Nunda ballplayers identified

Three people called The County News to identify the Nunda town team baseball players whose photo was published Jan. 19.

They were Gloria Yueckstock Regone; former pharmacy owner and local historian Thomas Byrnes, who was a classmate of several of the players in high school, and one of the players himself, Lynn Thompson.Combining the provided information, players are:Top row from left – outfielder Bob Thompson, onetime supervisor of Mount Morris, still farming along Route 408; unknown little boy peeking out; pitcher Jordon ‘Flood’ Weir; infielder George Yaw; infielder Bob Bryant; 1st baseman Jerry Stamp; the late owner of Nunda Lumber, Larry Russell, an outstanding southpaw pitcher. Jerry and Larry graduated in 1953 with Tom Byrnes.

Bottom row from left – unknown boy; outfielder Lynn Thompson; catcher Rusty Pagano; unknown boy; infielder Don Thompson; outfielder Rudy Underwood; and manager Dwight ‘Pa’ Van Dorn (although Gloria identifies him as Percy ‘Tink’ McVean, who also coached the high school team).

The girl may be one of Van Dorn’s daughters.Lynn Thompson believes the date of the photo is 1955, one year after he got out of the service and began playing again. Lynn had also played in 1950 and 1951 when he was still in school and continued playing for Nunda through 1956. Then the Nunda team folded and he joined Mount Morris. Besides Lynn, three of the players are still alive: Bob Thompson, Don Thompson and Bob Bryant.

Lynn recalled that Larry Russell had been scouted and offered the opportunity to play professional ball, but “he just couldn’t stand being away from home.”