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Hoyt Wilhelm
| Hoyt Wilhelm | |
|---|---|
 Wilhelm with the New York Giants in 1953 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: July 26, 1922 Huntersville, North Carolina, U.S. | |
| Died: August 23, 2002 (aged 80) Sarasota, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 18, 1952, for the New York Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 10, 1972, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 143–122 |
| Earned run average | 2.52 |
| Strikeouts | 1,610 |
| Saves | 228 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1985 |
| Vote | 83.8% (eighth ballot) |
James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, California Angels, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers between 1952 and 1972. Wilhelm was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
Wilhelm grew up in North Carolina, fought in World War II, and then spent several years in the minor leagues before starting his major league career at the age of 29. He was best known for his knuckleball, which enabled him to have great longevity. He appeared occasionally as a starting pitcher, but pitched mainly as a reliever. Wilhelm won 124 games in relief, which is still the major league record as of 2004.[1][2][needs update] He was the first pitcher to reach 200 saves, and the first to appear in 1,000 games.
Wilhelm was nearly 30 years old when he entered the major leagues, and pitched until he was nearly 50. He retired with one of the lowest career earned run averages, 2.52, in baseball history. After retiring as a player in 1972, Wilhelm held longtime coaching jobs with the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. He lived in Sarasota, Florida, for many years, and died there in 2002.
- ^ Denman, Elliott (July 30, 1985). "Wilhelm's a man who persevered". Asbury Park Press. p. 71. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Abraham, Peter (April 4, 2004). "Who's the all-time best: Mariano or Eck?". Home News Tribune. p. 107. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
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