Northern State University Athletics

Bio Information: Harold Buckwalter, a native of Phoenixville, PA, joined the NSU basketball team although he was a professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox organization. He began his baseball career in 1950 and found his way to Northern in unique fashion. Ed Pesaresi, the Wolves assistant basketball coach at the time, was a previous manager for a semipro baseball team in Nova Scotia where Buckwalter has spent a season. He was convinced by Pesaresi to join the Wolves and later brought Dick Gernert with him the next season. Buckwalter began his collegiate career at Temple University but moved to Northern in the final quarter of the 1949-50 season. The late move stopped him from playing on the varsity team, however he did appear for the Wolves as a member of the 'B' team. Under the South Dakota Intercollegiate Conference rules at that time, professional baseball players could compete collegiately in other sports as they were deemed an amateur in that venue. The picture to the left is of the 1951 Northern State 'B' team. Buckwalter is the third from the left in the shot.

Professional Information: Buckwalter played in the league for six season, however never reached the majors. He appeared in 575 games, hitting .281 in his career. Buckwalter tallied 585 hits, 88 doubles, 29 triples, 23 homeruns, 35 RBI, and 22 walks. Arguably his best season was in 1950 where he hit .327 with 165 hits, 27 doubles, seven triples, two homeruns, and a .420 slugging percentage. In his six seasons, Buckwalter played for the Oneonta Red Sox, the San Jose Red Sox, the Scranton Red Sox, the Louisville Colonels, the Montgomery Rebels, the Syracuse Chiefs, the Albany Senators, and the Greensboro Patriots. His entire career statistical information can be found at baseball-reference.