Robert Edgar Willett (March 7, 1884 – May 10, 1934), sometimes known by the nickname "Farmer",
[ was a right-handed American ]baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
. He played professional baseball for 17 years from 1905 to 1921, including ten seasons in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
with the Detroit Tigers of the American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
from 1906 to 1913 and the St. Louis Terriers of the Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that played its first season as a minor league in 1913 and operated as a "third major league", in competition with the e ...
from 1914 to 1915. In 274 major league games, Willett compiled a 102–100 win–loss record
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. The statistic is commonly used in standings or rankings to compare teams or individuals. It is defined as wins divided by the total number of matc ...
with 142 complete games, an earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) of 3.08, 600 strikeouts, and 695 assist
Assist or ASSIST may refer to:
Sports
Several sports have a statistic known as an "assist", generally relating to action by a player leading to a score by another player on their team:
*Assist (basketball), a pass by a player that facilitates a ba ...
s in 1,773 innings pitched.
Early years
Willett was born in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1884. He moved to Caldwell, Kansas, in his youth.
Professional baseball career
Wichita Jobbers
Willett began his professional baseball career in the Western Association
The Western Association was the name of five different leagues formed in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries.
The oldest league, originally established as the Northwestern League in 1883, was refounded as the Weste ...
, playing for the Wichita Jobbers in 1905 and 1906. He compiled a 10–5 win–loss record with a 2.69 earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) in 16 games during the 1905 season and a 12–17 record in 38 games for Wichita in 1906. On August 27, 1906, in his final game in a Wichita uniform, Willett held Webb City to one run in 15 innings. Although he lost more games than he won in 1906, he reportedly lost a number of games on flukes and was regarded by many as the best pitcher in the Western Association.[
]
Detroit Tigers
On August 9, 1906, Willett was purchased from Wichita by the Detroit Tigers, and became the first Western Association player to make it with a major league club.[ ][ Originally scheduled to remain with Wichita through the end of the 1906 season, the Tigers asked in late August that he report early.][ ] Willett made his major league debut with Detroit on September 5, 1906,[ pitching a five-hitter against Chicago.][ ] In the final month of the 1906 season, Willett appeared in three games, all as a starter, and compiled a 0–3 record with a 3.96 ERA.[
In 1907, Willett saw limited action with the Tigers, appearing in 10 games, six as a starter, and compiled a 1–5 record with a 3.70 ERA in innings pitched.][
Willett became a regular starting pitcher for the 1908 Detroit Tigers team that won the ]American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
pennant. He appeared in 30 games, 23 as a starter, and compiled a 15–8 record with a 2.28 ERA and 77 strikeouts in innings pitched.[
Willett's best season was 1909 when he appeared in 41 games, 34 as a starter, and compiled a 21–10 record with a 2.34 ERA. He ranked among the American League leaders with 21 wins (third) and a .677 winning percentage (sixth). He also appeared in two games as a relief pitcher in the ]1909 World Series
The 1909 World Series was the championship series in Major League Baseball for the 1909 season. The sixth edition of the World Series, it featured the National League champion Pittsburgh Pirates against the American League champion Detroit Tiger ...
, giving up no earned runs and three hits in innings pitched against the Pittsburgh Pirates.[
Willett had another strong season in 1910. He appeared in 37 games, 25 as a starter, and compiled a 16–11 record and a 2.37 ERA. He remained a regular starting pitcher for the Tigers through the 1913 season, compiling records of 13–14 in 1911, 17–15 in 1912, and 13–14 in 1913.][
]
St. Louis Terriers
In January 1914, Willett signed a contract to play for Mordecai Brown
Mordecai Peter Centennial Brown (October 19, 1876 – February 14, 1948), nicknamed Three Finger Brown or Miner, was an American Major League Baseball pitcher and manager during the first two decades of the 20th century (known as the " dead-ball e ...
's St. Louis Terriers in the Federal League
The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, known simply as the Federal League, was an American professional baseball league that played its first season as a minor league in 1913 and operated as a "third major league", in competition with the e ...
. The Terriers finished in eighth place in the Federal League in 1914, and Willett compiled a career-worst 4–17 record with a 4.27 ERA in 27 games. In 1915, Willett returned to the Terriers, though he was converted into a relief pitcher. He appeared in 17 games, all but two games in relief, and compiled a 2–3 record with a 4.61 ERA. He appeared in his last major league game on September 23, 1915, at age 31.[
]
Major league career overview
Throughout his career, Willett had a propensity to hit batters with his pitches. He led the American League with 17 hit batsmen in 1912 and was among the league leaders seven straight years from 1908 to 1914. His career total of 106 hit batsmen ranks 73rd in major league history.[
Willett was an excellent fielding pitcher, consistently achieving a range factor in excess of the league average. Over his career, he had a range factor of 2.89 — 71 points higher than the league average of 2.09 for pitchers. In 1910, Willett had 113 assists in 224 innings pitched, meaning that he had an assist every other inning. His range factor of 3.38 in 1912 was a remarkable 1.43 points higher than the league average of 1.95 — meaning Willett got to nearly twice as many batted balls as the typical pitcher of his era.][
Willett was also a good hitter for a pitcher, batting .268 with a .333 on-base percentage and a .427 slugging percentage in 1911. In 1913, he raised his batting average to .283.][ Detroit trainer Harry Tuthill later recalled, "Ed always could hit, but he gave the fans a real thrill one afternoon at old Bennett Park, by clouting two home runs. And in that era of the comparatively dead ball, two home runs in a single game was quite a feat."][
In 274 career games, Willett had a 102–100 win–loss record with 142 complete games, an earned run average of 3.08, 600 strikeouts, and 695 assists in 1,773 innings pitched.][
As a hitter, Willett was above average, posting a .199 ]batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
(130-for-652) with 56 runs, 5 home runs and 63 RBI. Defensively, he was above average, recording a .949 fielding percentage which was seven points higher than the league average at his position.
Minor leagues
Although his major league career ended with St. Louis in 1915, he continued to play in the minor leagues through the 1919 season, playing for the Memphis Chickasaws
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memph ...
of the Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A (1902–1935), Cla ...
in 1916, the New Orleans Pelicans of the Southern Association in 1917, and the Salt Lake City Bees
The Salt Lake City Bees was a primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams, based in Salt Lake City, Utah between 1911 and 1970 under various names. After minor league baseball first began in Salt Lake City in 1900, the Bees were long-time ...
of the Pacific Coast League in 1918 and 1919.[ In 1920, he played for the ]Rexburg, Idaho
Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 39,409 at the 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Madison County and its largest city. Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg, ID Micropolitan Statist ...
, club in the Snake River-Yellowstone League. He began the 1921 season with the Blankenship team in the Pacific International League and also played for a Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Greater Victoria area has a population of 397,237. The ...
, team in the first half of the 1921 season.[
]
Managerial career
On June 4, 1921, Willett took over as a player-manager for the Ogden Gunners in the Northern Utah League.[ ] He led Ogden to the second half pennant.[ He went on to manage the Grand Island Champions in 1922 and the Beatrice Blues in 1923, both clubs playing in the Nebraska State League.][
]
Family and later years
Willett was married in 1908 and filed for divorce the following year in October 1909. He remarried to Elizabeth White on October 25, 1910, in St. Louis.[ ]
Willett lived in Wellington, Kansas
Wellington is a city in and the county seat of Sumner County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 7,715.
History
19th century
Wellington was platted in 1871 and named for the Duke of Wellington. It w ...
, in his later years and was managing an amateur baseball club there at the time of his death.[ He died from a heart attack in 1934 at age 50 in Wellington;][ ] he was found dead in his hotel room.[ ] He was buried at the Caldwell Cemetery in Caldwell, Kansas.[
]
See also
* List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders
In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is a situation in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provi ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willett, Ed
1884 births
1934 deaths
Major League Baseball pitchers
Detroit Tigers players
St. Louis Terriers players
Minor league baseball managers
Wichita Jobbers players
Memphis Chickasaws players
New Orleans Pelicans (baseball) players
Salt Lake City Bees players
Baseball players from Norfolk, Virginia
People from Caldwell, Kansas