Editor’s Note: This is the third of three parts featuring the members of the Somerset County Baseball Old-Timers Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
The 27th annual Somerset County Baseball Old-Timers Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held August 24 at Stoystown American Legion Post 257.
The picnic begins at 12 noon. The Hall of Fame inductions and awards ceremony begin at 2 p.m.
Here’s a look at the final two members of the Class of 2024:
Bob Christner
Christner began his baseball career in 1959 in the Somerset Little League, where he won a championship with Kiwanis. Starting in 1961, Christner played for two years for Uptegraph in the Somerset Senior League. His team won a title in 1962.
From 1976 to 1979, Christner coached the Somerset Saylor Dodge Boys’ League team. He also served as president of the Somerset Little League.
Christner took his coaching career to the Senior League, managing the IGA team from 1984 to 1988. From 1989 to 1993, Christner managed Coke in the Johnstown AAABA League, managing a team that competed in the AAABA tournament.
He continued his coaching career through the ranks. Christner coached T-ball for two years, the Somerset 7-8 year old league from 1988-1999, Little League for two more years, and then coached in the Senior League for two years. Christner was an assistant coach for the Somerset High School team from 2007-2019 and coached the Somerset Legion from 2007-2012. Christner helped obtain fundraising documents for the Somerset High School team from 2019-2021.
Craig Knupp
When Knupp was young, his father, Paul, instilled in him a love and respect for the game of baseball that continues to this day. It all started when he was given his first baseball glove and played catch with his father in the backyard. His passion for the game grew as he grew up as a player, coach, umpire and forever a fan.
As a player, Knupp got his start playing for “The Big Red Machine” in the Shanksville Little League, where he was a shortstop and pitcher. After his time in Little League, Knupp continued to play as a pitcher and shortstop for Shanksville’s team in the Somerset County Minor League.
Knupp played his high school career under Barry Sechler and earned All-County honors while playing shortstop and pitcher. During his summers in the Senior Legion, he became a member of the Boswell Bears under coach Nathan Codispoti. He played in the Pennsylvania American Legion West All-Star Game, where he had a perfect day at bat. Knupp’s most memorable award in the Senior Legion was the D. Steinkerchner Memorial Sportsmanship Award, voted on by his teammates.
He played at the collegiate level at Juniata College for coach Bill “The Bear” Berrier. Knupp is eternally grateful to coaches Sechler, Codispoti and Berrier, who he played for after his father died.
As a coach, Knupp, along with his son Joshua Paul “JP,” had the privilege of mentoring many talented athletes during their Little League, Junior League and Senior League careers. Knupp was also an assistant coach for the Somerset High School varsity team. Along with Randy Close, Knupp also coached the Somerset Baseball Club Post 181 American Legion team. When he wasn’t coaching baseball, he was an assistant coach for the Somerset and Rockwood High School varsity basketball teams.
Knupp has been a PIAA baseball and softball umpire for nearly 40 years since 1985, an American Legion umpire, a Johnstown Collegiate Baseball League umpire, a AAABA umpire, and a former NCAA umpire. He is president of the Tri-County Umpires Association and a past president of the Turnpike Umpires Association. Knupp currently supervises the PIAA’s first-ever junior umpire in baseball and basketball.
His fondest memories include watching the Pirates with his father, coaching and later umpiring his son, receiving his Wilson A2000 baseball glove from his girlfriend and now wife, attending games as a family, his daughter hitting him in the chest pad to make sure he was ready to play, umpiring at Three Rivers Stadium, taking Ed Vargo’s umpiring course, and meeting Roberto Clemente’s family.
Adam Ripple is the Daily American’s sports editor. Reach him at 814-444-5926. Follow him on X @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.
