Hoyt Wilhelm (1985)

Date of Birth: 7/26/1922
Date of Death: 8/23/2002
Birthplace: Huntersville, North Carolina

Hoyt Wilhelm, a knuckleball pitcher, played for nine teams over a twenty-one year career in the major leagues. He spent most of his career as a relief pitcher.

Wilhelm was a pitcher on his high school team in North Carolina before starting a professional career in the minor leagues. From 1942 through 1947, he played in the North Carolina State League. The Boston Braves purchased his contract in October, 1947. The next month, he was acquired by the New York Giants. He played in the Giants minor league system from 1948 through 1951.

New York Giants

Wilhelm started his major league career in 1952, as a relief pitcher with the Giants. In his first season in the major leagues, he had a career high 15 wins to 3 losses, 11 saves, 108 strikeouts to 57 walks, and a 2.43 ERA in 159.1 innings in 71 games. He led the National League in games played and in ERA that season.

Wilhelm again led the NL in games played in 1953. He had a 3.04 ERA, 7 wins and 8 losses, 15 saves, and 71 strikeouts to 77 walks in 145.0 innings in 68 games. The following season, he had a 2.10 ERA in 57 games. He finished the 1954 season with 12 wins and 4 losses, 7 saves, and 64 strikeouts to 52 walks in 111.1 innings.

Wilhelm's ERA went up to 3.93 in 1955. He had a 4-1 record and 71 strikeouts to 40 walks in 103.0 innings in 59 games. The following season, he had a 3.83 ERA in 64 games. He finished the 1956 season with 4 wins and 9 losses, 8 saves, and 71 strikeouts to 43 walks in 89.1 innings.

St. Louis Cardinals

In February, 1957, Wilhelm was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. He played in 40 games with the Cardinals in 1957, before being claimed off waivers by the Cleveland Indians on September 21st. He then played in two games with the Indians, and he finished the season with 2 wins and 4 losses, 12 saves, 29 strikeouts to 22 walks, and a 4.14 ERA in 58.2 innings.

Cleveland Indians

On August 23, 1958, after playing in 30 games with the Indians, Wilhelm was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles. He then played in 9 games with Baltimore. He pitched as a starting pitcher for the first time in his major league career in 1958, pitching in 10 games from the starting rotation and pitching in 29 games as a reliever. He finished the season with 3 wins and 10 losses, 5 saves, 92 strikeouts to 45 walks, and a 2.34 ERA in 131.0 innings.

Baltimore Orioles

In 1959, his first full season with the Orioles, Wilhelm led the American League in ERA. He had career highs in innings pitched (226.0), wins (15 to 11 losses), and strikeouts (139 to 77 walks). He had an ERA of 2.19 in 27 games as a starter and 5 games in relief.

Wilhelm pitched in 11 games as a starter and 30 games as a relief pitcher in 1960. He had an 11-8 record, 7 saves, 107 strikeouts to 39 walks, and a 3.31 ERA in 147.0 innings.

Wilhelm was only a relief pitcher in 1961 and 1962. He had a 2.30 ERA in 1961, and a 1.94 ERA the following season. He had 9 wins and 7 losses, 18 saves, and 87 strikeouts to 41 walks in 109.2 innings in 51 games in 1961. The following season, he had 7 wins and 10 losses, 15 saves, and 90 strikeouts to 34 walks in 93.0 innings in 52 games.

Chicago White Sox

Wilhelm was traded to the Chicago White Sox on January 14, 1963. He pitched in 3 games as a starter and 52 games as a relief pitcher in 1963. That was the last year in which he was a starting pitcher for any games. He finished the season with 5 wins and 8 losses, 21 saves, 111 strikeouts to 30 walks, and a 2.64 ERA in 136.1 innings.

Wilhelm pitched in a career high 73 games in 1964. He had a 12-9 record, a career high 27 saves, 95 strikeouts to 30 walks, and a 1.99 ERA in 131.1 innings. The following season, he had a 1.81 ERA in 66 games. He finished the 1965 season with a 7-7 record, 20 saves, and 106 strikeouts to 32 walks in 144.0 innings. In 1966, he had 5 wins and 2 losses, 6 saves, 61 strikeouts to 17 walks, and a 1.66 ERA in 81.1 innings in 46 games.

In 1967, Wilhelm had a career low ERA of 1.31. He finished the season with 8 wins and 3 losses, 12 saves, and 76 strikeouts to 34 walks in 89.0 innings in 49 games. He played in 72 games the following season, and he had 4 wins and 4 losses, 12 saves, 72 strikeouts to 24 walks, and a 1.73 ERA in 93.2 innings.

California Angels

The Kansas City Royals drafted Wilhelm on October 15, 1968, in the 1968 expansion draft. However, he didn't stay long with them. Two months later, on December 12, 1968, he was traded to the California Angels.

After 44 games with the Angels in 1969, Wilhelm was traded to the Atlanta Braves on September 8th. He then played in 8 games with the Braves. He finished the season with a 7-7 record, 14 saves, 67 strikeouts to 22 walks, and a 2.19 ERA in 78.0 innnings.

Atlanta Braves

Wilhelm spent most of the 1970 season with the Braves, pitching in 50 games with them. On September 21st, the Chicago Cubs claimed him off waivers and he played in 3 games with them. He finished the season with 6 wins and 5 losses, 13 saves, 68 strikeouts to 42 walks, and a 3.40 ERA in 82.0 innings.

The Cubs traded Wilhelm back to the Braves on November 30, 1970.

Los Angeles Dodgers

After just three games with the Braves in 1971, Wilhelm was released on June 29th. Less than two weeks later, on July 10th, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He played in nine games with the Dodgers, and he finished the season with a 2.70 ERA in 20.0 innings.

Wilhelm pitched 25.1 innings in 16 games in 1972, and he had an ERA of 4.62. The Dodgers released him on July 21st.

MLB Records

• Led league in ERA (2 times)
• Led NL in games played (2 times)

Career Statistics

Career pitching statistics for Wilhelm include:

• 1,070 games played
• 2,254.1 innings pitched
• 143-122 win-loss record
• 227 saves
• 1,610 strikeouts to 778 walks
• 2.52 ERA

Post Playing Career

Wilhelm was a minor league manager for the Atlanta Braves in 1973 and 1975. After that, he was hired as a pitching coach by the New York Yankees. He held that position for 22 years.

Wilhelm was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1985 on the eighth ballot with 83.8% of the vote.

Wilhelm died on August 23, 2002, from heart failure.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Hoyt Wilhelm
ESPN - Hoyt Wilhelm
Baseball Reference - Hoyt Wilhelm