William George Werle (December 21, 1920 – November 27, 2010) was a left-handed major league baseball pitcher from
Oakland, California
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast of the United States, West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third ...
. He pitched for the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
,
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
and
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
from 1949 to 1954.
[ His nickname was ''Bugs'' because of his interest in ]entomology
Entomology () is the science, scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such ...
. He threw and batted left-handed. His playing weight was 182 pounds.["Bill Werle", https://www.baseball-reference.com, Players.]
College pitcher
Werle pitched for Modesto Junior College
Modesto Junior College (MJC) is a public community college in Modesto, California. It is part of Yosemite Community College District along with Columbia College. MJC, and Columbia College, belong to the California Community College system al ...
in the spring of 1941. In an 8–7 loss to Compton Junior College he ceded 14 hits, but it was an unearned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an err ...
which caused his defeat. He pitched a
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
. In March 1942 Werle held the University of Southern California
The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal) is a Private university, private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest private research university in C ...
baseball team to eight hits in a key California Intercollegiate Baseball Association contest. The University of California
The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, ...
won 10–5. One of the hits he gave up was a solo homer to
Cal Barnes in the ninth inning. Playing for the Stockton, California
Stockton is a city in and the county seat of San Joaquin County, California, San Joaquin County in the Central Valley (California), Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. Stockton was founded by Carlos Maria Weber in 1849 after he acquir ...
, All-Stars, Werle shut out the McClellan Field Commandos, 7–0, in May 1943.
Pacific Coast League 1943–1948, 1955–1957
In a benefit game for Hammond General Hospital in Modesto, California
Modesto () is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,464 at the 2020 census, it is the 19th largest city in the state of California and forms part of the Sacramento-Stockton- ...
, Werle was one of three San Francisco Seals pitchers to face Sergeant Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul DiMaggio (November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe", "The Yankee Clipper" and "Joe D.", was an American baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career in Major League Baseball for the New York Yank ...
. Stationed at the Santa Ana, California
Santa Ana () is the second most populous city and the county seat of Orange County, California. Located in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California, the city's population was 310,227 at the 2020 census, making Santa Ana the List of ...
, Army Air Base, Dimaggio did not reach safely in four at bats.
In February 1945 Werle was inducted into the U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
. He had been employed in a Stockton war plant. He was married and had one child.["Sports Items Rationed", ''Los Angeles Times'', February 23, 1945, Page A8.] Following World War II Werle again pitched for San Francisco. In a game versus the Sacramento Solons
The Sacramento Solons were a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Pacific Coast League during several periods (1903, 1905, 1909–1914, 1918–1960, 1974–1976). The current Sacramento River Cats began pl ...
, in June 1946, he gave up 13 hits, including two home runs.
Werle pitched 16 innings against Sacramento in August 1948, winning the first game 11–0 and preserving a tie in the nightcap, 3–3. He struck out nine batters in the opener and five in the finale. The tie was not broken because of a league rule prohibiting an inning from beginning after 11:50 p.m. He won 17 and lost seven with the Seals who were managed by Lefty O'Doul
Francis Joseph "Lefty" O'Doul (March 4, 1897 – December 7, 1969) was an American Major League Baseball player who went on to become an extraordinarily successful manager in the minor leagues. He was also a vital figure in the establishmen ...
.
The Portland Beavers
The Portland Beavers was the name of separate minor league baseball teams, which represented Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). The team was established in 1903, the first year of the PCL.
Franchise history
Many baseball teams ...
obtained Werle from the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
in early April 1955. By this time he had become a sidearm pitcher. He yielded only four hits to the Seals in an April 12 contest in San Francisco. Werle tossed a three-hitter against Sacramento on June 10, in a 6–0 Portland win. He was selected by Charlie Metro
Charlie Metro (born Charles Moreskonich; April 18, 1918 – March 18, 2011) was an American professional baseball player, manager, coach and scout. Notably, he was an outfielder for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics as well as ...
for the northern squad in the 1957 Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
All-Star Game.
Pittsburgh Pirates (1949–1952)
The Pittsburgh Pirates released catcher LeRoy Jarvis to the Seals as partial payment for the rights to Werle in January 1949. As a National League rookie Werle survived a ninth inning rally at Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball stadium in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York. It is mainly known for having been the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team of the National League (1913–1957). It was also home to five p ...
in May 1949 to beat the Dodgers, 5–3. He surrendered seven runs, three in the last inning, when Bob Ramazzoti homered. Pirates chief scout, Pie Traynor
Harold Joseph "Pie" Traynor (November 11, 1898 – March 16, 1972) was an American third baseman, manager, scout and radio broadcaster in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career between 1920 and 1937 for the Pittsburgh Pirates. ...
, favored Cliff Chambers
Clifford Day Chambers (January 10, 1922 – January 21, 2012) was an American professional baseball pitcher who appeared in 189 games in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to for the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals. He ...
over Werle, and predicted Chambers would win more games in 1949. Werle shut out the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
on seven hits on July 4, 1949. It was the second game of a doubleheader and lifted the Pirates into sixth place in the National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team s ...
. Werle pitched in relief for Pittsburgh in 1950. In June he came on for his second relief stint in two days. Tommy Holmes homered off of him in the eight inning, breaking a 6–6 tie and giving the Boston Braves
The Atlanta Braves, a current Major League Baseball franchise, originated in Boston, Massachusetts. This article details the history of the Boston Braves, from 1871 to 1952, after which they moved to Milwaukee, and then to Atlanta.
During it ...
the win. Werle outpitched All-Star Larry Jansen
Lawrence Joseph Jansen (July 16, 1920 – October 10, 2009) was an American right-handed pitcher and coach in Major League Baseball. A native of Oregon, he played minor league baseball in the early 1940s before starting his Major League career ...
with a two-hitter on July 15 at Forbes Field
Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland (Pittsburgh), Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to June 28, 1970. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball (MLB) team, and the first home of t ...
. The Pirates beat the New York Giants 2–1. On April 17, 1951, Werle provided effective relief in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
. He retired the side without a hit in the top of the seventh after Murry Dickson
Murry Monroe Dickson (August 21, 1916 – September 21, 1989) was an American professional baseball right-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1940s and 1950s. He was known for his vast array of pitches and delive ...
walked the bases loaded. Only a single run scored when Red Schoendienst
Albert Fred "Red" Schoendienst (; February 2, 1923 – June 6, 2018) was an American professional baseball second baseman, coach, and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB), and is largely known for his coaching, managing, and playing years wit ...
hit a sacrifice fly which plated Solly Hemus
Solomon Joseph Hemus (April 17, 1923 – October 2, 2017) was an American professional baseball infielder, manager, and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. Hemus is one of a sel ...
. He went 8–6 for the Pirates in 1951.["Werle Handed Fine of $500", ''Los Angeles Times'', April 4, 1952, Page C1.]
Werle was fined $500 and suspended indefinitely on April 3, 1952.[ Manager ]Billy Meyer
William Adam Meyer (January 14, 1893 – March 31, 1957) was an American baseball player and manager. He holds the dubious distinction of having played with, then managed, two of the worst teams in the history of Major League Baseball.
A catch ...
ordered him to go back to Pittsburgh and wait for further instructions.[ Pittsburgh general manager, ]Branch Rickey
Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also creat ...
, reinstated Werle on April 11, but the fine was not dropped. The incident which prompted the fine and suspension was not explained clearly. Werle understood that it had to do with his having been 30 minutes late, a violation of training rules. It was mentioned that he arrived at his hotel with roommate, George Metkovich, after seven innings of a night game in Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a coastal city in the U.S. state of Texas. It is the county seat, seat of government of Jefferson County, Texas, Jefferson County, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur, Texas, Port Arthur Beaumont–Port Arthur metropolitan area, metropo ...
. They had a couple of bottles of beer each, showered, and went downstairs. He denied a rumor of having a woman in his hotel room, which Rickey seemed to believe at first. Werle swore on his father's grave that this was untrue and 'that someone was a damned liar'.["Werle Says Fine Affair Big Mix-Up", ''Los Angeles Times'', April 13, 1952, Page A11.]
St. Louis Cardinals (1952)
Werle was traded to the Cardinals on May 1, 1952, for righthanded pitcher George Red Munger
George David "Red" Munger (October 4, 1918 – July 23, 1996) was an American professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher who spent a decade in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals (1943–44; 1946–52) and Pittsburgh Pirat ...
. In a game against the New York Giants on June 16 he relieved Eddie Yuhas in the ninth inning with two men on base. He walked Whitey Lockman
Carroll Walter "Whitey" Lockman (July 25, 1926 – March 17, 2009) was a left-handed hitting first baseman and outfielder, coach, manager and front office executive in Major League Baseball.
Playing career
Born in Lowell, North Carolina, Lockman ...
before he was removed for Willard Schmidt
Willard Raymond Schmidt (May 29, 1928 – March 22, 2007) was an American professional baseball player, a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball between 1952 and 1959. Listed at , , Schmidt batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Hays, ...
. Schmidt gave up a grand slam
Grand Slam most often refers to:
* Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves
Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to:
Games and sports
* Grand slam, winning category te ...
to Bobby Thomson
Robert Brown Thomson (October 25, 1923 – August 16, 2010) was a Scottish Americans, Scottish-born American professional baseball player, nicknamed the "Staten Island Scot". He was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants ( ...
, who hit his first pitch over the left field roof just inside the foul line at the Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name of three stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used mainly for professional baseball and American football from 1880 through 1963. The original Polo Grounds, opened in 1876 and demolished in 1889, was built fo ...
, to win the game for the Giants.
Boston Red Sox (1952–1954)
Werle was claimed by the Boston Red Sox off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals on October 2, 1952.[ In a May 1953 game versus the ]New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
, he relieved Mickey McDermott
Maurice Joseph "Mickey" McDermott Jr. (April 29, 1929 – August 7, 2003) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.
Pre-professional career
Mickey McDermott was the third son of Maurice McDermott Sr., a police officer and fo ...
with only one out in the first inning. He yielded a third-inning home run to Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York ...
and three runs over 5 innings of work. Werle gave an up a long homer to Dave Philley
David Earl Philley (May 16, 1920 – March 15, 2012) was an outfielder who played in Major League Baseball. A switch hitter who threw right-handed, he debuted on September 6, and played his final game on August 6, . He was born in Paris, Texas.
...
in a relief outing against the Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
in April 1954. He gave up five hits in 4 innings and three earned runs
In baseball, an earned run is any run that was fully enabled by the offensive team's production in the face of competent play from the defensive team. Conversely, an unearned run is a run that would not have been scored without the aid of an err ...
. Gus Zernial
Gus Edward Zernial (June 27, 1923 – January 20, 2011) was an American professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball, most notably for the Philadelphia Athletics with whom he remained when they moved west a ...
tagged Werle for a home run in the ninth inning of a game with the Philadelphia Athletics
The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oaklan ...
in June.
The Cincinnati Reds obtained Werle from the Louisville Colonels
The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that also played in the American Association (AA) throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891. They were known as the Louisville Eclipse from 1882 to 1884, and as ...
of the American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
on October 14, 1954. Manager Birdie Tebbetts
George Robert "Birdie" Tebbetts (November 10, 1912 – March 24, 1999) was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and front office executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, B ...
named Werle as one of three pitchers to be used in the first game of spring training 1955. The Reds played an exhibition against the Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
. After the Reds cut him, Tebbetts refuted a statement by Werle, saying that the pitcher was given every chance to make the club.
Manager and scout
Werle was named interim manager of the Hawaii Islanders
The Hawaii Islanders were a minor league baseball team based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League for 27 seasons from 1961 through 1987.
Originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics, the Islanders played ...
of the Pacific Coast League in August 1961. He managed the Phoenix Giants (Phoenix Firebirds
The Phoenix Firebirds were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Phoenix, Arizona, from 1958 to 1959, and from 1966 to 1997. Before 1986, the team was known as the Phoenix Giants.
The franchise was a member of the Triple-A Pacific Coast Le ...
) in 1966 until he served as a temporary replacement for Larry Jansen
Lawrence Joseph Jansen (July 16, 1920 – October 10, 2009) was an American right-handed pitcher and coach in Major League Baseball. A native of Oregon, he played minor league baseball in the early 1940s before starting his Major League career ...
as pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Yor ...
. Werle was placed on the San Francisco Giants roster at the age of 46 in September 1967. He managed Phoenix that season and was just 19 days short of becoming eligible for the major league pension plan, so the Giants put him on the active list as an extra coach
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Co ...
. Werle served as a scout for the Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East division. As one of the American L ...
in 1980.
Death
On November 27, 2010, Werle died due to complications of Alzheimer's in San Mateo, California.["Obituary, William Werle", ''Mercury News'', December 1, 2010.] He is interred at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo, California
San Mateo ( ; ) is a city in San Mateo County, California, on the San Francisco Peninsula. About 20 miles (32 km) south of San Francisco, the city borders Burlingame to the north, Hillsborough to the west, San Francisco Bay and Foster C ...
.
References
External links
o
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League statistics
{{DEFAULTSORT:Werle, Bill
1920 births
2010 deaths
Baltimore Orioles scouts
Baseball players from Oakland, California
Boston Red Sox players
California Golden Bears baseball players
Cleveland Indians scouts
Deaths from Alzheimer's disease
Hawaii Islanders managers
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Leones del Caracas players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Major League Baseball pitchers
Minor league baseball managers
Pittsburgh Pirates players
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Deaths from dementia in California