[2] During his years pitching on the team at university, Van Atta only lost a single game in his four collegiate seasons.

[3] 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.

[3] 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).

[5][note 1] Van Atta's season performance consisted of a .283 batting average, 4.38 ERA and a record of 12 wins and 4 losses (.750).

[2] Although a "late bloomer" at age 27, his rookie year was successful and he led the American League among pitchers in win–loss record, tying for first with Lefty Grove (24–8) of the Philadelphia Athletics.

In December 1934, Van Atta injured his pitching hand while breaking a glass window to rescue his pet cocker spaniel during a house fire at his home in the Lake Mohawk section of Sparta Township, New Jersey.

On May 14, 1939, he was purchased by Toronto Maple Leafs (now defunct) then a Double-A minor-league team affiliated with the International League from the Browns.