Books and articles about Bill Werber

Werber, the first All-American basketball player at Duke University, signed with the Yankees after his senior year. Scout Paul Krichell said he had "the best baseball legs I ever saw, including Cobb." Werber won the AL basestealing title with the Red Sox in 1934 and 1935 and tied for it while with the A's in 1937. He once reached second base on a walk while Detroit catcher Ray Hayworth was talking to the umpire. He was the first player to hit four consecutive doubles in one AL game (7/17/35) and on May 13, 1940 became the only man to do so in both leagues.

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RELATED LINKS Book Excerpts » Breaking the Slump: Baseball in the Depression Era by Charles C. Alexander Submissions » Required Baseball Reading by Jeffrey Milano Around the Web » Billy Werber from baseball-reference.com » Shirley Povich Remembers Bill Werber the Ball-Player from philadelphiaathletics.org Jump directly to Library content from any website!

When Werber held out for $1,500 more than Connie Mack was willing to pay, the A's traded him to Cincinnati in 1939. The Reds gave him the raise, but he turned it back to the club at the end of the season. A fiery competitor, he formed the "Jungle Club" for hustling players, spurring the previously lethargic Reds to pennants in 1939 and 1940. He was the first player to bat in a televised game, leading off for the Reds against Brooklyn, August 26, 1939. (NLM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 12, 1933: The Red Sox pay the Yankees $100,000 for P George Pipgras and rookie SS Bill Werber. » July 17, 1935: Bill Werber of the Red Sox ties the major-league record with 4 doubles in the opening game of a doubleheader with Cleveland. The Sox win the pair 13-5 and 3­1. » December 9, 1936: The Red Sox trade Bill Werber to Philadelphia for Pinky Higgins. » May 1, 1940: The Reds Bill Werber has just two hits, but his homer and double come in an 8-run 4th inning. The Reds beat Hugh Casey and Brooklyn, 9–2. » May 13, 1940: In a replay of their washed-out game of April 23rd called on account of darkness, the Reds and the Cards neglect to inform the league office, and no umpires are assigned to Crosley Field. Coach Jimmy Wilson and P Lon Warneke are pressed into service as umpires before umpire Larry Goetz, at home in Cincinnati on a day off, arrives to officiate. Warneke will later become a full-time umpire, while Wilson will return to active duty at the end of the year and star in the World Series. Johnny Mize of the St. Louis Cardinals hits three home runs, and the Reds Bill Werber has five hits and collects four doubles in a 14-inning, 8–8 tie with the Reds. Mize's is his 3rd 3-homer game, breaking the tie for the National League record he shared with George Kelly. After 1910, there will be only five games this century in which active players umpire: Besides today these are: 1912: Ham Hyatt (Pit-N) and Ed Phelps (Bro-N); 1935: Jocko Conlan (Chi-A); 1941: Johnny Cooney (Bos-N) and Freddie Fitzsimmons (Bro-N); and 1978: Don Leppert (coach, Tor-A) and Jerry Zimmerman (coach, Min-A). (as noted by historian Wayne McElreavy) » December 10, 1941: The Reds sell 3B Bill Werber to the Giants.