William P. Kirk

Published in the York Daily Record & York Dispatch on 10/29/2009

YORK William P. Kirk, 75, died at Monday, October 26, 2009, at the Moravian Manor, in Lititz. Born July 19, 1934, in Coatsville, he was the son of the late William A. and Mildred {Parthemore} Kirk.

He was a former major league baseball player, and a retired advertising and marketing executive. After his retirement, he served as a tipstaff at the York County Court House primarily for Judge Dorney.

He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of York, Zeredatha Lodge, No. 451, Free and Accepted Masons; and The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Assoc. He was also a Veteran of the U.S. Army.

Although he called York his home, Mr. Kirk spent much of his life in Lancaster. As a young man, Billy, as he was known then, built his own racer and entered the 1949 all-American Soap Box Derby competition. He won the local race and traveled to Akron, Ohio for the national competition.

Mr. Kirk graduated from J. P. McCaskey in 1952. During high school he was a gifted athlete excelling in both soccer and baseball. Upon graduation, he was offered a scholarship to West Chester University, but chose instead to accept a minor league pitching contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In 1954, he signed a major league contract with the Philadelphia Athletics. Mr. Kirk joined the Kansas City Athletics baseball team in 1955. He returned to Lancaster for a winning season with the Lancaster Red Roses, where he pitched a no-hitter at Stumpf Field in July of 1960. He rejoined Kansas City and finished his career with them in 1962. In 1964 he became a player/coach for the York White Roses, which was the farm team for the Washington Senators. Mr. Kirk loved baseball and was involved in some aspect of the sport his entire life.

Mr. Kirk will be deeply missed by his daughter, Kelly Kirk-Wentzel and her husband, Eric of Lititz; two sons, Matthew W. Kirk and his wife, Deborah of Lancaster, and Chadd C. Kirk of New York City; six grandchildren, Kirk Daniel, Marenthia Lourdes, Walker, Savannah, Harrison and Jacklyn; and a sister, Midge Thomas of LA. He was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Jean Rutter.

A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, at First Presbyterian Church of York, 225 E. Market St., with his Pastor, the Rev. Dr. John E. Morgan, officiating. Visitations will be 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at Kuhner Associates Funeral Directors, 863 S. George St., York, {the former Hahn Home} and 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Susan Byrnes Health Education Center, 515 S. George St., York, PA 17403. KuhnerAssociates.com