Vic Wertz
From SoSH
Willie Mays "The Catch". Good old Vic would have his picture here if he hit the damn thing six inches further
| Born: | February 9, 1925 |
| Birthplace: | York, Pennsylvania |
| Hometown: | Detroit, Michigan (d. 1983) |
| Height: | 6' 0" |
| Weight: | 186 lbs |
| Bats: | Left |
| Throws: | Right |
| Drafted: | 1942: Amateur Free Agent by the Detroit Tigers |
| College: | |
| High School: | |
| Other Teams: | Detroit Tigers 1947-52, 61-63 St. Louis Browns 1952-1953 Baltimore Orioles 1954 Cleveland Indians 1954-1958 Minnesota Twins 1964 |
| Years with Boston: | 1960 - 1961 |
Contents |
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Overall Career
Victor Woodrow Wertz (February 9, 1925 - July 7, 1983) had a 17-year career in the major leagues from 1947-63, hitting 266 home runs, appearing in 4 All Star games, and playing for most of 1954 on the pennant-winning Cleveland Indians that won 111 games.
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Awards
- 4-time Major League All-Star (1949, 1951, 1952, 1957)
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Wertz's Moments in the Sun
- May 15, 1952: After pitching four no-hitters in the minors, 33-year-old Virgil "Fire" Trucks of Detroit pitches his first in the ML, a 1–0 blanking of the Senators. Vic Wertz's dramatic two-out home run in the 9th off Bob Porterfield wins the game at Briggs Stadium.
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Trivia
- In one of the most famous plays in baseball history, Vic Wertz hit the long fly ball that Willie Mays caught in the 1954 World Series ("The Catch"). It went over 450 feet to dead center of the Polo Grounds in New York.
- Contracted polio during the 1955 season but came back the next year with one of his best years.
- After his career ended, he owned a Detroit area beer distributor.
- Extremely philanthropic, however after his death his charity was cited for mismanaging funds by his two brothers.
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Transactions
- Before 1942 Season: Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent.
- August 14, 1952: Traded by the Detroit Tigers with Don Lenhardt, Dick Littlefield, and Marlin Stuart to the St. Louis Browns for Jim Delsing, Ned Garver, Dave Madison, and Bud Black.
- June 1, 1954: Traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Cleveland Indians for Bob Chakales.
- December 2, 1958: Traded by the Cleveland Indians with Gary Geiger to the Boston Red Sox for Jim Piersall.
- September 8, 1961: Selected off waivers by the Detroit Tigers from the Boston Red Sox.
- June 18, 1963: Released by the Detroit Tigers.
- June 18, 1963: Signed as a Free Agent with the Minnesota Twins.
- October 15, 1963: Released by the Minnesota Twins.
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External Links
- Baseball-Reference.com - Career Statistics and Analysis
