Russell Burton “Russ” Hand was born on July 21, 1920 in Muir, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, the son of Simon Edward Hand (1896-1973) and Bertha Estella [Ressler] Hand (1899-1968).
The above photo of him was cropped from the Tremont Miners team photo of 1939.
His first actual minor league experience was in 1942 with the Pennsylvania State Association team at Oil City, Venango County, Pennsylvania, an affiliate of the National League’s Pittsburgh Pirates. The war then interrupted his playing career and when he returned in 1946, he signed with the American League’s Boston Red Sox. He played in their minor league organization until 1949, when he was sold to the New York Yankees, where there is no record he had any playing time. After taking a year off, he returned to baseball in 1951 with the non-affiliated Tarboro, North Carolina team in the Coastal Plain League.
Two articles from the local West Schuylkill Press are presented below:
PORTER CATCHER MAKING GOOD IN NORTH CAROLINA
Russ Hand, Reinerton catcher, who is the property of the Boston Red Sox, slammed out two home runs in two trips to the plate to lead his team to a 4-3 victory over the Fayetteville Cubs, a Chicago Cubs farm team in North Carolina.
Hand started the season with the Durham Bulls and was optioned out in July on a 24-hour recall basis to Tarboro, North Carolina, in the Coastal Plain League to catch every day and gain more experience. He is boasting a .310 batting average and has gained the reputation of being one of the best catchers in the league.
Hand was signed to a Boston Red Sox contract through the efforts of Joe Horvath, Tremont basketballer.
RUSS HAND SOLD TO NEW YORK YANKEES
Russ Hand, son of Mr. and Mrs. Simon Hand, of Muir, Porter Township, now living in Potts, Pennsylvania, who this year was with New Bern, North Carolina, in the Coastal Plain league, Class D, was sold on July 28 [1949] to the Class B Sumter Chicks, South Carolina, in the fast Class B Tri-State League. Sumter is under the New York Yankee farm systems.
Hand, who was with Durham, North Carolina in ’46 and Tarboro, North Carolina in ’47, played with fast semi-pro Fredericksburg Chix in ’48, was sold for a high undisclosed sum after being scouted by a Yankee Scout. In Tarboro, Hand was chosen as the all star catcher of the Coastal Plain League and led all catchers of the league in fielding, having .985 fielding average.
When sold to Sumter, North Carolina, a private plane was sent to New Bern to take Hand to Sumter and perhaps with his help bolster the club into a play off position.
Hand did January 23, 1993, in Pottsville. He is buried at Schuylkill Memorial Park, North Manheim Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.
For Minor League Stats see: Baseball Reference.
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Articles obtained through Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.