Cletus “Boots” Poffenberger
Year Inducted
1987
Sport
Baseball
Hometown
Williamsport
Cletus “Boots” Poffenberger started his illustrious professional baseball career in 1935 with Fieldale, Va., in the Bi-State League as a pitcher. He had a 16-15 record that year. In 1936 he pitched to a 16-12 record with the Charles Town, W.Va., Mid-Atlantic team. In 1937, “Boots” compiled a 9-1 record with Beaumont, Texas, in the Texas League.
He was traded to the Detroit Tigers of the American League and ended the 1937 season with a 10-5 record for Detroit. “Boots” started the 1938 season with the Tigers and went 6-7 before being moved to the Toledo American Association, where he finished the year with an 8-3 record.
He was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League in 1939. “Boots” pitched for Nashville in the Southern League in 1940, finishing the season with a 26-9 record, and had a 7-1 record for Nashville in 1941. In 1942 he pitched for San Diego in the Pacific Coast League, going 9-10.
“Boots” served his country in the Marine Corps from 1943-45. In 1946 he returned to professional baseball with San Diego, where he finished the season with a 6-7 record. Poffenberger then returned to his native Washington County, where he ended his baseball career with the Hagerstown Owls of the Interstate League, pitching for two seasons.