Tommy Dunne was just 15 when he led the Honesdale Ramblers to an unlikely championship

HONESDALE — When looking back at Wayne County's storied baseball history, the 1947 season stands out as one of the most memorable for several reasons.

At the top of that list is the fact that the Honesdale Ramblers powered their way to an unlikely championship with a line-up comprised largely of high schoolers.

Back then, it was a fairly common practice for talented players to do double duty with their varsity and town teams. But, manager Merv Iloff took that to the next level in '47 when he sprinkled his starting line-up with as many as five teenagers at a time.

And Tommy Dunne was the de facto leader of that precocious bunch.

More: The diamond anniversary of Honesdale's historic baseball championship

Also by Kevin Edwards: Wayne County Wanderings: Keith Sutton and Local Baseball Memories

Ace of the staff

Dunne was just 15-years-old when he burst onto the scene as the ace of Honesdale's pitching staff.

A fireballing right-hander with nasty breaking stuff, Dunne had just completed his sophomore year under legendary HHS skipper Augustus Kiegler when he was recruited to play for the Ramblers.

“My Dad loved baseball,” said his son Jerry, who participated in multiple sports during his own high school career. “There are a couple of great stories about how much he enjoyed playing when he was a kid.”

Dunne displayed a real love of the game from a very early age. Growing up on 15 ^th Street, he caught the attention of two neighbors, each of whom nurtured his dream of one day playing big league ball.

Attorney Leigh Maxwell, who also pitched for the Ramblers, used to take the boy to amateur games at the Wayne County Fairgrounds on Sunday afternoons.

Isidore Roos was even more enthusiastic about Dunne's aspirations, buying the lad a Dizzy Dean jersey every year for his birthday. The pair could be seen playing catch out in the middle of 15 ^th Street on countless summer nights.

“But, the one story I really like is about my Dad and Bill Bluff,” Jerry said. “It always makes me laugh.”

Bluff was a state trooper; a big, strong guy and former catcher. He'd heard around town that Dunne was quite the ballplayer. So, one day when their paths crossed, Bluff dug out his mitt and asked the boy to to pitch him a couple.

“Okay Mr. Bluff,” Dunne said. “But I throw pretty hard and I might just knock you on your butt.”

And according to Jerry, that's exactly what happened. “I always loved that story,” he said.

Diamond dominance

Honesdale opened up the 1947 season with a home game May 4 against Lake Ariel. Iloff sent his young phenom to the mound and wasn't disappointed.

Dunne fired a complete game gem, allowing just three hits en route to a 4-1 victory. Jimmy Gregg led the Rambler offense with three hits including a two-run double.

With Dunne, fellow high schooler Bud Kelz and southpaw Don Hazleton taking turns on the mound, Honesdale's early season winning streak continued for more than a month. It wasn't until June 15 that the Ramblers finally suffered their first setback, a 10-7 decision at Hawley.

That loss proved to be just a blip on the radar, though, as Honesdale kept on piling up the wins. By the time the regular season was over, only Browndale had a better overall record.

However, the Brownies were unceremoniously bounced from the playoffs by White Mills, while Honesdale took two straight from Hawley. That set up a much-anticipated best-of-three finals between the Ramblers and Millers.

Honesdale entered the fray with a young but well-balanced squad. The infield consisted of Carl Soden behind the plate, Don Hazleton (1B), Dick Davidson (2B), Mouse Doherty (SS) and Dean Guinter (3B). Jimmy Gregg, Tommy Olver and Hokey Lilholt patrolled the outfield.

Honesdale sealed the deal on its championship season by sweeping White Mills in the finals. The Ramblers prevailed 7-1 on the road in Game 1, then cruised to the title via an 11-2 win at home in Game 2.

“This is one of the youngest teams ever to win the Wayne County League championship,” wrote Hall of Fame Sports Editor Keith Sutton at the time. “The average age of the players is under 19.”

Not surprisingly, Dunne was on the hill for the series clincher. He authored another complete game masterpiece, working nine innings while striking out four and walking two.

The story of this unlikely championship team and its young ace made the front page of The Wayne Independent the next day with the headline: “Honesdale Ramblers are champions of the Wayne County League!”

Dunne finished out his rookie season with eight wins, one save and an 2.75 ERA. He also batted over .300 and was among the team leaders in hits, runs and RBIs.

Gone too soon

Dunne went on to enjoy a stellar varsity career at HHS, which included a no-hitter versus Waymart.

He was eventually signed by Philadelphia, but pitched in the Phillies' organization for just one year before enlisting in the Marine Corps and heading overseas to Korea. There, he was wounded twice and rose to the rank of sergeant.

After returning to Wayne County in 1954, Dunne began work as an inspector for the PA Highways Department. Tragically, he died in a car accident near the fish hatchery at Pleasant Mount in late October 1961. He was just 29.

He left behind his wife, Gloria, and two sons, Gerald and Raymond.

“I was only 8-years-old when Dad died,” Jerry said. “So, I really don't have a lot of personal memories of him. Sadly, I don't even remember playing catch or anything like that. I wish I did.”

Tommy Dunne was elected to the Wayne Area Sports Hall of Fame posthumously in 1998.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Tommy Dunne was just 15 when he led the Honesdale Ramblers to an unlikely championship