William H. “Bill” Byerly was a widely-known, highly-talented baseball player in the Lykens Valley area in the decade of the 1930s and into the early 1940s. In 1932, he was offered a tryout with a minor league team in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. But about one month later he returned home to participate in the Twin County League on the Loyalton team on which had contributed to Loyalton‘s 1931 championship.
The available local newspapers from the 1930s and early 1940s report on the many games in which Byerly played and starred. One of the most notable took place in Gratz in August 1941, when Byerly, pitching for Loyalton, took on the Gratz team, and was involved in a pitching duel with Carl Scheib. Byerly bested Scheib in a 2-0 victory for Loyalton, scattering four hits over the nine innings. Less than two-years later, Scheib was pitching in the major leagues for the Philadelphia Athletics.
As for Byerly’s official statistics during his tryout with Cardinal’s affiliate, there is a Byerly (no first name) listed in the minor league records for 1932. That Byerly played in 12 games in 1932 for a Class D team in DeQuincy, Louisiana, and for those games batted .396 with 3 home runs. That team, in the Cotton States League, was not affiliated with any major league club, but in the same league, another club located at Monroe, Louisiana, was affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals. Without more information, there is no way to tell if this is the same person as the Lykens Valley star. See: Baseball Reference.
According to military records, William H. Byerly served in the U. S. Army from August 11, 1944 through discharge on February 3, 1946.
William H. Byerly was born September 21, 1909, in Williamstown, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, the son of John O. Byerly (1880-1939) and Maggie [Higgins] Byerly (1885-1962). He married Annie Louise Bonawitz in 1939. There were no known children. In 1930, he was working as a laborer in a coal mine. In 1940, he was working as a laborer. For most of his working time, he resided in Williamstown or Loyalton, Washington Township. He died in Harrisburg on April 24, 1967. His obituary mentions his military service but does not mention the more than 10 years when he was a dominant figure in baseball in the Lykens Valley area.
Byerly was buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Elizabethville. At his grave, there is bronze World War II veteran emblem to recognize his service.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, April 7, 1932:
FAREWELL PARTY OR BALL PLAYER WEDNESDAY EVENING
“Bill” Byerly To Get Try-Out With Greensboro, North Carolina Team; “Farm” for Cardinals.
Big Run, Pennsylvania — A surprise farewell party was held at the home of Mrs. Carrie Bonawitz, this place, last Wednesday evening in honor of William Byerly of Williamstown, a member of Loyalton’s 1931 Championship baseball team.
A most delicious luncheon was served to the following guests:
William Byerly, Mr. and Mrs. James Byerly, Mr. and Mrs. John Byerly, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Grubb, Miss Anna Byerly, Mr. William Stiner, all of Williamstown; Miss Verna Kissinger, Mr. Kenneth Thomas, Wiconisco; Mrs. Elwood Hoover, son Harold Hoover, Miss Ruth Grubb, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johns, Mr. and Mrs. Marlyn Johns, Mr. Earl Good, Miss Margaret Johns, Loyalton; Mr. and Mrs. Clark Miller, Elizabethville; Mr. Francis Ritenbach, Sheridan; Misses Cora Romberger and Jennie Romberger, Mrs. Carrie Bonawitz, Miss Annie Bonawitz, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Troutman and daughter Janet Troutman.
The color scheme in which the home was decorated was carried out in pink and white.
Mr. Byerly will receive a try-out along with other recruits signed by scouts for St. Louis’ National League world Champions. The Greensboro team is a member of the Piedmont League. While with the Loyalton team which gained the championship of the Twin County League last year, Byerly gained the well earned recognition of a fast fielder and slugger.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, May 12, 1932:
FLAG RAISING PROGRAM FOR LOYALTON OPENER
A flag-raising ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, when the Loyalton ball team, pennant winners of the Twin County League last year open the season with Lykens on their home diamond Saturday afternoon. Play is scheduled to begin at five o’clock.
A big crowd is expected due to the keen rivalry existing between these two teams. The return of Bill Byerly, hard-slugging center fielder, who had been given a try-out with a farm team of the St Louis Cardinals, will strengthen the Loyalton team considerably.
Sol Rowe, former catcher of the Williamstown team in the Old Twin County League, is mentor of the Loyalton nine and expects to keep the team fighting in first division. Byerly’s return will enable Rowe to present practically the same line-up that copped the 1931 bunting.
For the flag raising ceremony, the management will have the assistance of the Lykens Boys’ Band, under the direction of R. W. Brown, who is also manager of the Lykens ball team. The return game will be played at Lykens next Wednesday.
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In 1941, Gratz beat out Loyalton for the Twin County Loop pennant. However, in one of the final games of the season, Loyalton defeated Gratz, with the following comment made by the Lykens Standard, August 15, 1941:
The Loyalton–Gratz game at Gratz turned out to be a pitching duel between Carl Scheib and Bill Byerly and although each squad collected four hits Byerly scattered the Gratz singles well enough the end the game 2-0 in favor of Loyalton.
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At 40 years old, Bill Byerly was no longer playing in the Twin County League, but instead was managing one of the League’s All Star teams, as told in this article from the Lykens Standard, June 17, 1949, which names the top stars on each team:
TWIN COUNTY LEAGUE ALL STAR GAME AT GRATZ THIS SUNDAY
The Twin County League will play an all star game at Gratz, Sunday, June 19, at 3:00 p. m. There will be players from Orwin, Williamstown, Lykens, Loyalton, Elizabethville and Millersburg, and this team will be in charge of Bill Byerly of Loyalton, and he has selected the following players: Theo Frankenstine, Arthur Zerbe, Shany Miller, of Orwin; Larry Byerly, George Barkos and Charles Bowerman, of Williamstown; Andy Smith, James Salada, John Rusbatch, of Lykens; A. Geist, Bruce Kimmel, of Millersburg; Carl Miller, Marlin Johns and Bill Bonawitz, of Loyalton; Kenneth Wise, Wilmer Land, and Blair Keafer, of Elizabethville.
The other team will be players from Hegins, Valley View, Hubley Township, Gratz, Berrysburg and Dalmatia, and this team will be in charge of Rufus Miller, of Hegins and George Reed, of Gratz, and they have selected the following players for the team: Carl Herring, Jim Miller, Jesse Hartman, Hegins; Jack Hepler, Glen Hepler, Guy Miller, Gratz; William Bohner, Ralph Bohner, William Phillips, Dalmatia; Chester Minnich, [?] Schwalm, Bob Umholtz, Valley View; William Diebert, Bill Reed, Tom Coleman, Hubley Township; Elvin Lower, William Leitzel, James Stine, Berrysburg.
The umpires for the All Star Game are as follows: Arthur Grubb, Tip Zerbe, Art Miller and Glen Bendigo.
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Bill Byerly‘s obituary appeared in the Lykens Standard, May 11, 1967:
WILLIAM H. BYERLY
William H. Byerly, 57, of 1913 Mulberry Street, Harrisburg, died Tuesday at Harrisburg Hospital.
He was a stockman for the Harrisburg Auto Parts Company. He was a member of the Park Street Evangelical United Brethren Church. A World War II veteran, he was a member of the Ashlar Lodge, 570 F&AM and the Modern Woodmen of America.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Annie L. Byerly; three brothers, James J. Byerly, of Williamstown and Edward V. Byerly and Donald H. Byerly, both of Harrisburg; and a sister, Mrs. Annie F. Stinner of Williamstown.
Services were held Friday at 1:00 P.M. at the funeral home at 2001 Market Street, Harrisburg with the Rev. Glenn M. Dietrich, his pastor, officiating. Burial was in Maple Grove Cemetery, Elizabethville.
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Newspaper articles from Newspapers.com.
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