Sag Harbor native Francis Joseph “Art” Gunning of Milford, Delaware, died on May 5 at Milford Center. Son of the late Arthur and Madeline Gunning of Sag Harbor, he was 92.
A former professional minor league baseball player, Mr. Gunning was a catcher for teams under the New York Giants in the Eastern Shore League (Milford, Delaware), the Western Association (Fort Smith, Arkansas), and the Eastern League (Elmira, New York). In 2004, he was inducted into the Eastern Shore Baseball Hall of Fame at Perdue Stadium in Salisbury, Maryland.
He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Emma Gunning; a son, Steve Gunning of Louisiana, two daughters, Debi Dick of Maryland and Fran Gunning of Delaware; three sisters, Madelin “Lee” King of Sag Harbor, Blanche Coles of Valapte, New York, and Mary A. Malloy of Florida.
A memorial service was held on May 16 at Rogers Funeral Home in Milford, Delaware.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Milford Museum, 121 S. Walnut Street, Milford, Delaware, 19963, to help realize Mr. Gunning’s dream that the museum have a permanent baseball exhibit, would appreciated by the family.