Willie Wells facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Willie Wells |
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: August 10, 1906 Austin, Texas |
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| Died: January 22, 1989 (aged 82) Austin, Texas |
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| debut | |||
| 1924, for the St. Louis Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1948, for the Memphis Red Sox | |||
| Negro leagues statistics | |||
| Batting average | .331 | ||
| Hits | 1,297 | ||
| Home runs | 140 | ||
| Runs batted in | 879 | ||
| Stolen bases | 160 | ||
| Teams | |||
Negro leagues
Mexican League
As Manager
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1997 | ||
| Election Method | Veterans Committee | ||
Willie James Wells (born August 10, 1906 – died January 22, 1989) was an amazing American baseball player. People called him "The Devil" because of how intense he was on the field!
Willie Wells played as a shortstop from 1924 to 1948. He played for many teams in the Negro leagues and also in countries like Mexico and Cuba.
Wells was super fast when running the bases. He could hit the ball far for home runs and also get hits often, which is called a good average. But he was best known for his incredible fielding. He almost never made a mistake and could quickly catch any ball hit his way. Many people think he was the best Black shortstop of his time. He even taught Jackie Robinson how to make a double play!
Did you know Willie Wells was one of the first players to wear a batting helmet? He started using one after getting hit in the head during a game. His first helmet was actually a construction helmet!
Willie Wells is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which is a huge honor in baseball.
Contents
Willie Wells' Early Life
Willie Wells was born in Austin, Texas. He went to Anderson High School in his hometown.
He started playing professional baseball in 1923. His first team was the Austin Black Senators. This team was part of a smaller league that helped players get to the bigger Negro National League. Willie also briefly went to Samuel Huston College in Austin. Soon after, he was called up to play for a team in St. Louis.
Playing in the Negro Leagues
Willie Wells joined the St. Louis Giants in 1924. Later that year, he moved to the St. Louis Stars. He played for the Stars until 1931, when both the team and the league stopped playing.
In 1926, Willie hit 27 home runs. This was a record for the Negro leagues in one season! In 1930, he had an amazing year. He led the Negro National League in home runs (17), runs batted in (114), and batting average (.411). This rare achievement is called winning the Triple Crown!
From 1932 to 1935, Wells played for the Chicago American Giants. Then, from 1936 to 1939, he played for the Newark Eagles. While with the Eagles, Willie was part of a famous group of players called the "Million Dollar Infield." This group included Wells, Ray Dandridge, Dick Seay, and Mule Suttles.
Playing Baseball in Other Countries
Willie Wells also played baseball in Mexico in 1940 and 1941. He said he felt a lot of freedom and acceptance there. Mexican fans gave him the nickname El Diablo, which means "The Devil," because of how intensely he played. This nickname stuck with him back in the United States.
He came back to the Negro leagues in 1942. He was a player-manager for the Newark Eagles, meaning he played and also helped lead the team. After that, he went back to Mexico for the 1943 and 1944 seasons.
In 1945, Wells returned to the U.S. and played for different Negro league teams until 1950. In 1948, he even played alongside his son, Willie Wells Jr., for the Memphis Red Sox. After his playing career, he went to Canada to be a player-manager for the Winnipeg Buffaloes. He stopped playing baseball in 1954. Later, he managed the Birmingham Black Barons.
Life After Baseball
After his long baseball career, Willie Wells worked at a deli in New York City. He later moved back to his hometown of Austin, Texas, to take care of his mother.
Willie Wells passed away in Austin in 1989. He was first buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Austin. Later, he was re-buried in the Texas State Cemetery, which is a special place for important Texans.
In 1997, Willie Wells was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame. This was a big honor for his amazing career in the Negro leagues. He is also in the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame and the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame.
Willie's daughter, Stella Lee Wells, created a scholarship fund to honor her father. It's called the Stella and Willie Wells Scholarship Fund. This fund helps students get scholarships to Huston–Tillotson University in Austin, Texas.
Images for kids
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Willie Wells, a legendary shortstop.
See also
- Disch Field
