[Big Six]

Keystone League press release, March 14, 1960

KEYSTONE LEAGUE ALLOCATION DRAFT COMPLETE

STATE COLLEGE--Before yesterday, the twelve teams who will take the field in the initial season of the Keystone League all had home towns, stadiums, nicknames, and everything else they needed, except for one thing. Players.

This week's Allocation Draft took care of that last missing detail.

Enough players were available to hold a 60-round draft, so each Keystone League club will have its own "farm system," made up of players who will take the field in nearby towns. The draft order was chosen at random by league president John Harrod, and it followed a serpentine pattern, with the teams drafting in reverse order every other round.

Here are the draft highlights for each of the league's teams:

LANCASTER RED ROSES
The Red Roses held the first pick in the draft, and used it to select 26-year-old Bryce Nicol, a power-hitting outfielder. With the 24th overall pick, they chose an anchor for their pitching staff, Wallace Andreas. They immediately picked up a batterymate for him, catcher Robert Brun, who is not strong defensively, but packs a booming bat. Ninth-round selection Rigoberto Rodriguez should be a dominant relief ace. The Red Roses' most promising young players are a pair of relief pitchers, John Charlie (12th round) and 17-year-old Vincent Chiang (16th round.)

WILLIAMSPORT MILLIONAIRES
Williamsport chose second, and also took a slugging outfielder: Hyman Mullican, who should contend for both the batting and home run titles. Second round pick Stanford Moore is no youngster at 38, but the 6'5" lefty still has lots of life in his arm. Robert Pepin (4th round) will give the Millionaires a second solid man in the rotation. Randy Ong, their third pick, is a promising young outfielder with power and speed. The bullpen will be headed by Frederick Colgan (9th round).

BETHLEHEM STEELERS
The Steelers went for third baseman Bradley Foster in the first round, and at age 27, he should anchor the Bethlehem lineup for years. On the other corner, third round choice Robert Vankirk will provide explosive power. The Steelers were pleased to see that Peter Marlatt was still available in the second round. They like Marlatt's poise and maturity on the mound, which are remarkable for a 23-year-old hurler. Joseph Stokes (4th round) and Jesus Guido (5th) will give the Steelers three good starting pitchers.

LEWISBURG PROFS
Lewisburg's first round pick, 1B Michael Mitchell, will be one of the most polished hitters in the league, and P Ronnie Robinson, taken second, will give them an instant ace. Robinson and fellow starters Michael Girouard(4th round) and William Eisner (7th round) will be throwing to one of the league's best backstops, 3rd round pick Daryl Pangle. The Profs also drafted an exciting 22-year-old 2B, Phillip Loper (8th round), who will begin the season with one of the Profs' developmental teams.

GETTYSBURG CANNONS
Nobody in the Keystone League has more raw power than Gettysburg's first pick, outfielder Donald "The Hulk" Peterson. Two of the loop's most exciting pitchers, lefthander Franklin Griffin (2nd round) and righty Clarence Flippen, will also be wearing Cannons colors. Flippen might have the league's most electrifying stuff, and the Cannons were pleasantly surprised to see him still available with their sixth pick. Philip McKinnie, a 21-year-old flychaser with unlimited potential, went to Gettysburg with their fifth pick.

OIL CITY OILERS
The Oilers were the first team to select a pitcher, righthander Richard Bascom, making him the sixth overall selection. Rifle-armed catcher Timo Velazquez and 3B Pruden Rezendes, the Oilers' next two choices, will provide some offensive punch. Eighth round selection Edwin Ferguson might be the most brilliant pitching prospect in the league.

READING COAL HEAVERS
Reading's first round pick was husky RHP Gordon Hauer, nicknamed "Locomotive" for his powerful 225-pound physique and his blazing fastball. Outfielder Alex Cormack's all-around talents appealed to the Heavers, and they snatched him up in Round 2. Third pick Floyd Stringfield, a first baseman, should contend for the batting title. Reading's management emphasized players who are ready to compete for the "big" club right away, and none of their picks ranked among the league's top prospects.

ALTOONA MOUNTAINEERS
Altoona was the third consecutive team to use its first pick on a pitcher, tapping Ryan "Bug Eyes" Gunnell. Gunnell, age 24, relies on control and movement, rather than raw stuff. Round 2 choice Leonard Manriquez, an outfielder, has impressive power credentials. The Mountaineers were the first club to draft a relief pitcher, choosing Kyle Scott in the third round.

YORK WHITE ROSES
He might not be a rebel without a cause, but York's first round pick, outfielder James Dean swings a big lefty stick and can run and throw. Shortstop Rene Dickens (2nd round) is 38, but still has incredible power for a middle infielder. Larry "Iron Curtain" Portwood was a 26th round pick, but the White Roses think the 18-year-old will one day be one of the league's best pitchers. Round 3 pick Robert Alba, a lefty who keeps the ball down and induces grounder after grounder, should lead the York staff.

JOHNSTOWN JOHNNIES
The Johnnies drafted in the #10 and #15 slots, and chose a complete battery with creative nicknames: P James "Hard Way" Kilgore and C John "Juice" Creswell. The Johnnies were amazed to find RHPsJacob Heaney and Walter Christopherson on the board in Rounds 4 and 6; Johnstown's rotation looks like the strongest in the Keystone League. OF Charles Lockard (Round 3) will provide some offensive punch.

STATE COLLEGE HILLCLIMBERS
State College went for power in Rounds 1 and 2, choosing 3B Wilfredo "Mr. Miracle" Cortada and OF Davis Colzin, both of whom can bust fences with the best in the league. Colzin also features plus speed. RHP Ellis Lavalie (3rd round) has great control and throws three pitches well. Reliever David Soriano, a fireballing 21-year-old lefthander, looks like a steal in Round 14.

WASHINGTON GENERALS
The Generals had the last pick in the opening round and the first pick in the next, and with these consecutive choices, they filled out two-thirds of their outfield. Herman "Turk" Soderquist has tremendous power, while Jim Eidson features speed and a great glove. Soderquist's choice was somewhat controversial, as he is already 37 years old. In Rounds 3 and 4, Washington tapped a pair of 26-year-old starting pitchers: Ronald Ledbetter and Andres Pina. After the draft, the Generals signed a 21-year-old undrafted free agent, Ted Tammaro, whose 6'5", 270-pound frame should generate immense power. In