Dick Whitman
| Dick Whitman | |
|---|---|
| Outfielder | |
| Born: November 9, 1920 Woodburn, Oregon | |
| Died: February 12, 2003 (aged 82) Peoria, Arizona | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 16, 1946, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 4, 1951, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .259 |
| Home runs | 2 |
| Runs scored | 93 |
| Teams | |
| |
Dick Corwin Whitman (November 9, 1920 – February 12, 2003) was an American
Early career and military service
Whitman played college baseball at the
Major league career
He returned to baseball in
Whitman then spent 1947 with the Triple-A Montreal Royals, hitting .327 in 141 games. The Dodgers recalled him in September and used him in four contests, but he was ineligible for the 1947 World Series. The 1948 campaign saw Whitman get into 60 games for the Dodgers, with 38 starts in the Brooklyn outfield. He batted a career-high .291, but he also was sent back to Montreal for 40 games. Then, in 1949, Whitman spent the full year with Brooklyn, but with drastically reduced playing time, his production slumped to a .184 batting average on only nine hits over 23 games. Nevertheless, he appeared in the 1949 World Series as a pinch hitter, striking out against Allie Reynolds of the New York Yankees in Game 4 on October 8 to close out a 6–4 Dodger defeat.[3] The Dodgers then sold Whitman's contract to the Phillies in November.
The 1950 Phillies—immortalized as the "Whiz Kids" because of young stars like Robin Roberts, Richie Ashburn, Curt Simmons, "Puddin' Head" Jones, Del Ennis and Granny Hamner—won the second National League pennant in the club's history, outlasting Whitman's former team, the Dodgers, in the season's final game. One of the team's veterans, Whitman was the Phils' most-used backup outfielder, starting 21 games and appearing in 75 contests overall. He batted .308 as a pinch-hitter, with 12 hits, and hit .250 overall. Then he made three appearances in the 1950 World Series as an emergency batsman, going 0-for-two with a base on balls.
That season would be Whitman's last full year in the majors. In
His final big league totals included 165 career hits in 285 total games, with 37 doubles, three triples, two homers and 67
Dick Whitman spent his post-baseball years in San Jose as a supervisor for the San Jose Water Works. He was, all his life, an avid hunter and fisherman and an exemplary sportsman. He and Jo Ann -- they had three children, Richard, Jr., Joe and Allison -- retired to Peoria, Arizona, where he died at age 82.[1]
References
- ^ a b Smith, Ted, "Dick Whitman." Society for American Baseball Research Biography Project
- ^ Retrosheet: 1946 NL Batting Log
- ^ Retrosheet box score: 1949 World Series Game 4
- ^ Spatz, Lyle, ed. The Team That Forever Changed Baseball and America: The 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers. Lincoln, Neb.: The University of Nebraska Press (2012); p. 269
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Venezuelan Professional Baseball League statistics