Jim Wilson (pitcher)

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For other people named Jim Wilson, see Jim Wilson (disambiguation).
Jim Wilson
Wilson in about 1952.
Pitcher
Born: (1922-02-20)February 20, 1922
San Diego, California, U.S.
Died: September 2, 1986(1986-09-02) (aged 64)
Newport Beach, California, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 18, 1945, for the Boston Red Sox
Last MLB appearance
September 14, 1958, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
Win–loss record86–89
Earned run average4.01
Strikeouts692
Teams
Career highlights and awards

James Alger Wilson (February 20, 1922 – September 2, 1986) was an

Milwaukee's Major League history[1] and was a three-time (1954–56) All-Star who represented both the National and American leagues. During his front office career he served as the third general manager in the franchise history of the Milwaukee Brewers
.

Career

As a player

A native of San Diego, Wilson threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 200 pounds (91 kg). He attended San Diego State University.

Wilson pitched in all or part of 12 seasons (1945–46; 1948–49; 1951–58) for five Major League franchises and six different cities: the

inning of a 3–3 game. With one out, Detroit Tigers' slugger Hank Greenberg hit a line drive back through the box that struck Wilson in the head, fracturing his skull and sending him to Henry Ford Hospital.[2] The injury sidelined Wilson for the rest of the campaign[3]
and he would pitch only one more game for the Red Sox, on April 23, 1946.

Wilson returned to Louisville for the balance of

Cleveland Indians, Tigers and Athletics—and make ineffective appearances in six total big-league games for the Browns and A's. Finally, in 1950, he was acquired by the Triple-A Seattle Rainiers, managed by Paul Richards. Wilson won 24 games (losing 11) for a sixth-place team and led the Pacific Coast League in strikeouts
. His contract was purchased by the Boston Braves at season's end, and Wilson returned to the Major Leagues for good.

Wilson's first All-Star season came in

Cleveland Municipal Stadium
.

On the eve of the

starting rotation. Wilson led the American League in games lost (18) that season (as a team, Baltimore lost 97 games), but he again registered four shutouts and was selected to the AL All-Star team
, chosen to play in the July 12, 1955, game at his old home field, County Stadium. But again Wilson did not appear and, again, his team was defeated, with the Senior Circuit winning 6–5 in 12 innings.

Wilson in 1958

Wilson began 1956 by winning four of his first six decisions in seven starts for Baltimore despite sporting a high (5.03) earned run average. On May 21, Richards traded him to the first-division White Sox, and although he pitched more effectively, he registered only a 9–12 record for Chicago. Nevertheless, Wilson was selected to the 1956 American League All-Star team, and this time he played in the game at Griffith Stadium in Washington, working one inning in the AL's 7–3 loss, allowing two hits and one earned run, although he retired Willie Mays on a called third strike to register the final out.[5]

That set the stage for Wilson's most successful big-league season, with the

Washington Senators, he worked 82⁄3 innings and surrendered five earned runs, but was credited with the victory in a 6–5 Chicago triumph. That season he also continued his skein of errorless games as a pitcher. On June 15, 1955, as an Oriole, he muffed an eighth-inning foul pop-up by the White Sox' Jim Rivera for an error. It was the last miscue he would commit in his career, which spanned 116 games through his 1958 retirement. Wilson posted a career .988 fielding percentage
, committing only 4 miscues in 333 total chances.

Altogether, Wilson appeared in 257 Major League games pitched, 217 as a starter. He compiled an 86–89 won-lost mark, with 75 complete games and 19 shutouts. In 1,539 innings pitched he notched 692 strikeouts. Wilson also allowed 1,479 hits, 608 bases on balls and 686 earned runs. His career earned run average was 4.01.

As a scout and executive

Wilson remained in the game as a scout for the Orioles and

minor league baseball, Wilson promoted the 18-year-old Yount to the 1974 Brewers, the beginning of a 20-season, Hall of Fame career for the shortstop and center fielder
.

But Wilson's stay as general manager in Milwaukee was not a long one. After the 1974 season he returned to California to become executive director of the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau. He stepped down in 1985 after being stricken with cancer[1] and died in Newport Beach at age 64 on September 2, 1986.

See also

References

  1. ^
    The Milwaukee Journal
    . Retrieved 2015-07-19.
  2. ^ "Pitcher 'Doing Nicely' After Skull Operation". Pittsburgh Press. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. United Press (UP). August 9, 1945. p. 22. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  3. ^ J. G. Taylor Spink, ed., The Sporting News 1956 Official Baseball Register
  4. ^ 1954.06.12 box score from Retrosheet
  5. ^ 1956 All-Star Game box score from Retrosheet
  6. ISBN 0-8362-0781-5
    .
  7. ^ Baseball America Executive Database

External links

Achievements
Preceded by No-hitter pitcher
June 12, 1954 		Succeeded by
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