Seven to represent Muckdogs at All-Star game

BATAVIA – The 2019 season for the first-place Batavia Muckdogs has been a special one at Dwyer Stadium. Now, add the all-star game to the memories.

The New York-Penn League has announced seven players will represent Batavia in the all-star game on Wednesday, Aug. 21 in Staten Island.

Nick Ready (third base), J.D. Orr (left field) and Troy Johnston (right field) were named starters. Milton Smith II (center field) and pitchers Julio Frias, Brock Love and Josh Simpson were also named to the team.

The all-star game is at 7 p.m. hosted by the Staten Island Yankees with gates opening at 3 p.m. There will be a home run competition between the New York City Fire Department and NYPD.

During the pre-game, the 2019 NYPL Hall of Fame induction ceremony will take place with Batavia’s Gene Baker going in the hall with Bernie Williams, Jane Rogers and Josiah Viera.

Baker, who died in 1999, became the first African-American manager in organized baseball, when the Pittsburgh Pirates named him skipper of the Batavia club in 1961.

In 1963, he became the second black coach in the major leagues following Buck O’Neill by a half -season. He can also be credited with being the first black manager in Major League Baseball when he took over for ejected Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh on September 21, 1963. He was also the first African-American player to ever make the Chicago Cubs roster in 1953.