Hoyt Wilhelm with the Mooresville Moors

Photo: 1941 Mooresville Moors

Little known fact: Although it is thought Hoyt Wilhelm broke into professional baseball in 1942 with the Mooresville Moors (an independent team, not affiliated with a major league club), he actually suited up for the Mooresville Moors in 1941 (after graduating high school on May 3, 1941). However, despite the fact he spent 3 weeks with the team -- he signed May 6, 1941 (see signing in first image below) and was released May 27, 1941 (see release in second and third images below) -- it is not known that he played a game in 1941 for the Moors. 

May 7, 1941, Kannapolis Daily Independent clipping

(Hoyt Wilhelm's signing with Mooresville)

The reference to Wilhelm pitching against the Davidson College freshmen team happened on April 17, 1941, when Cornelius High beat the Davidson College freshmen 14-3 (score from The Davidsonian newspaper, April 24, 1941).

May 28, 1941, Kannapolis Daily Independent clipping

(Hoyt Wilhelm released from Mooresville)

June 5, 1941, Sporting News clipping

(Hoyt Wilhelm released from Mooresville)

Photos: 1942 Mooresville Moors 

(1st photo from collection; 2nd photo, The Charlotte Observer)

On April 12, 1942, Wilhelm was one of 20 players for practice and tryouts with the Mooresville Moors. He would sign, be released (June 28), and sign again to end the 1942 season with a 10-3 record, 4.25 ERA in 8 games started. At the plate, he hit .180 in 50 at-bats, and had 1 double and 1 triple. The Moors made the N.C. State League playoffs, but lost in the first round, 3 games to 0 games to the Landis Millers.

The Greenville (S.C.) News, Dec. 16, 1942

Interesting note: The entire 1942 Mooresville Moors team had entered military service by December of 1942. It was such a fascinating note, that it ran in papers all over the United States (from the West Coast to the East Coast) in December of 1942 and January of 1943. However, the note erroneously reported that Wilhelm won 11 games in 1942 as opposed to 10 games.

Photo: June 11, 1947, The Charlotte Observer

On Feb. 5, 1946, Hoyt Wilhelm signed with the Mooresville Moors, a return after serving in the military during World War II, where he fought in the Battle of the Bulge and earned a Purple Heart and two Bronze Stars.

In 1946 he was 21-8, with a 2.47 ERA and was named an All-Star in the North Carolina State League, while helping the Moors win the playoffs (after finishing fourth in the regular-season). At the plate that season, he hit .202, with 21 hits and 5 doubles in 104 at-bats.

Photo: September 3, 1947, The Charlotte Observer

In 1947 Hoyt Wilhelm became a 20-game winner again, going 20-7, with a 3.38 ERA, while recording his best season at the plate: .299, 44 hits, 8 doubles, 2 home runs in 147 at-bats. He again helped the Moors to another North Carolina State League title, winning the regular-season and the playoffs.

Note: In early October of 1947 (Mooresville Tribune), the Boston Braves purchased Hoyt Wilhelm from Mooresville. On Nov. 20, 1947, the N.Y. Giants drafted Wilhelm from the Boston Braves in the 1947 minor league draft.

Photo: 1946 Mooresville Moors team (Wilhelm is bottom row, far right)

The 1946 Mooresville Moors finished fourth in the North Carolina State League regular season with a 57-52 record, squeaking into the playoffs as the fourth and last team, but they won the playoffs. In the first round, the Moors beat the Landis Millers, 4 games to 3 games. In the Championship Series, the Moors beat the Concord Weavers, 4 games to 2 games.

Note: After the Moors beat Concord, they were supposed to face the winner of the Tobacco State playoffs, Angier-Fuquay, in a series.

Photo: 1947 Mooresville Moors team (Wilhelm is bottom row, third from left)

The 1947 Mooresville Moors finished first in the North Carolina State League regular season with a 68-43 record and won the playoffs, as well. In the first round, the Moors beat the Hickory Rebels, 4 games to 3 games. In the Championship Series, the Moors beat the Lexington Indians, 4 games to 3 games.

Photo: Mooresville Baseball Stadium

Home to the Mooresville Moors, who Hoyt Wilhelm played for in 1942, 1946 and 1947. The stands were torn down in the 1950s, but the field and green outfield wall still remain. Now called Moor Field Baseball Park, it is home to the Mooresville Spinners of the Summer Collegiate Baseball League. The stadium is located at 691 S. Broad Street, Mooresville, NC 28115

Hoyt Wilhelm with the Jacksonville Tars

Photo credit: The Charlotte Observer

1948: Hoyt Wilhelm's time with the Jacksonville (FL) Tars (NY Giants Class A team, South Atlantic League) started out rough in 1948, as he posted an 0-0 record, 9 walks, and an 8.18 ERA in 11 innings during 6 games before being sent to the Knoxville (TN) Smokies (NY Giants Class B team, Tri-State League) where he flourished (see Knoxville Smokies page on Wilhelm).

1949: Wilhelm would redeem himself, however, in 1949, when he started and finished the season with the Jacksonville Tars, posting a 17-12 record (most wins on the team and sixth-best in the league) and a 2.66 ERA (best on the team and ninth-best in the league). At the plate Wilhelm hit .244 and had 2 doubles.

Photo credit: Collection (1949 Jacksonville Tars team; Wilhelm, back row, far left)

The 1949 Jacksonville Tars finished 73-81 and 5th place in the South Atlantic League.

Photo credit: Collection (close-up view of Wilhelm from the team photo)

South Atlantic League Hall of Fame: Hoyt Wilhelm was inducted into the South Atlantic League Hall of Fame along with six others in 1996 (the third year of the Hall of Fame's existence). Others inducted were: Bill Bethea (pitcher); Roy Majtyka (manager); Pat Putnam (first base); Jim Baynes (team executive), Ed Holtz (team executive); Pat Williams (team executive).

Photo: Durkee Field, Jacksonville, Florida (1939)

 The Jacksonville Tars played at Durkee Field, which was rebuilt in 1934 and hosted a minor league team until 1954 when a new stadium was built. Durkee Field was later renamed J.P. Small Ballpark and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Joseph E. Durkee Athletic Field.  

Hoyt Wilhelm with the Knoxville Smokies

Photo: June 15, 1948, The Charlotte News

Hoyt Wilhelm began the 1948 season with the Jacksonville (FL) Tars (NY Giants Class-A team, South Atlantic League), but after 6 games he moved to the Knoxville (TN) Smokies (NY Giants Class-B team, Tri-State League) and finished the season there, compiling a 13-9 record and a 3.62 ERA in 189 innings pitched in 24 games. 

**The 1948 Smokies finished 71-76 and sixth in the league standings.

Box Score: June 15, 1948, The Knoxville Journal

June 14, 1948: In likely the best game of his career at the plate, Wilhelm went 4-for-4, with 3 RBIs, 1 run scored and had an inside-the-park home run, but he was surprisingly pinch-hit for in the top of the ninth with the bases loaded. The pinch-hitter grounded out. Wilhelm allowed 7 hits, issued 8 walks and struck out 2, but Knoxville made 5 errors in the 10-6 road loss against the Charlotte Hornets.

Photo: June 27, 1948, The Knoxville News-Sentinel

 Hoyt Wilhelm played first base for Knoxville, in addition to pitching. In 37 games (24 of those as a pitcher), he hit .211, with 4 doubles, 1 triple and 1 home run (inside-the-park) in 114 at-bats.

Hoyt Wilhelm's Career - Briefly

Photo credit: Collection

In 1939, Hoyt Wilhelm began playing baseball at Cornelius (NC) High School, where he learned to throw his famous knuckleball after reading about four knuckleballers on the Washington Senators pitching staff and seeing a picture of pitcher Dutch Leonard's grip (Wilhelm threw a no-hitter at Cornelius High and also had a two-homer game in 1941 during his senior year).

Photo credit: Collection

During his summers in high school (1939-1941), Wilhelm played for the Davidson (NC) American Legion Post 86 baseball team.

Photo credit: Collection

He broke into professional baseball by signing with the Mooresville (NC) Moors on May 6, 1941 (Kannapolis Daily Independent, May 7, 1941), but was released three weeks later (Kannapolis Daily Independent, May 28, 1941). He signed and played  his first game for the Moors in 1942.

Photo credit: The Charlotte Observer

He served in the army during World War II from 1943-1945, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and earning a Purple Heart from injuries sustained in battle. He played baseball for the 395th Infantry Division of the 99th Infantry in 1943 (Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi) and 1944 (Camp Maxey, Texas).

Photo credit: Collection

After six more years in the minors (with the Mooresville Moors, Knoxville Smokies, Jacksonville Tars and Minneapolis Millers), he debuted in the majors with the N.Y. Giants in 1952, homering in his first at-bat (never hitting another) and winning his lone World Series in 1954.

Photo credit: Collection

After brief stints with the St. Louis Cardinals and Cleveland Indians, Wilhelm threw a no-hitter for the Baltimore Orioles against the eventual World Series champion N.Y. Yankees in 1958.

Photo credit: Collection

After joining the Chicago White Sox, he pitched in his 907th game to break Cy Young's record for games pitched.

Photo credit: Collection
After the White Sox left Wilhelm unprotected in the 1968 expansion draft, the Kansas City Royals drafted him. Before playing for Kansas City, the Royals traded him to the California Angels (where he played in 1969) before being traded to the Atlanta Braves (where he pitched in his record 1,000th major league game - seen in photo above, May 10, 1970).

Photo credit: Collection

After playing for the California Angels, Atlanta Braves (twice), and Chicago Cubs, Wilhelm's playing days ended in 1972 when the Los Angeles Dodgers released him five days before his 50th birthday.

Photo credit: Brett Honeycutt

He retired from baseball in 1995 after 22 years as a minor league coach, 20 of those as a pitching coach in the N.Y. Yankees farm system. 

Photo credit: Collection

In 1985 he was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and became the first relief pitcher to be inducted.