Wes Westrum
Encyclopedia
Wesley Noreen Westrum was an American
professional
baseball
player, coach
, manager
, and scout
. He played for 11 seasons as a catcher
in Major League Baseball
for the New York Giants
from to . He was known as a superb defensive catcher. He served as the second manager in the history of the New York Mets
, replacing Casey Stengel
in 1965
after the latter fractured his hip and was forced to retire.
, Westrum was a stalwart defensive player for the New York Giants
(1947–57) and, in his prime, a powerful right-handed hitter, although he had trouble making contact and hit for a low .217 career batting average
. He began his major league career as the Giants' reserve catcher, playing behind Walker Cooper
. When Cooper was traded in 1949
, Westrum shared the catching duties with Ray Mueller
for the remainder of the season. He became the full time catcher for the Giants in 1950
, leading National League
catchers with a .999 fielding percentage
, 31 baserunners caught stealing
, a 54.4% caught stealing percentage and 71 assists
, and finished second to Roy Campanella
with 608 putout
s.
Westrum was a key player for the Giants’ during the pennant
race, hitting 20 home run
s with 70 runs batted in, and led National League catchers in baserunners caught stealing. The Giants were 13 games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers
on August 12, when they proceeded to win 14 games in a row. The Giants ended the season tied with the Dodgers, and their season was climaxed by Bobby Thomson
’s Shot Heard 'Round the World
, a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 5-4 win of the third and final playoff game. Afterwards, the Giants would lose to the New York Yankees
in the 1951 World Series
.
His 1952
season was plagued by injuries and he only managed to hit for a .220 batting average
in 114 games, although he still managed to finish second to Del Rice
among catchers in assists. Westrum remained the Giants' starting catcher throughout the 1954
season, catching all four games in the 1954 World Series
against the Cleveland Indians
. Injuries continued to take their toll, and by 1955
, Ray Katt
had replaced him as the starting catcher. When the Giants moved to San Francisco in , he was offered a role as a third-string catcher or as a coach. He decided to retire as a player at the age of 34, and accepted the coaching job.
, accumulating 503 hits
in 2322 at bats for a .217 career batting average along with 96 home runs, 315 runs batted in, and a .356 on base percentage
. He ended his career with a .985 fielding percentage. In the 1950 season, he committed only one error
in 139 games played
, and had 21 double play
s, the 11th highest season total for a catcher.
Westrum's 1950 fielding percentage of .999 stood as a National League record for catchers, until it was surpassed by Charles Johnson in . He made the National League All-Star
teams in 1952
and 1953
. Over his career, Westrum threw out 47% of the base runners
who tried steal
a base on him, ranking him 9th on the all-time list. He played more games as a catcher than any other player in Giants history (902). Westrum was pictured on the cover of the first issue of Sports Illustrated on August 16, 1954, along with Milwaukee Braves star Eddie Mathews
.
coach and them became their first base coach through the 1963
season. He joined the Mets as a coach in 1964
, and became pitching coach in July 1965 after the release of Warren Spahn
. Westrum was named the Mets' manager when Stengel was injured on August 30, 1965, and stepped down as skipper of the perennial last-place club. The Mets fared no better under Westrum in 1965
, losing 48 of the 67 games under his leadership. But his 1966
club escaped the basement for the first time in the Mets' five-year history when it finished ninth in the ten-team National League, posting a record of 66 wins and 95 losses, a 16-game improvement over the previous season. The Mets were slowly developing an array of young pitcher
s in the minor leagues
; however, apart from Tom Seaver
, none arrived in time to help Westrum in 1967
, when New York again finished tenth and last. Westrum resigned with 11 games to go in the season. Coach Salty Parker
managed the team for the remaining games of the 1967 season, and Gil Hodges was named manager for 1968
.
Westrum then rejoined the Giants, who eventually gave him a second managing opportunity in July 1974
when he succeeded Charlie Fox
with the club in fifth place. He was not able to post a winning record in his 1½ years as San Francisco's manager, although he came close when his team finished one game under .500 in 1975
and in third place in the National League Western Division. That marked his last year as a major league manager, although Westrum stayed in the game as a scout for the Atlanta Braves
for many years. His final record as a manager: 260 wins, 366 losses (.415).
Westrum died in 2002 in Clearbrook.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
, manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
, and scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
. He played for 11 seasons as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
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 New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
from to . He was known as a superb defensive catcher. He served as the second manager in the history of the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, replacing Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in ....
in 1965
1965 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Minnesota Twins ; Sandy Koufax, MVP*All-Star Game, July 13 at Metropolitan Stadium: National League, 6-5; Juan Marichal, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Arizona State...
after the latter fractured his hip and was forced to retire.
Major League playing career
A native of Clearbrook, MinnesotaClearbrook, Minnesota
Clearbrook is a city in Clearwater County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 518 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
, Westrum was a stalwart defensive player for the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
(1947–57) and, in his prime, a powerful right-handed hitter, although he had trouble making contact and hit for a low .217 career 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 :...
. He began his major league career as the Giants' reserve catcher, playing behind Walker Cooper
Walker Cooper
William Walker Cooper was an American professional baseball player. He was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for six National League teams from 1940 to 1957...
. When Cooper was traded in 1949
1949 New York Giants (MLB) season
- Offseason :* Prior to 1949 season **Art Fowler was acquired from the Giants by the Atlanta Crackers.**Foster Castleman was signed as an amateur free agent by the Giants.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
, Westrum shared the catching duties with Ray Mueller
Ray Mueller
Ray Coleman Mueller was an American professional baseball player, a catcher in the Major Leagues from 1935–1944 and 1946–1951. Nicknamed "Iron Man," Mueller appeared as a catcher in every game the Cincinnati Reds played — 155 — during the wartime season...
for the remainder of the season. He became the full time catcher for the Giants in 1950
1950 New York Giants (MLB) season
- Offseason :* December 14, 1949: Sid Gordon, Buddy Kerr, Willard Marshall, and Red Webb were traded by the Giants to the Boston Braves for Eddie Stanky and Alvin Dark.* Prior to 1950 season: Al Sima was purchased from the Giants by the Washington Senators....
, leading 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...
catchers with a .999 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
, 31 baserunners caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
, a 54.4% caught stealing percentage and 71 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
, and finished second to Roy Campanella
Roy Campanella
Roy Campanella , nicknamed "Campy", was an American baseball player, primarily at the position of catcher, in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball...
with 608 putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s.
Westrum was a key player for the Giants’ during the pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
race, hitting 20 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s with 70 runs batted in, and led National League catchers in baserunners caught stealing. The Giants were 13 games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers
1951 Brooklyn Dodgers season
The Brooklyn Dodgers led the National League for much of the season, holding a 13 game lead as late as August. However, a late season swoon and a hot streak by the New York Giants led to a classic three-game playoff series...
on August 12, when they proceeded to win 14 games in a row. The Giants ended the season tied with the Dodgers, and their season was climaxed by Bobby Thomson
Bobby Thomson
Robert Brown "Bobby" Thomson was a Scottish-born American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "The Staten Island Scot", he was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants , Milwaukee Braves , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles .His season-ending three-run...
’s Shot Heard 'Round the World
Shot Heard 'Round the World (baseball)
In baseball, the "Shot Heard 'round the World" is the term given to the walk-off home run hit by New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson off Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds to win the National League pennant at 3:58 p.m...
, a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning for a 5-4 win of the third and final playoff game. Afterwards, the Giants would lose to the New York Yankees
1951 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 49th season for the team in New York, and its 51st season overall. The team finished with a record of 98-56, winning their 18th pennant, finishing five games ahead of the Cleveland Indians. New York was managed by Casey Stengel. The Yankees played at Yankee...
in the 1951 World Series
1951 World Series
The 1951 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the New York Giants, who had won the National League pennant in a thrilling three-game playoff with the Brooklyn Dodgers on the legendary home run by Bobby Thomson .In the Series, the Yankees showed some power of...
.
His 1952
1952 New York Giants (MLB) season
-Offseason:* December 11, 1951: Eddie Stanky was traded by the Giants to the St. Louis Cardinals for Chuck Diering and Max Lanier.-Notable transactions:* May 17, 1952: Bill Howerton was selected off waivers by the Giants from the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Roster:...
season was plagued by injuries and he only managed to hit for a .220 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 :...
in 114 games, although he still managed to finish second to Del Rice
Del Rice
Delbert Rice Jr. was an American professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played for 17 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from to , most notably for the St. Louis Cardinals...
among catchers in assists. Westrum remained the Giants' starting catcher throughout the 1954
1954 New York Giants (MLB) season
The New York Giants season was a season in Major League Baseball. The Giants won the National League pennant with a record of 97 wins and 57 losses and then defeated the Cleveland Indians in the World Series.-Offseason:...
season, catching all four games in the 1954 World Series
1954 World Series
The 1954 World Series matched the National League champion New York Giants against the American League champion Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept the Series in four games to win their first championship since , defeating the heavily favored Indians, who had won an AL-record 111 games in the...
against the Cleveland Indians
1954 Cleveland Indians season
The Cleveland Indians advanced to the World Series for the first time in six years. It was the team's third American League championship in franchise history...
. Injuries continued to take their toll, and by 1955
1955 New York Giants (MLB) season
- Offseason :* Prior to 1955 season: Marshall Bridges was acquired from the Giants by the Milwaukee Braves.- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in- Other batters :Note: G = Games...
, Ray Katt
Ray Katt
Raymond Frederick Katt was an American catcher and coach in Major League Baseball during the 1950s, and later the longtime and highly successful head baseball coach of Texas Lutheran University. A lifelong resident of New Braunfels, Texas, Katt stood 6'2" tall, weighed 200 pounds , and threw and...
had replaced him as the starting catcher. When the Giants moved to San Francisco in , he was offered a role as a third-string catcher or as a coach. He decided to retire as a player at the age of 34, and accepted the coaching job.
Career statistics
In an 11 year career, Westrum played in 919 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 503 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....
in 2322 at bats for a .217 career batting average along with 96 home runs, 315 runs batted in, and a .356 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
. He ended his career with a .985 fielding percentage. In the 1950 season, he committed only one error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in 139 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, and had 21 double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s, the 11th highest season total for a catcher.
Westrum's 1950 fielding percentage of .999 stood as a National League record for catchers, until it was surpassed by Charles Johnson in . He made the National League All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
teams in 1952
1952 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1952 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 19th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 8, 1952, at Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the home of...
and 1953
1953 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1953 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 20th playing of the mid-summer classic between the All-Stars teams of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 1953 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio, home of...
. Over his career, Westrum threw out 47% of the base runners
Baserunning
In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat.In general, baserunning is a tactical part of the game with the goal of eventually reaching home to score a run. In fact, the goal of batting is generally to produce baserunners, or help move...
who tried steal
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
a base on him, ranking him 9th on the all-time list. He played more games as a catcher than any other player in Giants history (902). Westrum was pictured on the cover of the first issue of Sports Illustrated on August 16, 1954, along with Milwaukee Braves star Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
.
Coach and manager
Westrum served as the Giants' bullpenBullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
coach and them became their first base coach through the 1963
1963 San Francisco Giants season
- Offseason :* November 30, 1962: Manny Mota and Dick LeMay were traded by the Giants to the Houston Colt .45s for Joey Amalfitano.* December 15, 1962: Stu Miller, Mike McCormick, and John Orsino were traded by the Giants to the Baltimore Orioles for Jack Fisher, Jimmie Coker and Billy Hoeft.-...
season. He joined the Mets as a coach in 1964
1964 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the third regular season for the Mets. They went 53-109 and finished 10th in the NL, 40 games behind the World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals. They were managed by Casey Stengel...
, and became pitching coach in July 1965 after the release of Warren Spahn
Warren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...
. Westrum was named the Mets' manager when Stengel was injured on August 30, 1965, and stepped down as skipper of the perennial last-place club. The Mets fared no better under Westrum in 1965
1965 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the 4th regular season for the Mets. They went 50-112 and finished 10th in the NL. They were managed by Casey Stengel and Wes Westrum...
, losing 48 of the 67 games under his leadership. But his 1966
1966 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the 5th regular season for the Mets. They went 66-95 and finished 9th in the NL. They were managed by Wes Westrum. They played home games at Shea Stadium.-Offseason:...
club escaped the basement for the first time in the Mets' five-year history when it finished ninth in the ten-team National League, posting a record of 66 wins and 95 losses, a 16-game improvement over the previous season. The Mets were slowly developing an array of young pitcher
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...
s in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
; however, apart from Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
, none arrived in time to help Westrum in 1967
1967 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the 6th regular season for the Mets. They went 61-101 and finished 10th in the National League, 40½ games behind the NL pennant and World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals. They were managed by Wes Westrum and Salty Parker...
, when New York again finished tenth and last. Westrum resigned with 11 games to go in the season. Coach Salty Parker
Salty Parker
Francis James "Salty" Parker was a Major League Baseball infielder, coach and manager. Born in East St. Louis, Illinois, Parker played in the Major Leagues for one month from August 13, 1936 through September 16, 1936...
managed the team for the remaining games of the 1967 season, and Gil Hodges was named manager for 1968
1968 New York Mets season
The New York Mets season was the 7th regular season for the Mets. They went 73-89 and finished 9th in the National League. They were managed by Gil Hodges...
.
Westrum then rejoined the Giants, who eventually gave him a second managing opportunity in July 1974
1974 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants season was the franchise's 92nd season and 17th season in San Francisco.- Offseason :* December 7, 1973: Juan Marichal was purchased from the Giants by the Boston Red Sox....
when he succeeded Charlie Fox
Charlie Fox
Charles Francis Fox was an American manager, general manager, scout, coach—and, briefly, a catcher—in Major League Baseball...
with the club in fifth place. He was not able to post a winning record in his 1½ years as San Francisco's manager, although he came close when his team finished one game under .500 in 1975
1975 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants season was the franchise's 93rd season and 18th season in San Francisco.- Offseason :* October 14, 1974: Ken Rudolph and Elias Sosa were traded by the Giants to the St...
and in third place in the National League Western Division. That marked his last year as a major league manager, although Westrum stayed in the game as a scout for the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for many years. His final record as a manager: 260 wins, 366 losses (.415).
Westrum died in 2002 in Clearbrook.
External links
- Turn Back The Clock, Former Catcher Wes Westrum Recalls Career With Giants, by Bob Mayer, Baseball Digest, November 2001
- Wes Westrum at The Baseball Biography Project
- The Deadball Era
- Wes Westrum at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...