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The successes of Van Atta's rookie year did not carry over into subsequent seasons. His statistics and performance declined for the rest of his career. In 1934, he posted a 6.34 ERA and a 3–5 record. In
December 1934, Van Atta injured his pitching hand while breaking a glass window to rescue his
36:
572:
The Maple Leafs and the
International League became Triple-A level in 1946. The team eventually became part of the farm system of the Boston Red Sox and in 1973 was moved to Pawtucket, Rhode Island where it operates currently Pawtucket Red
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After completing his degree at Penn State, scouts from the Major
Leagues considered Van Atta to be a promising prospect and in 1928 the New York Yankees negotiated a contract and paid a signing bonus of $ 250. However,
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According to baseball-reference.com, there were 12 major league players to go 4-for-4 in their MLB debuts–7 in the
American League, 5 in the National League including Van Atta's feat in 1933. The other eleven include:
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In 1935, Van Atta went 9–16 with a 5.30 ERA, but still Van Atta managed to lead the league with 58 appearances (his 16 losses were the second highest total in the league, behind only
470:
Russell Van Atta married Helen
Elizabeth Depue (1909–1998). They had one son, Russell Van Atta Jr. (1940–2012), and three daughters, Betty Jane, Awilda and Geraldine (1934–2008).
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and a record of 12 wins and 4 losses (.750). Although a "late bloomer" at age 27, his rookie year was successful and he led the
American League among pitchers in
404:'s 18). He posted an even worse ERA the next season, at 6.60, but again he led the league in appearances with 52. Van Atta played his final game on May 11, 1939.
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385:. The injuries included cuts to his left hand that caused nerve damage. For the rest of his career, he would be limited to relief pitching and few spot-starts.
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711:"Babe Ruth Visits the Area" in the "From the Archives" section (reprinted from the New Jersey Herald, Sussex Register, Sussex Independent),
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At the age of 27, he would make his debut the following season with the
Yankees on April 25, 1933, in a game against the
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Later in life, he partnered a successful oil business, V&H Oil company, in Newton NJ, which was later bought out by
273:. During his years pitching on the team at university, Van Atta only lost a single game in his four collegiate seasons.
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291:, the Manager of the Yankees did not trust Van Atta's talent and sent him to the minors. In 1928, he played for the
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the
Senators with a score of 16–0 and for going 4-for-4 in batting performance. To date, he is the only
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in his major league debut, and one of only seven players in AL history to do so in a nine-inning game.
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Overall in his career, Van Atta went 33–41 with a 5.60 ERA. At the plate, he hit .228 with 2
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265:. Having attended grammar and secondary school locally in Augusta, Van Atta attended the
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551:(MIN) in 2010. The overall MLB record for most hits (5) in a debut game is held by
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over a seven-season career. After his career ended, he was elected to one-term as
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campaigned on his behalf. Van Atta later served two three-year terms as on the
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Baseball-Reference.com box score for 25 April 1933 Yankees-Senators game
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in 1941 and served one three-year term until 1944. His fellow Yankee,
427:(now defunct) then a Double-A minor-league team affiliated with the
295:, a minor-league team based in Connecticut and affiliated with the
334:. Van Atta's debut was historic—both in his pitching performance
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Sussex County
Sheriff's Office – About: Sheriff's Office History
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Baseball-Reference.com blog: Four hits in a major league debut
645:, Society for American Baseball Research (1975) (found online
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Baseball-Reference.com: 1933 American League pitching leaders
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April 25, 1933, for the New York
Yankees
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May 11, 1939, for the St. Louis Browns
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February 19, 2012 (Newton, New Jersey) found online
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Shortly after spring training, on May 15, 1935, the
641:Linthurst, Randolph. "A Most Spectacular Debut" in
209:(June 21, 1906 – October 10, 1986) was an American
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349:Van Atta's season performance consisted of a .283
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804:Baseball players from Sussex County, New Jersey
299:. He played for the next four seasons with the
757:Career statistics and player information from
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824:Penn State Nittany Lions baseball players
477:, at the age of 80. He was buried in the
453:Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders
411:, and on the field he showed off a .929
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439:Van Atta was elected County Sheriff in
377:during a house fire at his home in the
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473:Van Atta died on October 10, 1986, in
724:Obituary for Russell Van Atta Jr. in
619:Baseball-Reference.com: Russ Van Atta
423:On May 14, 1939, he was purchased by
7:
819:Pennsylvania State University alumni
392:acquired Van Atta from the Yankees.
695:Baseball-Reference.com: Lefty Glove
327:acquired Van Atta from the Saints.
249:He was born on June 21, 1906, near
809:County commissioners in New Jersey
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834:20th-century American politicians
649:). (Retrieved November 13, 2012).
732:. (retrieved November 13, 2012).
419:Toronto Maple Leafs (1939–1940)
829:People from Sparta, New Jersey
774:Major League Baseball pitchers
697:(retrieved November 13, 2012).
685:(retrieved November 13, 2012).
661:(retrieved November 13, 2012).
621:(retrieved November 13, 2012).
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673:(Retrieved November 13, 2002)
598:(retrieved November 13, 2012)
531:(BOS) in 1977; Hall-of-famer
396:St. Louis Browns (1935–1939)
267:Pennsylvania State University
789:Philadelphia Phillies scouts
713:The Sunday New Jersey Herald
319:New York Yankees (1933–1935)
383:Sparta Township, New Jersey
323:On September 12, 1932, the
311:team from Minnesota in the
271:State College, Pennsylvania
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643:Baseball Research Journal
479:Frankford Plains Cemetery
342:(AL) pitcher to get four
282:Minor leagues (1928–1932)
234:Sussex County, New Jersey
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779:New York Yankees players
245:Early life and education
16:American baseball player
361:, tying for first with
743:The Baseball Necrology
367:Philadelphia Athletics
726:The New Jersey Herald
715:(March 23, 2003), B2.
309:minor-league baseball
236:, from 1941 to 1944.
218:Major League Baseball
211:professional baseball
429:International League
313:American Association
814:New Jersey sheriffs
561:Louisville Colonels
547:(COL) in 1998, and
483:Augusta, New Jersey
475:Andover, New Jersey
425:Toronto Maple Leafs
413:fielding percentage
332:Washington Senators
117:Last MLB appearance
82:Andover, New Jersey
65:Augusta, New Jersey
759:Baseball Reference
261:, in northwestern
255:Frankford Township
143:Earned run average
431:from the Browns.
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325:New York Yankees
269:(Penn State) in
226:St. Louis Browns
222:New York Yankees
207:Russell Van Atta
188:St. Louis Browns
174:New York Yankees
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557:National League
543:(MON) in 1990;
539:(DET) in 1987;
535:(MIN) in 1984;
527:(MLN) in 1961;
523:(SFG) in 1959;
519:(PHA) in 1954;
515:(WSH) in 1933;
511:(CHW) in 1928;
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359:win–loss record
351:batting average
340:American League
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315:(now defunct).
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435:After baseball
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365:(24–8) of the
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289:Miller Huggins
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77:(1986-10-10)
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799:1986 deaths
794:1906 births
553:Fred Clarke
402:Bobo Newsom
381:section of
379:Lake Mohawk
363:Lefty Grove
768:Categories
581:References
525:Mack Jones
509:Art Shires
489:References
445:New Jersey
263:New Jersey
153:Strikeouts
58:1906-06-21
537:Bill Bean
449:Babe Ruth
409:home runs
240:Biography
220:with the
107:MLB debut
305:Triple-A
224:and the
563:(1894).
555:of the
529:Ted Cox
353:, 4.38
251:Augusta
230:sheriff
214:pitcher
92:Batted:
45:Pitcher
307:level
98:Threw:
84:, U.S.
67:, U.S.
494:Notes
166:Teams
137:33–41
73:Died:
53:Born:
730:here
647:here
573:Sox.
373:pet
344:hits
303:, a
196:1939
192:1935
182:1935
178:1933
147:5.60
100:Left
94:Left
559:'s
481:in
355:ERA
253:in
232:of
157:339
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626:^
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190:(
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