Vincent D. Yurko

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Vince Yurko spent over 35 years as a volunteer baseball coach, treasurer, umpire and equipment buyer. He coached at all levels from teeners league to college. Vince spent a decade as the Pocono Region Pennsylvania Keystone Games head coach where his teams won numerous medals including two gold medals. He started his coaching career with the South Wilkes-Barre Teeners’ League spending several decades leading both regular season and various All -Star teams. He was also assistant coach at both Meyers High School and Penn State Wilkes-Barre. Over his career his teams won more than 30 championships and tournaments. More importantly, over the course of his career, “Coach Yurks” as he is fondly referred to by his players, touched the lives of over 1,200 players, many of whom went on to play in college, with more than a handful drafted by Major League Baseball. Vince is credited with establishing locally the fall baseball program for ages 13 to 17 and the 13-Year-Old Baseball League for the Wyoming Valley. Vince received numerous dedicated service and coach of the year awards from the various leagues he served, from government dignitaries and the Meyers High School Quarterback Club. South Wilkes-Barre Teeners’ League created the “Vince Yurko for the Love of the Game” award established in 2004. One newspaper commendation he received states “Vince Yurko, the likable and popular baseball mentor, has been involved in building the character of teenage boys through baseball for the past 16 years and continues to develop the baseball talents of South Wilkes-Barre youths”. Vince graduated from Plymouth High School in 1954 where he played baseball, football and basketball, earning 6 varsity letters playing on championship teams for both football and basketball. He was selected to the Wyoming Valley Coaches Football All-Star team as a receiver and punter scoring 14 touchdowns in his career. He was selected to play in the Unico Game where he recorded an 80 yard punt. He also played baseball for the 20-0 Shea Town Ramblers winning the 1954 Central League Championship. Vince served his country in the United States Navy where he spent 4 years as a radarman on the destroyer ship the USS Murray. Vince was married to his loving wife, Barbara for 61 years. He has 3 children, Paul, Dave and Barb, their spouses Mary Theresa, Tina and Jack, along with 10 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.