Don Wert

Edit links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Don Wert
Wert in 1966
Third baseman
Born: (1938-07-29) July 29, 1938 (age 85)
Strasburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 11, 1963, for the Detroit Tigers
Last MLB appearance
June 11, 1971, for the Washington Senators
MLB statistics
Batting average.242
Home runs77
Runs batted in365
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Donald Ralph Wert (born July 29, 1938[1]), nicknamed "Coyote",[2][3] is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball from 1963 to 1971 as a third baseman, most prominently as a member of the Detroit Tigers where, he was an All-Star player and was a member of the 1968 World Series winning team.

Although he was overshadowed by his contemporary, Hall of Fame third baseman

Washington Senators in 1971.[1]

Early life and education

Born in

minor leagues.[1]

Career in Major League Baseball

1963–1967

Wert reached the major leagues in

runs batted in.[1]

1968–1971

On June 24,

Cleveland Indians.[8] The pitch split Wert's batting helmet.[9] He was carried off on a stretcher, spent two nights in the hospital, missed several games, and was never the same hitter again.[citation needed] He had never hit lower than .257 in five prior seasons, but his batting average dropped to a career-low .200 in 1968, as he managed only 107 hits in 536 at bats.[1]

Despite his low average, Wert was selected to the roster of the

radio broadcast
of the game:

"This big crowd here ready to break loose. Three men on, two men out. Game tied, 1-1, in the ninth inning. McDaniel checkin' his sign with Jake Gibbs. The tall right-hander ready to go to work again, and the windup, and the pitch...He swings, a line shot, base hit, right field, the Tigers win it! Here comes Kaline to score and it's all over! Don Wert singles, the Tigers mob Don, Kaline has scored...The fans are streaming on the field...And the Tigers have won their first pennant since nineteen hundred and forty-five! Let's listen to the bedlam here at Tiger Stadium!"

Wert also singled in Detroit's final run of the 1968 World Series, driving in Dick Tracewski with two out in the top of the ninth inning in St. Louis, completing the Tigers' comeback to top the defending Series champs, 4-1, winning the series, 4 games to 3.

On July 15,

ground ball hit by Ed Brinkman.[12] On July 9, 1970, Wert was involved in a bizarre play when Dalton Jones hit a fly ball into the upper deck with the bases loaded.[13] What should have been a grand slam ended up being a three-RBI single, as Jones passed Wert between first and second base. Jones was called out
. Jones later blamed Wert, noting that Wert should have been halfway to second base, prepared to advance if it was a home run, and prepared to return to first if it was caught. Instead, Jones recalled that Wert was returning to first to tag up, and Jones passed Wert just 1 or 2 steps past first base.

On October 9, 1970, Wert and

Joe Coleman to the Tigers.[14] Wert played 20 games for the Senators in 1971.[1] He was batting .050 (two hits in 40 at bats) when he was released on June 24, 1971.[1]

Assessment

Over nine seasons in the major leagues, Wert played in 1,100 games and had a .242 batting average, 929 hits, 417 runs scored, 389 walks, 366 runs batted in, 129 doubles, and 77 home runs.[1] Wert played 1,043 of his games at third base and collected 914 putouts, 1,987 assists, and 173 double plays.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Don Wert at Baseball Reference
  2. ^ Don Wert at The Baseball Page
  3. ISBN 978-1-58261-222-5
  4. ^
    ISSN 0005-609X
  5. ISSN 0005-609X
  6. ^ Tiger of the Year Award at Baseball Almanac
  7. ^ 1965 American League Most Valuable Player Award voting results at Baseball Reference
  8. ^ June 24, 1968 Tigers-Indians box score at Baseball Reference
  9. ^ Wallner, Peter J. (August 6, 2018). "Don Wert's memorable hit for 1968 Tigers masked a mental battle at plate". MLive. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
  10. ^ 1968 All-Star Game at Baseball Reference
  11. ^ September 17, 1968 Yankees-Tigers box score at Baseball Reference
  12. ^ July 15, 1969 Tigers-Senators box score at Baseball Reference
  13. ^ July 9, 1970 Red Sox-Tigers box score at Baseball Reference
  14. ^ Don Wert Trades and Transactions at Baseball Almanac

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Don_Wert&oldid=1215169435"