Russin

KINGSPORT, Tenn. — Professional baseball simply wasn’t on Nick Russin’s agenda.

But it could have been.

The 1939 Butler graduate was a flame-throwing left-hander who piled up huge strikeout totals virtually every time he took the mound.

Russin pitched for numerous teams, including Highfield in the Eagle County League for six seasons, East Butler and the Butler Cubs for a year and Saxonburg for three years before moving to Tennessee in 1950.

Russin, who died in 2010, will have his name forever etched in Butler athletic lore when he is inducted into the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame during the organization’s annual banquet at 6 p.m. April 23 at the Butler Days Inn.

“That’s going to be a pretty emotional evening for us,” said Nicki Bacon, one of Russin’s daughters. “Dad never talked about his baseball days with us very much.

“But our grandmother kept a scrapbook and we’ve read about how good he was.”

Russin pitched for Washington & Jefferson College in 1942 and 1943 and was offered several contracts with the Butler Yankees of the Penn State League. He declined in order to complete his collegiate studies.

While with W&J, Russin received an offer to report to the Cincinnati Reds in Philadelphia for a tryout. After being offered a minor league contract by the Reds, he decided to join the Navy instead.

Russin attended UCLA during World War II to learn to determine the weather for the Navy in the South Pacific. He wound up playing baseball on Guam with other soldiers.

“I know he was dominant everywhere he played,” Bacon said.

That was particularly true at UCLA. Russin struck out 20 batters in a game against Caltech, a two-hitter in a runaway 20-1 victory. His pitching motion featured a high leg kick, the ball almost scraping the ground while in his left hand before he would sling-shot forward.

While with UCLA, Russin struck out 13 in six innings in shutting out Pepperdine. He had numerous double-digit strikeout performances with the Bruins, fanning 76 hitters in his first 50 innings with the team.

He pitched a no-hitter for Highfield, striking out 11 against Warrendale. He also struck out nine while tossing a one-hitter against Valencia, homering in that game.

Russin had a 21-strikeout performance while pitching semi-pro ball for Morrison City in Tennessee. His final semi-pro season was 1951.

“My dad’s family was very blue collar,” Bacon said. “My grandfather worked in the steel mill in Butler. Dad had high standing academically as well and was always very proud of that.”

Russin was the third honor student in his class at Butler. He participated in band, orchestra and mixed chorus in high school, was editor of the student publication the Magnet and was sent to Hershey as Butler’s representative to the Hershey Press conference.

Russin moved to Tennessee in 1950 when he accepted a job as a research chemist with Tennessee Eastman Company. He retired from there in 1985.

He also served as a violinist for more than 30 years with the Kingsport Symphony Orchestra. He had made his violin debut in Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Hall at age 7.

Russin was married to Butler native Marie Dumbaugh for 62 years. Their son, Thomas Russin, is deceased. Daughters Bacon and Sally Dingus are making the trip from Tennessee to attend the banquet.

Son-in-laws Joe Bacon and Mark Dingus are expected to speak on Russin’s behalf.

Tickets for the Butler County Sports Hall of Fame banquet are $30 in advance, $35 at the door. They are available at bcshof.com, Parker’s Appliance in Chicora, Saxonburg Drug, Moses Jewelers, Snack n’ Pack and Bill’s Beer Barn in Butler.