“Monte” Ward (1860-1925). An elite pitcher and an excellent batsman, Ward also earned a law degree, formed sports’ first labor union, and helped create the Player’s League to challenge the reserve clause – all before the age of 30.
William Henry Watkins’ (1858-1937) playing career was cut short in his first season by a bean ball that nearly killed him. The rookie had already been named manager, demonstrating leadership skills he would display his long and productive life. Led the Wolverines from the cellar to the top in only 3 yrs (1887).
William B. Weaver (1865-1943) was a proficient outfielder, steady hitter and all-around player who could catch when needed. Possessing keen baseball acumen, Weaver’s major league tenure lasted from 1888 to 1894 where he produced a solid .278 average. Earned a second nickname “Buck” in comparison to Buck Ewing in recognition of his prowess with the bat in his Texas League debut. Signed by Louisville, Weaver quickly impressed with his fine hitting and as a “splendid fielder and base-runner.” He experienced incredible highs and lows on field and off: in 1889 the team became first to lose 100 games, but next year won the pennant; then became one of a handful of major leaguers to go to prison for fathering a child with a minor, but lead prison teams to such accomplishments as to earn an early release.
George Edward Weidman (1861-1905) hurled more innings for the Detroit Wolverines than any other pitcher. Six of his nine ML seasons were with that club. Stump pitched for Rochester University as a youth and must have gotten great guidance from his amateur battery-mate: future Hall of Famer Buck Ewing. His record suggests a bit of hard luck, perhaps typified by his debut with the Buffalo Bisons in 1880 where, despite a 3.40 ERA, Weidman was 0-9. In ’81, with Detroit, Weidman had the lowest ERA in the NL at 1.80, going 8-5. 1882 saw yet another fateful stroke as Stump matched up with famed John Montgomery Ward in a pitching duel for the ages. The game went 17 scoreless innings until Old Hoss Radbourn broke Weidman’s heart with an 18th inning HR. For five straight years Stump lost 20+ games, suggesting managerial confidence and abysmal support. After leaving the Wolverines for a year in KC, Weidman returned for a satisfying, pennant-winning season, contributing 13 wins.
Curtis Benton Welch (1862-1896). Primarily a center fielder for 10 professional seasons, Welch was a fast runner with great instincts. His “$15,000 slide” into home clinched the 1886 World Series for the St. Louis Browns. It has been called the most famous play of the 19th century.
Smiling Mickey (1859-1941). An elite pitcher for 13 professional seasons, Welch was the 3rd pitcher to reach 300 wins. Mickey was a 20-game winner 9 times in his career, 7 times in succession. He also won 30+ games 4 times and 40+ games once. Shared pitching duties with HOFers John Ward & Tim Keefe.
Milton Douglas West (1860-1929) was another in a long line of players who could excel in minor league play but flounder on the big stage. Buck often hit over .300 during his long tenure in professional baseball. He starred in many of the higher circuits including the Northwestern and Tri-State Leagues; and the Western and Southern Associations from 1883-1895. His chances in the majors came twice, first with the Cincinnati Red Stockings of the American Association in 1884 and finally with the Cleveland Spiders of the National League in 1890. Significantly, Buck’s call-ups came when baseball was sifting out its league organizations. The years he played at the top were years a rival third league made overtures to compete. The talent pool was tested and players such as West got rare opportunities to show their mettle. The sturdy outfielder was a big man for his day at 5’10” and 200 lbs, yet he swatted only three home runs in MLB. But one of those was memorable, establishing West as the first in the big leagues to homer in his final at-bat, September 18, 1890 at League Park.
August Weyhing (1866-1955) was a successful pitcher for 11 ML teams over a 14-year career from 1887-1901. A durable hurler, Gus stands 12th in complete games all-time, with 448 in 495 decisions. From 1889-92, Weyhing won 30+ games each year. In a career of firsts and lasts, he pitched the last season of the AA, the first and last of the Players’ League, the 1st year of the AL, and the Senators’ finale in the NL.
John Weyhing (1869-1890) was signed by the Cincinnati Red Stockings as one of the youngest players in the league at 19 in 1888. In eight games he went 3-4, but had a remarkable 1.23 ERA and completed seven games. He was victimized by poor defensive support: only nine of 26 runs charged were earned. The Columbus Solons bought his contract for ’89 but TB took his health and his life the next year.
Harry Whitacre (aka Whiteacre, Whitaker) is known primarily from photographs: he is depicted on (at least) three 1888 Old Judge cards in an Athletics’ uniform. Harry was photographed batting and throwing right-handed. He is also found in a team photo of the Kennett Square Mohicans of 1886 along with the brothers of future major leaguer Mike Grady and the father of future Hall-of-Famer Herb Pennock. Kennett Square was becoming the “mushroom capital of the world” about the same time the Mohicans were transforming from an amateur club to one of the foremost teams in Pennsylvania in the late 1880s. The Sporting News, in January ‘88, touted “Whiteacre, the Athletics new pitcher” as being “highly thought of by Manager Sharsig.” As with many up-and-coming minor leaguers of the day, Harry’s promise went unfulfilled. He didn’t make the Philadelphia squad.
James Laurie “Deacon” White (1847-1939). Considered the greatest catcher of baseball’s barehanded period (1870s), White eventually moved to 3rd base, played 23 seasons, won 6 championships, and played with a number of the century’s best players on a number of the century’s best teams.
King Solomon White (1868-1955). An infielder, manager, executive, sportswriter, and historian, Sol was also influential in establishing the Negro Leagues. Well traveled, White played for 11 different teams over 24 seasons. In 1907, White published the first history of black baseball, Sol White’s History of Colored Baseball.
Arthur Wilson Whitney (1858-1943). Art played 3rd base for 8 different teams over 11 major league seasons. A below average hitter, his best year may have been 1886 with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys when he compiled 122 hits, 13 doubles, 4 triples, 15 steals & 70 runs with a light .239 batting average.
Charles F. Whitney had a least one close relative make it to the major leagues: his brother Arthur, a right-handed 3rd baseman. The Old Judge card on which Charles appears is identified as “G” Whitney, 3B, for the St. Joseph Clay Eaters in 1889. Baseball Reference pegs this Clay Eater as our Charles, also a right-handed third baseman. Charles played exclusively in the minors and founded the Victor Sporting Goods Co. of Springfield, MA. Arthur worked for his brother’s company after retiring from baseball. Victor was later bought out by Al Spalding’s empire. There are intriguing connections between these Whitneys and another from the same era: Jim “Grasshopper” Whitney. Jim played minor league ball in Binghamton, NY in 1878 and was with the San Francisco Knickerbockers in ’80 when he was hired by Boston’s Red Caps. Charles played for the SF club, then the Athletics in 1879, and for Binghamton in 1887-88. Arthur was born in 1858 and Jim was a year older. If Charles was older than Art (he was already in business and hired his brother) that could make Jim his “cousin?” Jim following him by a year to the West Coast. Such speculation is all that remains as we try to piece together data regarding these early pro ball players.
James Evans Whitney (1857-1891) was a RHP with the Beaneaters who still ranks 4th in Atlanta franchise history in ERA. “Grasshopper Jim” played 10 seasons for 5 teams, ending his career in 1890 with the Athletics. Incredibly, he led the league in BOTH wins and losses (31-33) in his rookie campaign, leading Boston to the title.
Edward Nagle Williamson (1857-1894). A 3rd baseman & shortstop for 3 teams over 13 seasons, Ned was an above average hitter & excellent defender (despite his portly physique). Ned held the single season HR record (27 in ’84) until topped by Ruth’s 29 in ’19. Ned’s career was shortened by a knee injury he sustained while participating in Al Spalding’s baseball world tour.
In 1894, the Reach Guide convened a panel of 11 former ballplayers, including HOFer Jim O'Rourke, to debate who was the greatest baseball player of all time. The panel concluded that the honor belonged to Ned Williamson. Cap Anson himself called Ned "the greatest all-around ballplayer the country ever saw."
Walter Robert Wilmot (1865-1929) was a switch-hitting outfielder who played for three teams over a ten-season major league career. The high-point of his tenure came in 1894, a wondrous year for hitters in general. The second season after the mound moved to 60' 6'' saw output the likes of which have not been seen before or since. Wilmot far exceeded his normal average, hits and RBI and scored 136 runs - a total that would have placed him in the NL's top-ten any other year of the decade and beyond. But the likes of Hugh Duffy, Billy Hamilton, Joe Kelley and Wee Willie Keeler were setting baseball's world on fire.
That year Hamilton's Phillies fielded the strongest-hitting outfield of all-time, averaging over .400 with sub Tuck Turner exceeding even Billy, Ed Delahanty and Sam Thompson. So where did the mighty slugging Phil's wind up? In fourth place trailing the legendary Orioles by 18 games. But it was in runs-scored that '94 stood out. In most years of the era, one or two teams might barely plate a thousand runners. But in 1894 five teams blew past that mark and four others nearly hit it. Overall, the National League squads averaged an all-time high 7.36 runs per game.
All of this left Wilmot with an outstanding also-ran year for the ages, batting .330 with 197 hits, 134 runs and 130 RBI in just 133 games. Walt broke in with Washington in 1888, spent the first half of the nineties in Chicago and wrapped up with the Giants in 1897-98. He led the NL in triples in '89 and the following campaign tied for the HR lead.
George Archer Wilson (1860-1914) was Brooklyn all the way; born, bred and buried in the beloved borough. So it was fitting that when young Tugembarked on his chosen profession in 1884, he began at the top, with the hometown Atlantics of the American Association. He got into 24 games as a catcher/outfielder and hit what was a very respectable .232 for a backstop in that era. Thereafter, Tug was a stalwart in the heartland of the sport – its minor leagues. He never again saw a big league diamond, but he did see the country. His career lasted through the 1896 season and took him from New Jersey to New England, from Oshkosh to Omaha, from the Northwestern League to the Southern Association. After being an Atlantic he was a Clamdigger, a Domestic, a Giant, a Lamb, a Mountaineer and a Nutmeg. He was a Bingo, a Star, a Bluebird, a Brown and a Cracker. What a collection of uniforms! Tug concluded his pro career in the Virginia League as a Portsmouth Brown. As he was in the twilight of his playing days, he teamed there with about a dozen youngsters who would go on to the majors. It is likely they all heard the stories of how it was back in the day, in Brooklyn.
Samuel Washington Wise (1857-1910) was a free-wheeling batter and infielder who played hero and goat for the Boston clubs of the 1880s. During his 12-yr career, Wise could play flawlessly afield for weeks at a stretch and then cost his team wins with errant play. Similarly, he could go 8 for 10 at bat and then fan 3 times on nine pitches. Spurning Cincinnati for Boston, Wise was the subject of the first court action in MLB history as the Red Stockings lost their bid to keep him out of Bean Town.
William Van Winkle “Jimmy” Wolf (1862-1903) played virtually his entire career with Louisville, starting in 1882 when the club was known as the Eclipse and continuing with the Colonels through the 1891 season. He played three games for the Browns in ‘92 before heading, for the first time, to the minors for three campaigns. Known mostly as Jimmy, Wolf had the Chicken moniker hung on him by teammate Pete Browning after Wolf gorged on a pre-game boiled bird and committed several errors that day. By any name, Wolf earned a renown that has since eluded him. He was, arguably, the best hitter in the history of the American Association, and is the league's all-time leader in games played, hits, doubles, triples and total bases. The second-class status of the 19th century’s “junior circuit” has always weighed heavily in Cooperstown evaluations. Jimmy reached his pinnacle in 1890, hitting .363 and leading the post-season tourney with .360 and eight RBI. The right-hander was primarily an outfielder, but eventually saw action at every position. The previous year had immersed Wolf in the most controversy of his career. A feud with manager Dude Esterbrook led to Wolf replacing him. Jimmy faithfully carried out owner Mordecai Davidson’s tough fine schedule for on-field lapses. Things erupted into the first players’ strike and Davidson sold the club mid-summer with Wolf ending his managerial career.
George “Dandy” Wood (1858-1924). Born on Prince Edward Island in Canada, Wood played 13 professional seasons for 7 different teams. Primarily a left fielder, he served as player/manager for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1891. “Dandy” compiled 1,467 Hits and had a .273 lifetime batting average.
Peter Burke Wood (1867-1923) got into the majors with the Buffalo Bisons in 1885, just in time to join his brother Fred as an early family combo in the big leagues, and rarer still to be teammates. Fred retired after that season. Pete was a native of Ontario Canada and had begun ‘85 with two Hamilton teams just across the river from Buffalo. Wood would shuttle back and forth over Niagara playing for Buffalo’s International League entry in ‘86 and the Hamilton Clippers of the IL and the Hamilton Hams of the International Association through the 1888 season. He got one more call-up with the Philadelphia Quakers in 1889, but saw action in a mere three games where he failed to get a hit but did manage to drive in two runs. Pete returned to Canada for his final seasons with the London Tecumsehs and Toronto Canucks. Throughout his time in pro ball Wood had alternated between pitching and infield/outfield. He was 8-15 with Buffalo in ‘85 and had one stand-out season in the pitcher’s box with the Hams in ‘88, winning 37 and losing 12. He may have hurt his arm in that remarkable year as he rarely pitched again. Nevertheless, his performance undoubtedly gained him that final shot in the majors, but he was only able to win one of his two starts for the Quakers. His victory came against the Indianapolis Hoosiers where Philadelphia won 11-4 beating Charlie Getzien.
William Henry Wright (1835-1895) established professional baseball on the American landscape with his 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, a team with which he show-cased the game that was to become the true national pastime. His influence on the sport is incalculable. For 25 years Wright led as player, manager, executive, and chief of umpires. Perhaps his greatest contribution was inspiring true team-spirit. He invented such staples as signals, platooning, hit-and-run, communication among players and a nascent farm system.
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