Among the many sports that come with spring is the nation’s favorite pastime, baseball, and for the knowledge of the few students who are not ardent baseball fans, M.H.S. too has a baseball team. With such stars of last season as Welker, Sadler, Renard, Rupp, Whitacre, Norris, and Beistline again donning "Willdcat" uniforms, the outlook for the coming season is bright, but, to have a successful season the Steel and Maroon nine must face a fourteen-game schedule without a letup. The first two games are with Newville, who has always been a tough customer for the openers.

Returning lettermen are: "Huck" Welker, Bob Rupp, and "Elmer" Whitacre, on whom will fall the bulk of this year’s pitching duties; "Monk" Sadler, who played the hot corner last year, is trying for the initial sack this time; "Les" Renard, a former outfielder who will probably be converted into an infielder; Bob Norris, catcher; and "Cabbage" Beistline, outfielder.

The rest of the candidates are pitchers Rutherford and Wingert’ catchers Peebles, Martin, and Biddle, infielders Sadler, Strock, Rider, Jacoby, Gher, and Kolhaus, and outfielders Quigley, Romberger, Highberger, Werner, Rupp, Cullings, and Kimmel.

(All articles in this section are from the 1939 Torch)

Although forced into an extra inning in its opening game, this year’s Wildcat baseball team started its season with a win over an aggregation at Newville by the score of 4 to 3.

After each team had score two runs in the first three innings, the game developed into a pitcher’s duel between Rupp and Bear who both turned in fine mound performances. To these two runs neither team could add until the extra inning when the Steel and Maroon forced two runs across the plate while the home team scored just once.

To its first win the local boys added another by again defeating Newville by the lopsided score of 15 to 0. For this game Welker was chosen to pitch by Coach Fortney, and as the score indicates, the Newville boys found his deliveries impossible to connect with a bat. This time he gave up just one hit. Norris, Sadler, and Quigley were the hitting stars.

New Cumberland

The New Cumberland Tigers were the next victims of the local squad when they fell prey to the fighting Wildcats by the score of 4 to 3. In this game the pitching duties were shared by Rupp and Welker. The game also featured a long triple by Welker, proving that a pitcher is not always a weak hitter.

Next, Mechanicsburg traveled to Enola, where victory where victory number five was annexed by the score of 7-3. Things looked bad for M.H.S. as they trailed for five innings at 3-1. Then the Wildcats came to life and scored six runs in the last two innings.

Camp Hill

Camp Hill High School threw Mechanicsburg its first defeat of the season on a spirited last inning rally by a 4-2 score in a ten-inning game. The Wildcats showed the old batting punch connection with seven blows, headed by Renard and Rupp. M.H.S. lost its big chance in the third inning when the bases were loaded with on one out. The second batter hit into a double play and the next one fanned , making the three necessary outs. Carter’s hurling was superb as he whiffed 14 M. H. S. batters. Huck Welker also pitched well as he sent down 8 by the strike-out route.

Marysville

Returning to winning form, the Wildcats trounced the up-river nine at Marysville 9-1. Bob Rupp hurled a no-hit game, which is the outstanding feat so far this season. Marysville scored her lone run in the fifth inning. Rupp walked the batter, who stole second, went to third on an infield out and then came home when M.H.S. had him almost tripped between home and third. "Huck" Welker was the leading hitter of the game by banging out three hits in four trips to the plate.

By virtue of this victory M.H.S. is only a half game from first place.

Lemoyne

The Mechanicsburg Wildcats took their second league defeat at the hands of the hard-hitting Lemoyne team last Tuesday by the score of 13-4. The Steel and Maroon started off strong by scoring two runs in the first inning but the visitors tied it up at 2 all in the second, and added four more in the third to take the lead which they never relinquished. Rhoads’ super-pitching for Trojans in addition to a single and a triple by him featured the winners while the home teams’ Renard, Welker, and Sadler showed up well at the plate.

In their ninth game of the season the Wildcats lost to the strong Middletown nine, 8 to 1. Errors played a big part in the loss, there being seven committed by the home team. Outstanding for the losers were Bob Rupp and Ray Martin who each had two hits, Rupp having a triple and a single.

The boys came back to life against Boiling Springs, and, playing a sparkling brand of baseball throughout, won 19 to 4. Rupp allowed the homesters only six hits, while Mechanicsburg collected twenty off the slants of Warren and Troup. Wingert led the batting attack with three hits, while Martin, Rupp, Gher, Sadler, Strock, and Walker, had two hits.

Allowed only four hits by Metzger, M.H.S. lost to New Cumberland High’s forces, 9 to 3. Hitting honors for the day went to Huck Welker, who had two of the loser’s four hits. Chapman of New Cumberland had a three base hit.

Lemoyne High completely outplayed the Wildcats in the second meeting of the two schools, winning 21 to 1. The team, without the services of Welker and Sadler, made their poorest showing of the season against the league leading Trojans, being limited to three hits by Rhoads, Brack, and Sheetz.

The Steel and Maroon jumped back to winning form against Enola, outscoring their opponents 7 to 5, in a closely played game. Wingert with two hits, led the homesters attack, while Martin, Moore, and Knaby, had two each for the visitors. Rupp hurled well in this game, scattering seven hits.

For the second time in the season Mechanicsburg High was stopped by Carter, Camp Hill’s ace southpaw. Getting only eight hits, the boys lost 6 to 3 in a fairly even contest. Les Renard and Clyde Walker each had two hits for the losing club.

Playing errorless ball, the Steel and Maroon defeated Marysville 12 to 1, in a game definitely one-sided. Welker, with a triple, and Rupp, with a double, led the hitting attack. Rupp also excelled in the pitching department, allowing Marysville only two hits. (Incidentally, he pitched a no-hit game in the other meeting of these schools.)