Auburn Baseball Wall of Fame

Mel Stottlemyre 1962 Auburn Yankees
7 games, 4 W - 3 L, 3.72 ERA, 47 SO, 50 IP

Signed as an amateur free-agent with the Yankees in 1961. Played 11 seasons with the Yankees, winning 20 games three separate years. Ranks 6th on Yankees all-time wins list with 164. Made the American League All-Star team five times. Led the American League in complete games twice. Went on to a become pitching coach for the New York Mets and Yankees.

1964 Auburn Mets
3 games, 1 W - 2 L, 1.89 ERA, 14 SO, 19 IP

Signed as an amateur free-agent by the Mets in 1964. Played 19 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Mets and Phillies. Won a World Championship with the 1969 New York Mets and 1980 Philadelphia Phillies. After being diagnosed with a brain tumor, he began the Tug McGraw Foundation which is thriving today. For information on how to help click here

1966 Auburn Mets
24 games, 12 W - 7 L, 1.38 ERA, 174 SO, 170 IP

Signed as an amateur free-agent by the Mets in 1964. Played 19 seasons in the Major Leagues with the Mets, Twins, White Sox and Phillies. Won a World Championship with the 1969 New York Mets. He was a two time All Star and 20 game winner and teamed with Tom Seaver to make up a deadly lefty-righty starting duo for many years.

1962 Auburn Mets
20 games, .351, 1 HR, 18 RBI

Signed by the Mets in 1962, Kranepool accomplished the rare feat of playing in the Major Leagues in his first season. Kranepool played for Knoxville, Auburn and Syracuse before joining the Mets. He would go on to play 18 seasons in New York and remains a fan favorite to this day. He played in the 1969 and 1973 World Series. He is also the first Wall of Fame inductee in the player category to attend his induction which he did in August of 2009.

Leo Pinckney, who played a large part in not just the Auburn team but the league they play in, serving as President of both. As sports editor of the Citizen, Leo ensured that the team always received great coverage in the paper, a tradition that continues to today. Leo was the face of the Doubledays for years and had the field at Falcon Park named in his honor in 2004. Leo passed away in the off-season in 2006. The next year, the Doubledays captured their sixth straight Pinckney Division title (named after Leo) and there first outright New York Penn League Championship since 1973.

Vince Klein was an original member of the board of directors in 1958 and served as vice president, president and treasurer during his time with Auburn baseball. Vince was one of those leading the early fundraising drives for the team and his personal support of the team is one of the reasons it still exists today. Vince, like all of our other nominees, was a great support, not just of Auburn baseball, but of the Auburn community, serving on numerous boards for charitable organizations. He served as treasurer over 30 years

Dr. Thomas Stapleton was critical to bringing baseball to Auburn and keeping it and the New York Penn League thriving. Dr. Stapleton along with Leo spearheaded the door to door fundraising drive to allow that first team to open. He also served as vice president of the New York Penn League for 20 years and as acting president in the 1970's. He was also famous for his baseball room that hosted countless baseball dignitaries over the years. His charisma, connection and hard work made Auburn baseball a reality and turned it into a success story.

If you look on the wall of the office of Falcon Park at all of the old team photos, there is one constant and that is Bill Graney. For 22 years, Bill served as General Manager of the Auburn ballclubs. He saw Yankees, Mets, Phillies and Twins start their careers in Auburn and oversaw the day to day operation of the team for that entire time.

Charlie Wride has served Auburn baseball in almost every possible way imaginable outside of putting on the uniform. He has been a board member, team historian, PA Announcer, and general goodwill ambassador. Charlie also serves as the New York Penn League's historian.

Senator Nozzolio has been an advocate for Auburn baseball for his entire career as a New York State Senator. The senator was critical to securing funding from New York State for the new Falcon Park project. Senator Nozzolio also hosts an annual night at the ballpark where he supplies free tickets to the community.

Chuck served as the Doubledays President and remained among the teams most loyal supporters throughout his life. An active member of the community, Chuck saw the team through its final days at old Falcon Park.

Barney Hearn truly did it all for the Auburn franchise. He is the only person in the team's history to be a player, manager and general manager! Barney helped spearhead the drive to bring affiliated baseball to Auburn in 1958. Before that, he played and managed the Auburn Cayugas.

Art Fritz is the Doubledays Baseball Chaplain and the President of the Double D Booster Club. Art has also given his expertise in construction to the team, building a number of items including bat racks, helmet racks and shelves for the clubhouse.

Charlie Lynch has served as the Doubledays legal counsel and as a member of the board of directors. His in depth knowledge of league issues helped the club tremendously as it struggled to keep its franchise in the 90s.

Joe is the greatest volunteer the Doubledays have ever known. Since his retirement, Joe has donated the hours of full time job to assisting the team. He has given players rides, stuffed programs, worked the scoreboard, dropped off tickets and much more.