Billy Werber

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Billy Werber
Billy Werber
Third Baseman
Born: June 20, 1908 (1908-06-20) (age 99)
Berwyn Heights, Maryland
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 25, 1930
for the New York Yankees
Final game
September 5, 1942
for the New York Giants
Career statistics
Batting average     .271
Home runs     78
Runs batted in     539
Teams
Career highlights and awards

William Murray Werber (born June 20, 1908) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees (1930, 1933), Boston Red Sox (1933-1936), Philaldelphia Athletics (1937-1938), Cincinnati Reds (1939-1941) and New York Giants (1942). He led American League third basemen in putouts and assists once each, and also led National League third basemen in assists, double plays and fielding percentage once each. A strong baserunner, he led the AL in stolen bases three times and led the NL in runs in 1939 as the Reds won the pennant. He was born in Berwyn Heights, Maryland and batted and threw right-handed.

A 5'10", 170-pound infielder, Werber was at spring training and toured for several weeks in July with the Yankees in 1927. He returned to North Carolina to attend school at Duke University, where he was the first Duke basketball player to earn All-America honors. He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He played with Duke in spring and semi-pro ball in summers until 1930 when he officially becoming a Yankee rookie in 1930. He appeared in only four games that season, and was sent to the minors. In his first game he reached base five times including his first at bat where, according to Ford Frick (then a sportswriter, later commissioner of baseball): "Werber, in his first time at bat in big league competition, with two strikes on him watched the next four balls with the coolness of a veteran." In 1933, Frankie Crosetti was the obvious choice as the Yankees' shortstop, and with Tony Lazzeri at second base and Joe Sewell on third, Werber was expendable. Then, after playing only three games he was sold to the Boston Red Sox. The rest of the year he appeared in 108 games with Boston as a utility infielder at shortstop, second and third bases.

In 1934, Werber became the starting third baseman of the Red Sox. He responded with a career-high .321 batting average, including 200 hits; led the American League with 40 stolen bases, and posted double digits in doubles (41), triples (10) and home runs (11). He led the league in stolen bases in 1935 (29) and 1937 (35). Boston traded him to the Philadelphia Athletics for the 1937 season, and he joined the Cincinnati Reds in 1939.

In his first National League season, Werber became the first player ever to bat on television during a game between Cincinnati and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field (August 26, 1939). He ended with a .289 average in 147 games and led the league with 115 runs as Cincinnati faced the Yankees in the 1939 World Series, losing in four games. The next season belonged to Werber and the Reds, though, and although his batting numbers were generally down from 1939, he led the league with a .962 fielding average and finished 10th in voting for the NL's MVP Award. The 1940 World Series was the only Series in a six-year span that the Yankees did not win. Cincinnati beat the Detroit Tigers in seven games as Werber led his team with a .370 average (10-for-27). After that, he played with the New York Giants in 1942, his last major league season.

In an 11-season career, Werber was a .271 hitter with 78 home runs and 539 RBI in 1,295 games. One of the most aggressive baserunners of the 1930s, probably the most aggressive next to Ben Chapman, he stole 215 bases. He was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1961.

Werber had a very successful business career following his retirement from baseball. He began selling pension plans, and his work ethic and good communication skills yielded outstanding results. He ultimately oversaw the operations of the Werber Insurance Agency, started by his father in 1904. He was a top producer until his retirement in the early 1970s. He retired to Naples, Florida, but now lives in a retirement home in Charlotte, North Carolina. He no longer watches baseball; one of his stated reasons is that he was dismayed to see Johnny Damon's long hair and beard.[1]

As of 2008, Werber (99) is recognized as the oldest living major league ballplayer; he is the oldest living World Series player, and is also the oldest living former player for either the Yankees or the Red Sox. He is also the final surviving teammate of Babe Ruth, as well as the last player to play against Ruth while he was with the Yankees.

Billy Werber was interviewed by Lawrence Ritter in 1963 as part of his research for his book The Glory of Their Times; these interview tapes are available.

Contents

[edit] See also

[edit] Bibliography

    • Memories of a Ballplayer: Bill Werber and Baseball in the 1930s by Bill Werber and C. Paul Rogers III (SABR, 2001) ISBN 0-910137-84-6

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gordon Edes (January 20, 2008). Storied Career. The Boston Globe.

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Ben Chapman
Lyn Lary		 American League Stolen Base Champion
1934-1935
1937 (with Ben Chapman)		 Succeeded by
Lyn Lary
Frankie Crosetti
v • d • e
Cincinnati Reds 1940 World Series roster
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