Russell Van Atta (June 21, 1906 – October 10, 1986) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played with the New York Yankees and the Saint Louis Browns over a seven-season career. After his career ended, he was elected to one-term as Sheriff of Sussex County, New Jersey from 1941 to 1944.\n', 'and for six years as a county freeholder.\n', '

He was born on June 21, 1906, near Augusta in Frankford Township, Sussex County, in northwestern New Jersey. Having attended grammar and secondary school locally in Augusta, Van Atta attended the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) in State College, Pennsylvania. During his years pitching on the team at university, Van Atta only lost a single game in his four collegiate seasons.\n', '

After completing his degree at Penn State, scouts from the Major Leagues considered Van Atta to be a promising prospect and in 1928 the New York Yankees negotiated a contract and paid a signing bonus of $250. However, Miller Huggins, the Manager of the Yankees did not trust Van Atta\'s talent and sent him to the minors. In 1928, he played for the Hartford Senators, a minor-league team based in Connecticut and affiliated with the Eastern League. He played for the next four seasons with the St. Paul Saints, a Triple-A level minor-league baseball team from Minnesota in the American Association (now defunct).\n', '

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