Johnstown Steal

From BR Bullpen

• Location: Johnstown, PA
• League: Frontier League 1995-1997
• Affiliation: Independent
• Ballpark: Point Stadium

[edit] Team History

After 44 years, professional baseball returned to Johnstown, PA with the Frontier League's Johnstown Steal in 1995. Johnstown drew 67,167 fans, more than any of the returning teams. Mal Fichman's team went 46-23 and posted the top record in the circuit, then won both games in the playoffs against the Zanesville Greys for the title. The team was led by All-Star P Sean Hogan (7-1, 2.48, second in the league in ERA and tied for third in wins) and MVP OF Mark Soto (.313 with a league-high 62 runs and 12 homers).

In 1997 the steel-town Steal went 41-33 and just missed the first-half title. Jim Coffman was the new manager and OF Gerald Bolden (.344) made the All-Star squad. The next year Henry Manning managed the team to a first-half title in the eastern division (25-15) and they went 22-18 in the second half but fell to the Canton Crocodiles in the postseason. All-Stars included C Jeff Ucello (.271), SP Keith Gieras (9-3, 3.71) and RP Randy Bromley (3-1, 13 Sv, 2.11).

In 1998 the team took on a traditional name for Johnstown-based teams and became the Johnstown Johnnies.

[edit] Year-by-Year Record

[edit] Related Sites

• The Johnstown Steal/Johnnies page at the Frontier League history site