| Hoyt Wilhelm | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: July 26, 1922 Huntersville, North Carolina |
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| Died: August 23, 2002 (aged 80) Sarasota, Florida |
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| Batted: Right | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| April 19, 1952 for the New York Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 10, 1972 for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| Career statistics | |
| Games pitched | 1,070 |
| Win–Loss record | 143–122 |
| Earned run average | 2.52 |
| Strikeouts | 1,610 |
| Saves | 227 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| Member of the National | |
| Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1985 |
| Vote | 83.8% (eighth ballot) |
James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.[1]
Wilhelm was best known for his knuckleball, which enabled him to have great longevity; occasionally as a starting pitcher, but mainly as a specialist relief man (in which role he won 124 games, still the record for relief pitchers). He is recognized as the first pitcher to have saved 200 games in his career, and the first pitcher to appear in 1,000 games. He is also one of the oldest players to have pitched in the major leagues; his final appearance was 16 days short of his 50th birthday. Wilhelm retired with the lowest career Earned Run Average of any Major League hurler after 1927 (Walter Johnson) who pitched more than 2,000 innings.
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Wilhelm began experimenting with a knuckleball after reading about Dutch Leonard while playing high school baseball in Huntersville, North Carolina.[1]
Wilhelm served in the United States Army in the European Theater during World War II. Wilhelm participated in the Battle of the Bulge, where he was wounded, earning the Purple Heart for his actions.[1][2] He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant. Because of his military service, he was nicknamed "Ol' Sarge".[3]
In 1947, Wilhelm was purchased by the Boston Braves from the Mooresville Moors of the Class-D North Carolina State League.[4] On November 20, 1947, Wilhelm was drafted by the New York Giants from the Braves in the 1947 minor league draft.[4]
Wilhelm made his MLB debut with the Giants on April 18, 1952. Pitching exclusively in relief, Wilhelm led the National League with a 2.43 earned run average (ERA) in 1952. On April 23, 1952, in his second game with the New York Giants, Wilhelm came to the plate for the first time in the majors. Facing rookie Dick Hoover of the Boston Braves, Wilhelm swung and sliced a home run over the short right-field fence at the Polo Grounds. Although he played 21 seasons and went to bat a total of 432 times in his career, he never hit another home run.
On February 26, 1957, Wilhelm was traded by the Giants to the St. Louis Cardinals for Whitey Lockman.[4] On September 21, 1957, he was selected off waivers by the Cleveland Indians from the Cardinals.[4]
In 1958, Cleveland manager Bobby Bragan used Wilhelm occasionally as a starter. Although he had a 2.49 ERA, none of the Indians' catchers could handle Wilhelm's knuckleball. General manager Frank Lane, alarmed at the large number of passed balls, allowed the Baltimore Orioles to select Wilhelm off waivers on August 23, 1958.[4]
On September 20, 1958, Wilhelm threw a no-hitter against the New York Yankees.[1] He allowed two baserunners on walks and struck out eight.[5]
On August 6, 1959, Wilhelm nearly pitched a rare no-hitter in relief. Relieving Billy O'Dell at the start of the ninth inning, Wilhelm held the White Sox hitless for 8 2⁄3 innings before finally surrendering a hit in the 17th. Only Ernie Shore ever fashioned a longer spell of no-hit relief.
Orioles catchers set an MLB record with 49 passed balls in 1959.[1] However, he also won the American League ERA title with a 2.19 ERA. During the 1960 season, Orioles manager Paul Richards kept Wilhelm in the rotation, and devised a larger mitt so his catchers could handle the knuckleball.[1][6][7]
On January 14, 1963, Wilhelm was traded by the Orioles with Ron Hansen, Dave Nicholson and Pete Ward to the Chicago White Sox for Luis Aparicio and Al Smith.[4]
On October 15, 1968, Wilhelm was chosen in the 1968 expansion draft by the Kansas City Royals from the White Sox as the 49th pick.[4] That offseason, he was traded by the Royals to the California Angels for Ed Kirkpatrick and Dennis Paepke.[4] Wilhelm set MLB records with the most consecutive errorless games for a pitcher, games pitched for a relief pitcher, most career victories in relief, most games finished, most innings pitched in relief, and most games pitched during the 1968 season.[8]
"[Hoyt] had the best knuckleball you'd ever want to see. He knew where it was going when he threw it, but when he got two strikes on you, he'd break out one that even he didn't know where it was going."
On September 8, 1969, Wilhelm was traded by the Angels with Bob Priddy to the Atlanta Braves for Clint Compton and Mickey Rivers.[4] On September 21, 1970, he was selected off waivers by the Chicago Cubs,[4] and then traded back by the Cubs to the Braves for Hal Breeden after the season.[4] As the Cubs acquired Wilhelm late in the season to bolster their playoff contention, which was a source of controversy, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn investigated the transaction.[9]
Wilhelm was released by the Braves on June 29, 1971. He signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 10, 1971, but they released him on July 21, 1972.[4] At the time of his retirement, Wilhelm pitched in a then-MLB record 1,070 games.[1]
His success as a reliever helped the gradual change in usage patterns of pitchers, and the popularity of the concept of a "relief ace." Wilhelm was the first relief pitcher elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.[1] Along with Phil Niekro, Wilhelm is considered by many as one of the greatest knuckleballers to have played the game.
Wilhelm worked as a minor league pitching coach after his retirement.[1]
In the Billy Crystal directed movie 61*, Wilhelm was portrayed by fellow knuckleball pitcher Tom Candiotti.
Hoyt Wilhelm at the Baseball Hall of Fame
| Preceded by Chet Nichols, Jr. |
National League ERA Champion 1952 |
Succeeded by Warren Spahn |
| Preceded by Jim Bunning |
No-hitter pitcher September 20, 1958 |
Succeeded by Don Cardwell |
| Preceded by Whitey Ford |
American League ERA Champion 1959 |
Succeeded by Frank Baumann |
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