John O'Neil

John O'Neil
John O'Neil
1920–2012

Category
Baseball
Year Inducted
2012
John O'Neil of Jamestown was the oldest inductee placed in Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame at the organization's 31st annual induction dinner on February 20, 2012.

O'Neil will be 92 on April 19 and it was on that date in 1920 when he was born in Shelbiana, Ky., and eventually made a name for himself in the field of baseball.

Nicknamed "Tip" or "Scooter", O'Neil learned baseball from his father, who was a semi-pro player and a railroad worker.

O'Neil was involved in professional baseball for 45 years serving from 1939-1984 as player, player/manager, manager, general manager and scout.

He started out his career in 1939 at Tallahassee, Florida, and Greenville, Tennessee., and in 1940 joined Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Bristol. Virginia, before coming to Jamestown of the PONY League in 1941.

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