworthy is the inclusion of Major League Baseball's all-time hits leader, Pete Rose, a member of the 1960 Geneva Redlegs, as the team's second baseman, one of the first All-Time Teams Rose has been named to after he was barred from entering the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
While Rose is not in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the team does feature several alumni now featured in Cooperstown including Robin Yount, a member of the 1973 Newark Co-Pilots, Jim Rice, from the 1971 Williamsport Red Sox, and Wade Boggs, a member of the 1976 Elmira Pioneers, at third base.
"It's truly an honor and something I will cherish," said Boggs of the selection. "It was my first year in professional baseball, straight out of high school, and I celebrated my 18th birthday in Elmira, NY. The entire year was a remarkable experience...a super honor."
Representing the current stars are perennial All-Stars teammates with the New York Yankees, who started their careers together in 1991 with the Oneonta Yankees: Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte. They are joined by a pair of shutdown closers: 2003 Lowell Spinners pitcher Jonathan Papelbon and Atlanta Braves closer and 1993 Auburn Astros pitcher Billy Wagner.
"It's a huge honor and a special honor to be named to the NYPL All-Time team, especially being named along with so many National Baseball Hall of Fame players," said Papelbon of the selection. "[The NYPL] will always be special to me as it was my very first stop in professional baseball. I loved playing in Lowell...as it gave me a real taste of what Red Sox Nation was like. This is definitely an honor I will cherish."
The New York-Penn League represents the first professional stop in the careers of many players. With teams in Vermont, Connecticut, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland and Pennsylvania, the NYPL is the oldest continually-operated Class-A league in Minor League Baseball. The All-Time Team will be unveiled prior to the sixth annual New York-Penn League All-Star Game, Aug. 17.
"CSEA is proud to support the New York-Penn League's All-Time team in the same year that we mark our centennial anniversary," said CSEA President Danny Donohue. "Whether they're all time greats or fan favorites, these are players whose accomplishments stand the test of time."
A complete listing of the team, along with their New York-Penn League and Major League teams, can be found in the attached document. For more information on the CSEA visit www.csealocal1000.org. For more information on the NYPL, visit www.newyork-pennleague.com.
All statistics from Baseball-reference.com, The Baseball Cube.com, and NYPL Media Guide.
Name, Position, NYPL Club, NYPL Year(s,) Major League Club(s)
Curt Schilling, Right-handed Starters, Elmira Pioneers, 1986, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox
Dwight Gooden, Little Falls Mets, 1982, NY Mets, NY Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Houston Astros
Randy Johnson, Left-handed Starters, Jamestown Expos, 1985, Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, NY Yankees, San Francisco Giants
Andy Pettitte, Oneonta Yankees, 1991, NY Yankees, Houston Astros
Billy Wagner, Relief Pitchers, Auburn Astros, 1993, Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Atlanta Braves
Jonathan Papelbon, Lowell Spinners, 2003, Boston Red Sox
Jorge Posada, Catcher, Oneonta Yankees, 1991, NY Yankees
Don Mattingly, First Base, Oneonta Yankees, 1979, NY Yankees
Pete Rose, Second Base, Geneva Redlegs, 1960, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos
Robin Yount, Shortstop, Newark Co-Pilots, 1973, Milwaukee Brewers
Wade Boggs, Third Base, Elmira Pioneers, 1976, Boston Red Sox, NY Yankees, Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Kenny Lofton, Outfield, Auburn Astros, 1988-1989 Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, NY Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, L.A. Dodgers, Texas Rangers
Jim Rice, Williamsport Red Sox, 1971, Boston Red Sox
Bernie Williams, Oneonta Yankees, 1987, NY Yankees
Buck Showalter, Manager, Oneonta Yankees, 1985-1986, NY Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, Texas Rangers, Baltimore Orioles