The Portsmouth Panthers

Article taken from The Lima News, May 11, 1936

Portsmouth Club Hopes to Cut Figure in Mid-Atlantic

(This is the sixth of a series on prospects of the Mid-Atlantic baseball league clubs.)

PORTSMOUTH, O., May 11 - (AP) - Under their new manager, Eddie Kenna of San Francisco, the Portsmouth Panthers, formerly the Portsmouth Pirates, appear stronger this season.  Kenna formerly caught for the Washington Senators.

President Alex Pisula severed his farm connections with the Pittsburgh Pirates and is operating independently.

The Panthers have been strengthened materially on defense, especially at shortstop and in the backstop position, where they were woefully weak last season.  The club also appears to have considerably more batting punch.

Michek Noonan, veteran outfielder, who played third base most of last year, has been returned to the outer garden.  Hank Lehman, another holdover from Manager Jake Pitler's regime and Joe Dooley, 19, a rookie from Chicago, are in the other outfield berths.

Roy Harrison, 20, a product of the Pacific Coast league, is at first base.  Vick George, former Western-assn player, gets the nod at second base. Forest Hubbard, a product of Portsmouth sandlots, 28 years old but playing his first league ball, seems to have third base cinched. 

Ed Stankey, a 19-year-old youngster, property of the Dallas, Tex., club, is one of the most promising rookies seen here and appears to have vest-pocketed the shortstop job.

Joe Ersum, another promising rookie, from San Jose, Calif., and Manager Kenna are taking care of the backstop duties.

Cy Turner, Bill Trotter, Joe Koral and George Snyder are holdover pitchers.  A number of rookie twirlers are making a bid.  Wilbur Robinson, 21, of Hartford, Conn., a southpaw, appears to be the pick of the crop.