Anthony "Tony" Straccione
Member of Delco Baseball Hall of Fame
Nicknamed "Strong Arm Straccione", Tony was a third baseman who played with a variety of teams including the House of David, Lloyd Athletic Club, Westinghouse Local 107, Goodwill Fire Co., Lenni, Sun Oil, Chester Blossoms, Camden-Wyoming of the Penn-Del League, Hickory Park of the Eastern Penn League and the Eastern of the Eastern Shore League.
As a young man he traveled the East Coast and New England with the House of David frequently playing against the old Negro National League teams.
In 1959 he was named in a newspaper article as the best third baseman to have played in Delaware County over the previous 25 years.
A tremendous hitter, he was known to outhit some of the big names brought in by barnstorming teams such as the Kansas City Monarchs, the House of David, the Homestead Grays, the Philadelphia Stars, the New York Black Yankees and the Baltimore Elite Giants.
He played against all of the greats - Buck Leonard, Josh Gibson, Larry Doby, Jackie Robinson, Luke Easter and Satchel Paige.
"When you talk about a great third baseman in Delaware County, you mention Straccione and then everybody else. He had no equal. He could have played in the big leagues. Nobody could hit a ball past him, not even the great Buck Leonard or Josh Gibson when he played them."
In 1992 he was inducted into the Delco Baseball Hall of Fame.
