Wally Westlake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wally Westlake |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 8, 1920 Gridley, California, U.S. |
|||
| Died: September 5, 2019 (aged 98) Sacramento, California, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 15, 1947, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 12, 1956, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .272 | ||
| Home runs | 127 | ||
| Runs batted in | 539 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Waldon Thomas Westlake, known as Wally Westlake, was a talented baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for ten years, from 1947 to 1956. He was known as a "utility player" because he could play many different positions on the field. Wally was born on November 8, 1920, and passed away on September 5, 2019.
Contents
Wally Westlake's Baseball Journey
Wally Westlake was born in Gridley, California. He played for several teams during his career. These included the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and Philadelphia Phillies in the National League. He also played for the Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles in the American League.
Wally mostly played as an outfielder. Sometimes, he also played as a third baseman. He was a right-handed batter and threw with his right hand.
Amazing Batting Feats
Wally Westlake achieved something very special twice in his career: he hit for the cycle. This means he got a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game! Both times, he did this while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- The first time was on July 30, 1948, against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
- The second time was almost a year later, on June 14, 1949, against the Boston Braves.
In 1951, Wally was chosen to be an All-Star for the National League team. He entered the game in the last part of the 9th inning to play defense.
World Series Appearance
Wally Westlake was part of the 1954 Cleveland Indians team. This team made it to the 1954 World Series. However, they were defeated by the New York Giants.
Wally played in two games during that World Series. He got one hit in seven tries and also drew one walk. After his teammate Hal Naragon passed away, Wally Westlake became the last living player from the 1954 Cleveland Indians team who played in the World Series.
A Historic Moment in Baseball
On August 26, 1947, Wally Westlake was part of a historic moment in baseball. He became the first white batter to be hit by a pitch from a Black pitcher. This happened when Dan Bankhead of the Brooklyn Dodgers pitched to him at Ebbets Field. This was an important event during a time when baseball was becoming more open to players of all backgrounds.
Career Statistics
In his 958 regular season games, Wally Westlake had a batting average of .272. He hit 127 Home runs and had 539 Runs Batted In (RBIs). He played 738 games in the National League and 220 games in the American League. Most of his games (834) were played in the outfield. He played 34 games at third base, all of which were with the 1951 Pittsburgh Pirates.
Wally's Life Outside Baseball
Wally Westlake went to Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento. His brother, Jim Westlake, also played in Major League Baseball.
Wally served in the United States military during World War II. He passed away on September 5, 2019. At the time of his death, he was the last living member of the 1954 Cleveland Indians team who played in the World Series.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
