Ducky Detweiler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ducky Detweiler |
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| Third baseman | |||
| Born: February 15, 1919 Trumbauersville, Pennsylvania |
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| Died: March 13, 2013 (aged 94) Easton, Maryland |
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| debut | |||
| September 12, 1942, for the Boston Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 1, 1946, for the Boston Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .311 | ||
| At bats | 45 | ||
| Hits | 14 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Robert Sterling "Ducky" Detweiler (born February 15, 1919 – died March 13, 2013) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played as an infielder and was known for his strong hitting. Ducky stood 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighed 178 pounds. He batted and threw with his right hand.
Like many talented young players of his time, Ducky's baseball career was put on hold because he served in the military during World War II.
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Ducky Detweiler's Early Baseball Days
Ducky Detweiler was born in Trumbauersville, Pennsylvania. After finishing Quakertown High School in 1938, he moved to Federalsburg, Maryland in 1939. There, he became a well-known sports figure, playing baseball, basketball, and football. He also worked as an official and umpire for games.
In 1939, Ducky signed his first professional baseball contract with the Philadelphia Athletics. He played for their team, the Federalsburg Athletics, in the Eastern Shore League. He earned $75 a month playing in this league. Ducky quickly showed his talent, hitting for a .292 batting average and hitting 10 home runs in 98 games. He played as a second baseman and outfielder, helping his team win the league championship.
Moving Up in the Minor Leagues
In 1940, Ducky was promoted to the Wilmington Blue Rocks, a team in the Class B Interstate League. He switched to playing third base and continued to hit well. He batted .313 and had a .472 slugging percentage in 93 games.
The next year, 1941, he joined the Boston Bees organization. He started the year with the Bradford Bees in the PONY League. Later that season, he moved to the Bridgeport Bees in the Interstate League. Overall, he had a combined .310 batting average in 106 games that year.
A Hitting Streak and Major League Debut
The year 1942 was a big one for Ducky. He started with the Evansville Bees in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. He went on an amazing hitting streak, getting a hit in 40 games in a row! This helped him lead his team with a .341 batting average. He also led the team in hits (149), home runs (16), runs batted in (106), and total bases (237).
Because of his great performance, Ducky was called up to the Boston Braves, a Major League team, in September 1942. He played in 12 games and showed he could hit at the highest level. He batted .318, getting 14 hits in 44 tries. This included two doubles and one triple. He also brought in five runs and scored three times.
Serving His Country
After his first taste of Major League Baseball, Ducky was drafted into military service. He served as a Private First Class in the United States Army from 1943 to 1945 during World War II. He played baseball for military teams, including the New Cumberland Reception Center team. He later played for the Camp Siebert Gashouse Gang, which was a very strong military baseball team in the southern states.
Back to Baseball
Ducky returned to the Boston Braves in 1946. He only played in one game as a pinch-hitter before being sent to a minor league team, the Indianapolis Indians. Later that year, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals organization and finished the season with Rochester. He batted .230 in 99 games that year.
In 1947, Ducky asked to be released from his contract. He went back to the Federalsburg team in the Eastern Shore League, where he had started his professional career. He had a fantastic year, hitting .352 with 29 home runs and 133 RBIs.
From 1950 to 1952, Ducky played and managed minor league teams. He was a player/manager for the Red Springs Red Robins, a team connected to the Philadelphia Athletics. He ended his minor league playing career with a .316 batting average over 11 seasons. As a manager, he had a record of 207 wins and 290 losses.
Life After Baseball
After retiring from baseball, Ducky Detweiler ran a tavern called Ducky's Tavern from 1960 to 1969. He took over the business from his father-in-law. Later, he worked as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. He retired in 1984 after working there for 20 years.
Ducky married Jean Cahall in 1944. They had a daughter named Gina, and he was a grandfather to two granddaughters and a great-grandfather to two great-grandchildren. He lived in Easton, Maryland for a long time, where he passed away in 2013 at the age of 94.
