Pony Express Team. . . Will they make it?. . . Strike three! You're out. . Fly ball. It's a three bagger. . . Coach Davis has high hopes. . . Veterans and new recruits. First baseman, Short-stop, and Catcher needed. . . Three veteran hurlers back: A. Seifert, D. Badorf, V. Emel . . . Other veterans are: B. Gouse, G. Wagner, J. Potteiger, P. Shellehamer, D. Corman, H. Jacobs, and J. Sholly.

The 1948 schedule includes John Harris, Hanover, Carlisle, New Cumberland, Enola, Camp Hill, Lemoyne, and Boiling Springs.

(1948 Artisan)

Once again spring has rolled around to the doors of dear old M. H. S. and the ole restless feeling and the naturally predominant trait of unwillingness to work comes with it. In addition the average person with a good ear can hear the tinkle of glass as members of sandlot teams sock the apples over the backyard fence.

One of the signs of spring could be noted in the adjacent vacant lot to the high school shops as Mr. Davis and crowds of fellows oiled their bats and gloves and "tossed a few".

Mr. Davis recently announced, in conjunction with the spring training, the boys who have reported for baseball this season. Prospects in the pitching lineup include Donald Whitcomb, Harold Ryder, Benjamin Gouse, Dan Rupp, Albert Seifert, Richard Troustle, Victor Emel, Ray Bender, John Laudermilch, Harry Frey, Donald Cornman. Probable catchers are: Kenneth Davis, John Sholly, Ronald Parks, Fred House, Pete Enck, Marlin Cornman.

First base will be amply covered by Lloyd Gross, Leigh Kirkland, Red Corl, Jack Potteiger, Harry Frey, and Bob Warren.

Harvey Jacobs, Paul Shellhamer, John Laudermilch, Ray Snyder, and Don Elginfritz are good second base candidates.

Don Cornman, Fred Kimmel and Eugene Furlow are trying for third base. Short stops include Bob Sauve, Wilbur Beck, John Garman and John Laudermilch.

The outfield or "fellows in the daisies" club will incorporate Donald Peak, Charles Miller, Lee Eckert, Marlin Keller, John Witmer, George Wagner, Harvey Shellehamer, John Sholly, Carl Weber, Dale Warehime, Wayne Filler, Ronald Klair, Ray Snyder, Jim Lucas, Frank Miceli, Vernon White, William Donovan, Albert Wolfe.

(March 19 1948 Torch)

Mechanicsburg High won its first game this year in West Shore Scholastic Basketball League competition by downing the Carlisle High aggregation 9-3 , Friday, April 16 on a muddy Carlisle diamond. Carlisle took the lead in the first inning by scoring one run. In the third and fourth frames each club tallied once, giving the "Herd" a 3-2 lead at the end of four full innings of play.

Cashing in on the hits and the wildness of Carlisle pitching, the Wildcats crossed the plate with six big runs in the fifth and scored another in the next frame to put the game on ice, 9-3.

Don Corman was big gun in the M’burg offense, getting two hits in four times at bat, driving in two runs, and scoring one himself.

Gouse and Seifert did the hurling for the winning Cats, Seifert gaining credit for the victory.

(1948 Torch)

Mechanicsburg added another feather to its baseball cap yesterday with the win over New Cumberland on the winner’s field by the score of 5-0. Seifert was the winning pitcher of the contest, allowing two hits, one a double by Fisher in the fourth, walked three and struck out nine.

It was the second inning in which the Maroon and Steel saw Epply strike out, but reach first on the catcher’s error. Next this base kleptomaniac stole second and went on to third base on the catcher’s overthrow. Fry was able to reach first on the first baseman’s error and was later advanced by Cornman’s sacrifice and scored by Eline’s double.

In the third Wagner walked, Laudermilch singled, and Gouse reached first on a s.s. error. With three men on base Eppley doubled, but tried to stretch it out to third base and was tagged out. Three on base were able to score, however, thus ending the scoring in third.

Throughout the contest New Cumberland never threatened the MHS fly-swatters although they had a man on second in the first and Fisher reached third in the fourth.

Errors were by Hockersmith, Fickes, Hoffman, Wise (2), and Howe. Losing pitcher was Zeigler.

The last home game for the Mechanicsburg High School nine will be this Friday with Enola. This is also the last day for sale of baseball tags by the team members. It is hoped that the community will back the sale of these tags the only means of real financial assistance for paying expenses.

(May 12, 1948 Daily Local News)

New Cumberland’s Tigers nipped the Wildcat nine by a score of 2 to 1, at New Cumberland April 23. The Tigers pushed across their first run in the last half of the first inning and their winning run in the last of the seventh on two singles and a sacrifice. Mechanicsburg’s lone run was scored in the first inning by John Laudermilch.

(May 14, 1948 The Torch)

Behind the six-hit pitching of Freshman Vic Emel, who went the route, the M.H.S. baseball team defeated the Enola nine in a 9-4 slug fest, Tuesday, April 27, as the Wildcats moved up to only one notch behind the pace-setting Lemoyne Trojans.

Earl Epply and Ben Gouse, both among the leading batters in the West Shore League, stood out for the winners with two hits each. Epply gunned the longest hit of the game, a triple to center field.

(1948 The Torch)

In a 12 inning thriller, with Vic Emel going the route for the winners, the MHS Wildcats downed the Camp Hill Lions 8-5 on Monday, May 10.

Mechanicsburg led 5-1 when the Lions came back in the fifth with four markers to tie the game at five-all where it remained till the 12th when the Cats squeezed three runs across to take their fourth win.

(1948 The Torch)

The Steel and Maroon suffered a loss to Carlisle Tuesday, May 4, at Memorial field. Mechanicsburg became the under dogs with a score of four hits and five runs against Carlisle’s six hits and nine runs. Seifert pitched the first six innings for MHS, and Emel finished the game, while Horn started off for Carlisle and Beam completed the stint.

The second inning proved Carlisle's biggest inning when they got four hits. Six Carlisle men walked during the game, providing the costly margin of men on the base paths to decide the game.

(1948 The Torch)

On April 16, Mechanicsburg played Carlisle at Carlisle field and defeated them by a score of 6 hits and 9 runs to 5 hits and 7 runs. Lemoyne came to Mechanicsburg to defeat the high school team on April 19. The score was: Lemoyne 5 hits and 7 runs. MHS: 9 hits and 4 runs. Camp Hill was defeated at Memorial Park on April 20 by a score of 11 hits and, 6 runs to 7 hits, 5 runs.

The Mechanicsburg team traveled to New Cumberland on April 23 to be defeated by a 2 to 1 score. MHS had 6 hits, New Cumberland had 5. After the New Cumberland defeat the team traveled to Enola to beat them by a score of 8 hits, 9 runs to 4 hits, 4 runs on April 27. A return match was held in Lemoyne on April 30 at the Lemoyne field with Lemoyne again defeating Mechanicsburg ; 5 hits 4 runs to 7 hits 3 runs. The next engagement was a return bout with Carlisle on May 4 at Memorial Field. Carlisle defeated MHS this time by a score of 6 hits 9 runs to 4 hits 5 runs. This defeat placed Mechanicsburg and Carlisle on an even keel.

(1948 The Torch)

After trailing most of the game, Lemoyne’s "Trojans" advanced in the sixth inning for a quick 7 to 4 victory over the Wildcat Nine at Memorial Park April 19.

Neither team scored in the first inning, but in the second after no score by Lemoyne, Mechanicsburg came to bat with Marlin Corman knocking a homer. "Hod" Fry also scored making the score favor the Wildcats 2 to 0.

Again in the third, after no score by Lemoyne, Mechanicsburg chalked up two more runs, this time by John Laudermilch and Ben Gouse.

In the fourth inning Lemoyne scored two runs making the score 4 to 2, still in Mechanicsburg’s favor.

Neither team scored in the fifth inning but in the sixth, Lemoyne pushed ahead with five runs, and no score in the seventh, Lemoyne chalked up another victory.

Mickey Mantle’s great nephew (Jason Shuck - Mets) and the sons of major league managers Felipe Alou (Felipe Alou, Jr. - Angels), Bruce Bochy (Greg Bochy - Padres), Buddy Bell (Rick Bell - Dodgers), Bob Boone (Matt Boone - Detroit), and Bobby Valentine (Anthony Valentine - Mets) were selected.

Boston drafted Jason Fingers, son of Rollie Fingers. Centerfielder Russ Chambliss, son of Chris Chambliss, was taken by the Yankees. Chad Durham, a second baseman and outfielder who is the brother of White Sox infielder Ray Durham, was selected by the White Sox. Jeff Nettles, son of Graig Nettles, was selected by Toronto. The Phillies drafted shortstop Lance Niekro, son of Phil Niekro, the Diamnondbacks drafted Ken Singleton’s son Justin, a shortstop, and Seattle selected first baseman Mattson Woodward the son of Mariners general manager Woody Woodward.

Of the 1,607 players selected in the 92 rounds, 750 were from high schools, 516 from colleges, 327 from junior colleges, and 14 weren’t in school.

California had 330 picks, Florida 215, Texas 139, Georgia 51, and Illinois and Washington 43 each.

There were 561 right-handed pitchers, 364 infielders, 289 outfielders, 230 left-handed pitchers, and 163 catchers.