Books and articles about Whit Wyatt

As a high-school phenom in Georgia, Wyatt struck out 23 Oglethorpe University batters in a game. Signed by the Tigers, he had 16 straight victories for Evansville (Three-I League) in 1929. Then, for eight frustrating seasons, Wyatt was expected to become a top American League pitcher but was sidetracked year after year by injuries. From 1929 through 1937, he compiled a 26-43 AL record. In 1931 his 1.53 ERA tied Dizzy Dean for the Texas League crown. After an MVP season in the American Association in 1938, he was purchased by the Dodgers and became a four-time All-Star.

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Wyatt went 15-14 for Brooklyn in 1940, tying for the NL lead with five shutouts. In 1941 he and teammate Kirby Higbe each won 22 games, tops in the majors, to lead the Dodgers to the pennant. Wyatt's seven shutouts were also the ML high. He threw two complete games in the World Series, beating the Yankees 3-2 in the second game, but losing 3-1 in the Series finale. Over the next two seasons Wyatt was 33-12, but he faded in 1944.

Wyatt was unafraid to knock a batter down, earning the reputation as a headhunter. Joe DiMaggio called him "the meanest guy I ever saw." When Wyatt became a ML pitching coach (Phillies, Braves), his pupils said he encouraged them to throw at hitters as well. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 6, 1933: Senators 2B Buddy Myer is carried off the field unconscious after being hit by a Whit Wyatt pitch, as Washington tops Detroit 6–2. Earl Whitehill wins despite giving up Hank Greenberg's first ML homer. » June 13, 1933: White Sox P Whit Wyatt has his no hitter spoiled when, with two outs in the 9th, Brownie Ted Gullic gets a hit. Wyatt wins, 6–1. The Sox acquired Wyatt just 11 days ago from the Tigers for Vic Frasier. » June 16, 1934: After losing the lidlifter to the White Sox, 9–7, the A's come back to win the nitecap, 7–6, behind the remarkable hitting of Bob Johnson. Johnson ties the AL record going 6-for-6 with two home runs, a double, and three singles. His homers are off Chicago's Whit Wyatt. » July 11, 1938: The Dodgers buy former major-league hurler Whitlow Wyatt from Milwaukee (American Association). » June 27, 1939: The Dodgers and Bees play a 23-inning, 2-2 game at Boston, called on account of darkness after 5 hours and 15 minutes. Whit Wyatt pitches 16 innings for the Dodgers. » May 30, 1941: With Brooklyn three games in back of the Cards, 59,487 jam the Polo Grounds to watch the Dodgers and Giants. Whitlow Wyatt shuts a out the Giants to win the opener, and Brooklyn overcomes a 2–1 deficit in the nitecap to score five runs in the 9th and win 6–2. » October 2, 1941: Dodgers ace Whit Wyatt trims the Yankees in a 3-2 Brooklyn win. » May 20, 1942: Brooklyn's Whit Wyatt loses 1–0 to the Cards Mort Cooper, the first loss for Wyatt after eight straight wins. Cooper allows just two hits. The Cards score on Walker Cooper's triple and a fly ball in the 5th. » May 31, 1942: In Game One of a twinbill sweep at Brooklyn, Dixie Walker of the Dodgers is credited with an inside-the-park grand slam as the Braves aging Paul Waner searches for the ball under the bullpen bench. Walker follows Pee Wee Reese, Pete Reiser, and Arky Vaughan over the plate. The Dodgers win, 10–2. Brooklyn wins the nitecap, 3–1, behind Whit Wyatt's 10th straight win over Boston. » August 8, 1942: A bean ball salvo between Manny Salvo of the Braves and Whit Wyatt of the Dodgers ends in a 2–0 Boston victory. Only two batters are hit, but many pitches are close and the hurlers almost come to blows twice. Salvo gets fined $50 and Wyatt $75. Wyatt also tosses a bat. For Wyatt (8-1), it is his first loss after 10 straight wins over the Braves. » August 25, 1942: The largest night crowd in St. Louis history, watch two aces deal, the Dodger Whit Wyatt and the Cardinals Mort Cooper, go scoreless for 12 innings. Both teams score in the 13th, and the Cards win it in the 14th, 2–1, on Walker Cooper's solo shot. The win by Mort Cooper cuts the Dodgers lead over St. Louis to five 1/2 games. » June 16, 1944: Whit Wyatt wins his first game of the year as the Dodgers beat the Phillies 4-3. Phils P Bill Lee takes a one-hitter into the ninth inning but loses the game on two errors.