Bill Hands (Rotary 1952) went 4-1 for his regular-season team, striking out 64. After a fine career at Rutherford High School (class of 1958), he was signed by the San Francisco Giants. He worked his way through their chain, making the Show in 1965. Later, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs, where he went on to a 20-win season in 1969 and helped his club to a second-place finish behind New York in the National League East. After pitching for two seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Hands retired after the 1975 season with the Texas Rangers, having compiled a career record of 111-110.

Brant Alyea (Rotary 1953) played in the league's longest game, a 3-2 tournament victory in 17 innings, July 27 and 28, 1953. He went on to be a three-sport athlete for Rutherford High, graduating in 1958. In 1965, he earned himself a permanent place in The Sporting News Baseball Record Book when, in his first plate appearance for the Washington Senators, he knocked the first pitch he saw out of the park. He lasted seven more years in the majors as a utility player for the Senators and, later, the Twins. Here is another anecdote about Alyea's playing career.

Pat Pacillo (Critchley Candy 1975) got no decision in both of his 1975 Town Series appearances, as his club lost each game to Flash Cleaners in extra innings. After his graduation from Rutherford High in 1981, he attended Seton Hall University for three years, making his mark as both a pitcher and outfielder. He was selected to the 1984 U.S. Olympic squad as a pitcher, and he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds the same year. He made his first appearance for the Reds in 1987. He retired from baseball following the 1990 season, which he spent at Calgary of the Pacific Coast League. His career major-league mark was 4-3.

Bobby Jones (Park Exxon 1984) struck out 100 batters as a 12-year-old. He went on to pitch for Rutherford High (class of 1990) as well as playing some basketball there. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers after one year of junior college, and then moved to the Colorado Rockies organization after the 1994 season. On 18-May-1997, Jones made his big-league debut pitching at nearby Shea Stadium against his boyhood team, the New York Mets. He later spent time with the Mets from 2000 to 2002.

In recent years, quite a few former Rutherford Little Leaguers have played professional baseball as part of Major League organizations. The names include, among others, Richie Embser, Steve Dembowski, J.R. Ferretti, Billy Manning, Dan Mahony and Bob Slomkowski. In addition, Henry Manning and Rob Walton both went from professional careers to the college coaching ranks, Manning at Pace University, Walton at Oral Roberts University. Others, such as John Wilson and Sean Rooney, have stayed active by becoming scouts for Major League Baseball teams.

In 2007, Jack Egbert is playing for the Birmingham Barons of the Southern League, affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. Vinny Mazzaro, a third-round pick of the Oakland Athletics in 2005, is with the Stockton Ports of the California League. Frank Herrmann is on the roster of the Kinston Indians of the Carolina League, a Cleveland Indians team. Jim Wladyka, a former New York Mets farmhand, had his independent contract picked up by the Kansas City Royals and he is with the Burlington (Iowa) Bees of the Midwest League. Isaac Pavlik, who has had several stints with Minor League clubs, has re-signed with the independent New Jersey Jackals of the Can-Am League. All five of these players are pitchers. See the most recent Rutherford Little League Farm Report.