Frank Crossin

Crossin was born on June 15, 1891, in Avondale, Pennsylvania, to James, and Mary Crossin, of New York, and England, respectively. James Crossin, who was of Irish American heritage, worked as a miner, and a day laborer. Frank Crossin had nine siblings; brothers James, William, Edward, John, Joseph, and Leo; and sisters Alice, Marian, and Alberta. He also played amateur baseball in Wyoming, and Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. ==Professional career==

Early career, and St. Louis Browns (1912–14) In 1912, Crossin signed his first professional baseball contract with the Binghamton Bingoes of the Class-B New York State League. It was reported that the Wilkes-Barre Barons were interested in Crossin, but signed with Binghamton instead. Early in the season, Crossin replaced Binghamton's regular catcher George Vandegrift at that position. With the Bingoes, he batted .235 with 63 hits in 89 games played. Crossin was issued to report to the St. Louis Browns in September 1912. Crossin's friends accompanied him to the Lehigh Valley Railroad Station before he left for spring training. As a part of their earlier deal, the St. Louis club had to pay the Binghamton Bingoes US$1,500 to use Crossin's services during the 1913 season. He played four games with the Browns that season. In those games, he had one hit in four at-bats. On January 20, 1914, Crossin was traded by the Binghamton Bingoes to the Nashville Vols of the Class-A Southern Association. However, he spent the entire season with the St. Louis Browns. On April 19, Crossin hit a bases loaded triple, which helped the Browns beat the Chicago White Sox. His last MLB appearance came on August 8, 1914. With the Browns that year, he batted .122 with five runs scored, 11 hits, one double, one triple, five RBIs, and three stolen bases in 43 games played. Later career (1915–1920) Before the start of the 1915 season, Crossin signed with the Louisville Colonels of the Double-A American Association. Out of spring training that season, Crossin made the Colonels roster. At the end of May, Crossin's batting average was .367. With the Colonels, Crossin batted .254 with 63 hits, five doubles, one double, and one triple in 83 games played. Crossin re-signed with the Louisville Colonels at the start of the 1916 season. On June 8, Crossin was sold by Louisville to the Atlanta Crackers of the Double-A Southern Association. He suffered a sore arm that year, causing him to miss the entire season. At the start of the 1917 season, Crossin re-signed with the Louisville Colonels. After that, he signed with the Scranton Miners of the Class-B New York State League. However, in August, the Scranton club could not pay Crossin his salary, and he was released. He fought in France as a member of the 35th Field Artillery Regiment. In 1919, Crossin returned from the war, and signed with the Reading Coal Barons of the Double-A International League. On July 1, Crossin fractured his fibula after sliding into second base. On the season, he batted .265 with 35 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, and one home run in 34 games played. His final professional baseball season would come in 1920. He was a member of the Reading International League team, now renamed the Marines. He batted .234 with 11 hits, one double, and one triple in 17 games played. ==Later life==

In 1920, Crossin was living in Luzerne, Pennsylvania with his wife, Margaret Crossin, his brother, Leo, and his father, James. By 1930, Frank and Margaret Crossin had three children; sons Francis, Jr. (who became a professional basketball player) and John, and daughter Mary. They later had another son, Joseph. In 1942, Frank Crossin was self-employed. Crossin operated his business in Swoyersville, Pennsylvania, for 35 years. He died on December 6, 1965, at Nesbitt Memorial Hospital, where he had been a patient for five days, in Kingston, Pennsylvania. He was buried at St. Mary Cemetery in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. ==References==