{{Infobox Minor League Baseball | name =Gettysburg Ponies | firstseason =1916 | lastseason =1917 | allyears =1915–1917 | city =Gettysburg, Pennsylvania | logo = | uniformlogo = | class level =Class D (1915–1917) | league =Blue Ridge League (1915–1917) | majorleague =None | nickname =Gettysburg Patriots (1915)<br />'''Gettysburg Ponies''' (1916–1917) | ballpark =Nixon Field (1915–1917) | classnum = | classchamps = | leaguenum =0 | leaguechamps =None | confnum = | conferencechamps = | divnum = | divisionchamps = | wildcardnum = | wildcardberths = }} The '''Gettysburg Ponies''' were a minor league baseball team based in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. From 1915 to 1917, Gettysburg teams played exclusively as members of the Class D level Blue Ridge League, beginning play in 1915 as the Gettysburg "Patriots." Gettysburg hosted minor league home games at Nixon Field
==History== In 1915, minor league baseball play in Gettysburg began, as the '''Gettysburg Patriots''' became charter members of the six-team, Class D level Blue Ridge League. The Chambersburg Maroons, Frederick Hustlers, Hagerstown Blues, Hanover Hornets and Martinsburg Champs joined Gettysburg in beginning league play on May 27, 1915.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/l-BLRI/y-1915|title=1915 Blue Ridge League (BRL) Minor League Baseball on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=f5755642|title=1915 Blue Ridge League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>
In their first game, the opening game to begin the 1915 season, Gettysburg defeated the Hanover Hornets 5–0 at Hanover.<ref name="auto4">{{cite web|url=http://www.hanoverraiders.com/gallery.html|title=Gallery|website=HANOVER RAIDERS: Minor League Baseball in Hanover, Pennsylvania}}</ref>
On June 8, 1915, Gettysburg was defeated by the Martinsburg Champions 9–8 in a game at Willow Lane Park in Hagerstown, Maryland.<ref>{{cite journal | last = | first = | author-link = | title =Gettysburg Ponies vs. Martinsburg Champions June 8, 1915 | journal =Class D Blue Ridge League | volume = | issue = | pages = | publisher = | location = | date =11 July 2005 | language = | url =http://www.blueridgeleague.org/pdf/box_scores/2.pdf | jstor = | issn = | doi = | id = | mr = | zbl = | jfm = | access-date = }}</ref>
The 1915 Gettysburg Patriots ended their first Blue Ridge League season in fifth place.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1915 Gettysburg Patriots Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> The Patriots ended the season with a record of 28–48, playing the season under manager Ira Plane. Gettysburg finished 25.0 games behind the first place Frederick Hustlers in the final standings, as the league held no playoffs.<ref name="encyc">{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball |editor-first1=Lloyd |editor-last1=Johnson |editor-first2=Miles |editor-last2=Wolff |edition=Third |publisher=Baseball America |date=2007 |isbn=978-1932391176}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/roster/t-gp11703/y-1915|title=1915 Gettysburg Patriots minor league baseball Roster on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref>
Hosting home games at Nixon Field on the campus of Gettysburg College had some negative ramifications. Because of the location of the ballpark, fans could easily watch the game from nearby streets, avoiding having to pay admission. Also, automobiles that parked alongside the ballpark, which had no outfield fence, were a hazard to players chasing down fly balls. Baseballs in play also rolled underneath vehicles parked at the corners of the outfield.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=https://www.gettysburgtimes.com/news/looking_back/article_553e4304-a6c4-5e2e-b300-eea24db2a0d1.html|title=1916: Patriots become Ponies and Gettysburg baseball continues|website=GettysburgTimes.com}}</ref><ref name="auto1">{{cite web|url=http://www.blueridgeleague.org/1915.asp|title=Blue Ridge League - History - 1915|website=www.blueridgeleague.org}}</ref>
Before the 1916 season began, the club needed to resolve the fact that the team was known by two names. Their official Blue Ridge League name was the Gettysburg Patriots, but local newspapers called them the "Braves." Before the 1916 season began, a meeting was held where stockholders of the Patriots elected new directors and announced that 55 shares of stock in the team had sold at $20 per share to provide revenue for the team.<ref name="auto"/>
A new nickname was given to the 1916 team, as reported in the Frederick Post: "In order to do away with the confusion caused by giving the two different names, the Patriots and the Braves, a compromise has been reached and the Gettysburg team will be known in the future as Plank's Ponies." Plank referred to manager Ira Plank, who was the brother of Baseball Hall of Fame member Eddie Plank.<ref name="auto"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blueridgeleague.org/1916.asp|title=Blue Ridge League - History - 1916|website=www.blueridgeleague.org}}</ref>
Continuing play in the 1916 Blue Ridge League, the Gettysburg "Ponies", finished last in the standings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1916 Gettysburg Ponies Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> The Ponies ended the Blue Ridge League season in sixth place. Gettysburg ended the 1916 season with a record of 35–56, playing under returning manager Ira Plank and finished 17.0 games behind the first place Chambersburg Maroons.<ref name="encyc"/><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/minorbaseball/stats/t-gp11704/y-1917|title=1917 Gettysburg Ponies minor league baseball Statistics on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?id=7f5f59fd|title=1916 Blue Ridge League|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>
Due to financial and salary concerns, some Ponies players were creative in trying to earn extra money. Jimmy Dykes reported later that some of the players on the Gettysburg team traveled to some of the other league clubs to try and play under an alias to earn additional some money. Their efforts failed when they were recognized by one of the opposing managers. This issued was called to the attention of league president J. Vincent Jamison in late July, 1916. Jamison took the franchise away from Gettysburg and began talking with Piedmont, West Virginia and York, Pennsylvania, representatives about taking the team. Local Gettysburg business leaders organized and collected the minimum funds to keep the club running for the remainder of the season. After a guarantee to the league that the funds were available, Jamison agreed to return the club back to Gettysburg a week later.<ref name="auto"/>
In their final season of play, the 1917 Gettysburg Ponies placed third in the Blue Ridge League final standings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=1917 Gettysburg Ponies Statistics|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref> Gettysburg ended the season with a record of 48–46, playing under managers Joe Ward and John Mumford. The Ponies finished 11.5 games behind the first place Hagerstown Terriers in the final standings.<ref name="encyc"/><ref name="auto2"/>
The Gettysburg and Hanover teams did not return to the 1918 Blue Ridge League, as the league reduced from six teams to four teams while continuing play during World War I and facing challenges due to the Spanish flu epidemic. The league folded during the 1918 season.<ref name="encyc"/><ref name="auto"/> Gettysburg has not hosted another minor league team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi|title=Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Encyclopedia|website=Baseball-Reference.com}}</ref>
thumb|(2015) Gettysburg College campus. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
==The ballpark== From 1915 to 1917 the Gettysburg minor league teams played home games at Nixon Field. The ballpark had no outfield fences and was plagued by automobiles parked near the diamond interfering with live baseballs and providing seating for fans wishing to avoid paying admission. Nixon Field was located at North Washington Street & East Stevens Street on the campus of Gettysburg College.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statscrew.com/venues/v-969|title=Nixon Field in Gettysburg, PA minor league baseball history and teams on StatsCrew.com|website=www.statscrew.com}}</ref><ref name="auto"/><ref name="auto1"/>
==Timeline== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size: 95%;" |- ! Year(s) !! # Yrs. !! Team !! Level !! League!!Ballpark |- |1915|| 1 || Gettysburg Patriots ||rowspan=2| Class D ||rowspan=2|Blue Ridge League||rowspan=2|Nixon Field |- |1916–1917|| 2 || Gettysburg Ponies |}
== Year–by–year records == {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Year !! Record !! Finish !! Manager !!Playoffs/Notes |- align=center | 1915 || 28–48 || 5th || Ira Plank || No playoffs held |- align=center | 1916 || 35–56 || 4th || Ira Plank || No playoffs held |- align=center | 1917 || 48–46 || 3rd || Joe Ward / John Mumford || No playoffs held |} <ref name="encyc"/> ==Notable alumni== {{Div col|colwidth=25em}} *Ivan Bigler (1915–1916) *Bill Clay (1915) *Snake Deal (1915) *Jimmy Dykes (1917) 2xMLB All-Star *Walt Herrell (1915) *Arthur S. Herman (1916) *Earl Howard (1915) *Bill Steele (1916)<ref name="Russo">{{cite book|last=Russo|first=Frank|title=The Cooperstown Chronicles: Baseball's Colorful Characters, Unusual Lives, and Strange Demises|location=New York|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2014|isbn=978-1-4422-3639-4|pages=229–31}}</ref> *Elmer Steele (1916) *Ross Swartz (1915) *Joe Ward (1917, MGR) *John W. Weimer (1915) {{Div col end}}
===See also=== Gettysburg Patriots players<br />Gettysburg Ponies players
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links== *[https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/team.cgi?city=Gettysburg&state=PA&country=US Gettysburg - Baseball Reference] *[http://www.hanoverraiders.com/gallery.html photo of 1915 opening game]
Category:Defunct baseball teams in Pennsylvania Category:Blue Ridge League teams Category:Baseball teams established in 1916 Category:Baseball teams disestablished in 1917 Category:Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Category:1916 establishments in Pennsylvania Category:1917 disestablishments in Pennsylvania