The year was 1943. The United States and most of the rest of the world were in the throes of fighting World War II. Gas was 15 cents a gallon if you could get this rationed commodity at all. The Jefferson Memorial was dedicated, a Coke was a nickel, the All American Girls Professional Baseball League was created, and in a baseball development closer to home, the West End Baseball League, later the West End Babe Ruth League was founded.

The league was founded as a league for 13 to 15-year-old players who graduated from Carl Stotz’s fledgling Little League program. The league was originally named the “West End Boys’ Hardball League.” James Brink, Chester Best, Clifford Mullett and M.E. Younkin and the help of various other dedicated adult volunteers founded it. The league’s original sponsors and teams were: the Newberry Lions, Hurr’s Dairy, Capital Bakery and Stroehmman’s Bakery.

The league’s first ball field was in the area between the Bowman Field grandstands and West Fourth Street. Through the years the league played its games at various locations including the area south of where the West Branch School is, Green Avenue in Old Lycoming Township and now at Logue Field. The league operated as an independent league and played against East End and Mid- City Leagues.

West End continued as an independent loop until 1969, when Carl Hunter, Daniel Vassallo, and Anthony Cipriani had the league join Babe Ruth Baseball Inc., then out of Trenton, N.J. They played baseball on Green Ave. in Old Lycoming Township (now Winder Field) and at Robert Bair Logue Memorial Field located on Wahoo Drive. In 2003 Logue Field was moved to its present location on Foresman St.
After East End and Mid City folded, West End provided baseball to all of Williamsport and now has expanded to players from throughout Lycoming County.

In 2005 West End won its first State Title and in 2006 went to the Babe Ruth World Series and finished second. In all, West End has won 17 State Titles, 7 Regional Titles, and 7 berths in Babe Ruth World Series.

In this 75th year, West End is hosting a District, a State and a Regional Tournament. The Regional starts July 24th and ends July 31st and is being held at Logue Field.

West End has put the following individuals in the Pennsylvania Babe Ruth Hall of Fame. Tom Marnon Jr., David Cipriani, George Lepley, Mike Sharrow, Bonnie Winder and Jim Winder. Jim and Bonnie are also in the Babe Ruth Middle Atlantic Regional Hall of Fame All of these Hall of Famers are still actively involved in West End. Jim has been with West End for 37 years with 30 being president. Bonnie has been there 35 years as secretary-treasurer.

This fine winning tradition continues with West End’s 13-year old All-Star contending for championship honors at the state level.

All in all, it has been a very successful and winning tradition in West End’s 75 years of existence in which its many teams have stood on the shoulders of some wonderful and dedicated people.