WALTER J. (ZIP) URBAN (Old Timer, Class of 2007, Posthumous)

Zip Urban first appeared on the Warren baseball scene when he joined both the Silk Hats and Warren Shoe teams in 1910. Many years later fellow Hall of Famer Beany Ryan noted that “he threw a curve ‘outdrop’ which they call a slider today and he had a baffling changeup; in 1910 he beat a Commonwealth team with four or five black players who could have played in the Major Leagues.”

He pitched for teams that won the Manufacturers League State Championship in both 1912 and 1915, while also garnering the Town Championship in both 1913 (when he threw a no-hitter to help down St. John’s) and 1914.

Zip played third base for Warren in the 1912 Little World Series.  From then until 1932 he competed in eleven competitions versus Bristol and helped lead the locals to a record of eight series wins, two losses, and one tie.  He then served as the team’s co-manager in 1935 and directed it to a three-game sweep.

In the Twilight Baseball League he spent most of his time with the Nelcos.  After frequently coming in second to the Independents, they (and Zip) were finally able to wrench the title from the three-time defending Champions in 1926.

During the 1930s he managed the Roughs in the Twilight League.  And then, three decades later, he returned to that “same team” and managed them in the Firemen’s Baseball League for boys aged thirteen to fifteen.