Bud Weiser
Encyclopedia
Harry Budson "Bud" Weiser (January 8, 1891 – July 31, 1961) was a professional baseball outfielder
. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball
for the Philadelphia Phillies
. Weiser was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 165 pounds.
, in 1891. He started his professional baseball career in 1911 with the Carolina Association's Charlotte Hornets
. That season, he had a batting average
of .269 in 75 games. Weiser then batted .318 in 1912 and .241 in 1913. In 1914, while playing for the Hornets in the North Carolina State League
, he raised his average to .333 and led the league in hits
(148), slugging percentage (.560), and total bases (249). He was also the league's best all-around player, according to Sporting Life. That fall, he was drafted by the National League
's Philadelphia Phillies.
Weiser appeared in 37 games for the Phillies in 1915. He went 9 for 64 at the plate (.141) with 8 runs batted in
. In 1916, he played four MLB games but spent most of the season with the Eastern League's New London Planters
. Weiser did not get along with the Planters' manager and jumped the team at one point, but he was still the league's leading batter and base stealer as late as August. New London won the league championship.
In March 1917, Weiser was traded to the Southern Association
's Little Rock Travelers
. He batted .251 in 44 games for Little Rock, and that year he also played 87 games for the New York State League's Wilkes-Barre Barons
and led the league with an average of .375.
Weiser was sent to the International League
's Reading Coal Barons
in 1919. He batted .302 that season. In early 1920, however, he deserted the team to play in the Bethlehem Steel League. Weiser applied for reinstatement in 1921 but was denied. He eventually returned to organized baseball in 1923 and played in the New York-Pennsylvania League
for the next three years. He finished his professional baseball career in 1928, when he batted .311 in the Middle Atlantic League
.
Weiser died in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, in 1961 and was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He played two seasons in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. Weiser was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 165 pounds.
Career
Weiser was born in Shamokin, PennsylvaniaShamokin, Pennsylvania
Shamokin is a city in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, at the western edge of the Anthracite Coal Region. At the 2000 census the population was 8,009 residents...
, in 1891. He started his professional baseball career in 1911 with the Carolina Association's Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte Hornets (baseball)
The Charlotte Hornets was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The club was originally founded in 1901, and lasted in some form until 1973, capturing 11 league titles during its history...
. That season, he had a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .269 in 75 games. Weiser then batted .318 in 1912 and .241 in 1913. In 1914, while playing for the Hornets in the North Carolina State League
North Carolina State League
The North Carolina State League was a "Class D" league in Minor League Baseball. The original version of the league existed from 1913-1917 as the successor to the Carolina Association...
, he raised his average to .333 and led the league in hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(148), slugging percentage (.560), and total bases (249). He was also the league's best all-around player, according to Sporting Life. That fall, he was drafted by the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
's Philadelphia Phillies.
Weiser appeared in 37 games for the Phillies in 1915. He went 9 for 64 at the plate (.141) with 8 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. In 1916, he played four MLB games but spent most of the season with the Eastern League's New London Planters
New London Planters
The New London Planters were a minor league baseball team based in New London, Connecticut, that entered the now defunct Connecticut League in 1913, which had recently renamed itself the Eastern Association with the arrival of teams outside of the state...
. Weiser did not get along with the Planters' manager and jumped the team at one point, but he was still the league's leading batter and base stealer as late as August. New London won the league championship.
In March 1917, Weiser was traded to the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
's Little Rock Travelers
Little Rock Travelers
The Little Rock Travelers were an American minor league baseball team located in Little Rock, Arkansas and members of the Southern Association, which as a Class A, A1 or AA circuit was typically two rungs below Major League Baseball...
. He batted .251 in 44 games for Little Rock, and that year he also played 87 games for the New York State League's Wilkes-Barre Barons
Wilkes-Barre Barons (baseball)
The Wilkes-Barre Barons were a minor league team that existed on and off from 1888 to 1955. They began in the Central League in 1888, but the league disbanded after that season. Their next incarnation came about in 1905, when they began playing in the New York State League. They played in that...
and led the league with an average of .375.
Weiser was sent to the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
's Reading Coal Barons
Reading Phillies
The Reading Phillies are a minor league baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Eastern Division of the Eastern League. Since the 1967 season, they have been the AA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies....
in 1919. He batted .302 that season. In early 1920, however, he deserted the team to play in the Bethlehem Steel League. Weiser applied for reinstatement in 1921 but was denied. He eventually returned to organized baseball in 1923 and played in the New York-Pennsylvania League
New York-Pennsylvania League (early 20th century)
The New York-Pennsylvania League of 1923 through 1937 was an American minor league baseball circuit.The forerunner to the modern Class AA Eastern League, it was a Class B circuit through 1932 and upgraded to Class A for the final five seasons of its existence. It is actually the second of three...
for the next three years. He finished his professional baseball career in 1928, when he batted .311 in the Middle Atlantic League
Middle Atlantic League
The Middle Atlantic League was a lower-level circuit in American minor league baseball that played during the second quarter of the 20th century.-History:...
.
Weiser died in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, in 1961 and was buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery.