CityView Magazine

38 May 2021 Pitcher: Sterling Hitchcock, New York Yankees (1992-1995, 2001-2003), Seattle Mariners (1996), San Diego Padres (1997-2001, 2004), St. Louis Cardinals (2003) e son of an Air Force officer, Hitchcock is one of the best big game pitchers in baseball history. e southpaw, who was born in Fayetteville in 1971, debuted as a 21-year-old for the New York Yankees in September 1992 before becoming a full-time big leaguer in 1994, serving as both a reliever and a spot starter. In 1995, Hitchcock became a regular part of the Yankees rotation, posting an 11-10 record. In the off-season, New York dealt Hitchcock to Seattle, where he enjoyed a strong 13-9 campaign in 1996. e Mariners put the ley on the move again in the off-season, sending him to San Diego, which proved to be the most fruitful stop of his 12-year-career. For the next four seasons, Hitchcock was a stalwart in San Diego's rotation. In 1998, Hitchcock proved to be the driving force behind the San Diego Padres' postseason push to the World Series (where they lost to his former team, the New York Yankees). In four playoff appearances for the Padres, he posted a 3-0 record (he possesses a 4-0 career postseason record, as he also won a game for the Yankees in the 2001 World Series). Hitchcock earned MVP honors in the1998 National League Championship Series as he won 2 games and surrendered just one run over 10 innings pitched. Arm trouble cut short Hitchcock's prime, and he bounced back and forth between San Diego and New York in his final seasons. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2002 but Hitchcock never again reached the heights of his late '90s peak. Catcher: Aaron Robinson, New York Yankees (1943, 1945-1947), Chicago White Sox (1948) Detroit Tigers (1949-1951) Aaron Robinson held down the Yankees' backstop in the years between Hall of Famers Bill Dickey and Yogi Berra's respective residencies behind the plate. Robinson enjoyed his best seasons in the immediate aermath of World War II, batting nearly .300 in 1946 and earning an All-Star bid in 1947 while battling it out with Berra for the starting position. Berra had more power and was a better defensive catcher, leading to Robinson's trade to the White Sox. Born and raised in South Carolina, Robinson managed the Fayetteville Highlanders of the Carolina League in the mid- 1950s and resided in the area for many years. Shortstop: Pep Young, Pittsburgh Pirates (1933-1940), Cincinnati Reds (1941), St. Louis Cardinals (1941, 1945) Born in Guilford County, Pep Young got his big break in baseball in 1928 while playing for the Class 'D' Fayetteville Highlanders of the Eastern Carolina League, a short-lived minor league. Young batted a team-high .307 for the Highlanders, jumpstarting his professional career. Young ended up spending the 1930s as a regular in the Pirates' middle infield. He enjoyed his best season in 1938, smacking 36 doubles while batting .278 for Pittsburgh. Clayton Trutor holds a PhD in U.S. History from Boston College and teaches at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. He is the author of " Loserville: How Professional Sports Remade Atlanta – and How Atlanta Remade Professional Sports" (University of Nebraska Press, Fall 2021). He' d love to hear from you on Twitter: @ClaytonTrutor. Pitcher Sterling Hitchcock PHOTO COURTESY SAN DIEGO PADRES

• Cover