Snake Wiltse
Encyclopedia
Lewis DeWitt "Snake" Wiltse (December 5, 1871 - August 25, 1928) was a pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates
, Philadelphia Athletics
, Baltimore Orioles
, and New York Highlanders
from 1901 to 1903. His brother was fellow major league pitcher George "Hooks" Wiltse
.
. In January 1901, Wiltse was acquired by the National League
's Pirates. He went 1-4 and was released in mid-season.
Wiltse then signed with the Philadelphia Athletics on July 20. He pitched well the rest of the year, going 13-5 and also batting
.326. On August 10, he made history, hitting two doubles
and two triples
for 10 total bases, which set an MLB record for pitchers. Wiltse also pitched a shutout
in that game.
In 1902, Wiltse played for the Athletics, going 8-8, before he was sold to the Baltimore Orioles. The Baltimore franchise was transferred to New York for the following season, and Wiltse continued to pitch poorly. His earned run average
was higher than 5.00 in 1902 and 1903. He played his final major league game on May 18, 1903, and then went down to the minors.
Wiltse pitched in the Eastern League
, Tri-State League
, and New York State League from 1903 to 1910. He won 20 games once, in 1904, and finished his career with 69 minor league victories to go along with his 29 major league wins. His overall major league pitching record was 29 wins and 31 losses in 62 games, with an earned run average
of 4.59. As a major league hitter, he compiled a .278 batting average
and a .398 slugging percentage in 284 at bats.
Wiltse was married and had one daughter. He died in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
, at the age of 56.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
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...
. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, Philadelphia Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
, Baltimore Orioles
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, and New York Highlanders
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
from 1901 to 1903. His brother was fellow major league pitcher George "Hooks" Wiltse
Hooks Wiltse
George Leroy "Hooks" Wiltse was a pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1904 to 1915. He was the brother of pitcher Snake Wiltse....
.
Career
Lewis Wiltse was born in Bouckville, New York. Nicknamed "Snake", he started playing semi-pro baseball in 1894 and then began his professional career in 1899 with the Toledo Mud HensToledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
. In January 1901, Wiltse was acquired 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 Pirates. He went 1-4 and was released in mid-season.
Wiltse then signed with the Philadelphia Athletics on July 20. He pitched well the rest of the year, going 13-5 and also batting
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 :...
.326. On August 10, he made history, hitting two doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and two triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
for 10 total bases, which set an MLB record for pitchers. Wiltse also pitched a shutout
Shutout (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, a shutout refers to the act by which a single pitcher pitches a complete game and does not allow the opposing team to score a run...
in that game.
In 1902, Wiltse played for the Athletics, going 8-8, before he was sold to the Baltimore Orioles. The Baltimore franchise was transferred to New York for the following season, and Wiltse continued to pitch poorly. His earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
was higher than 5.00 in 1902 and 1903. He played his final major league game on May 18, 1903, and then went down to the minors.
Wiltse pitched in the Eastern 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...
, Tri-State League
Tri-State League
The Tri-State League was the name of five different circuits in American minor league baseball.-History:The first league of that name played for four years and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia....
, and New York State League from 1903 to 1910. He won 20 games once, in 1904, and finished his career with 69 minor league victories to go along with his 29 major league wins. His overall major league pitching record was 29 wins and 31 losses in 62 games, with an earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 4.59. As a major league hitter, he compiled a .278 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 :...
and a .398 slugging percentage in 284 at bats.
Wiltse was married and had one daughter. He died in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, at the age of 56.