Wilmer Harris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wilmer Harris |
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| Negro league baseball | |||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: March 1, 1924 Philadelphia |
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| Died: December 23, 2004 (aged 80) Philadelphia |
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| Career statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 120–45 | ||
| Winning percentage | .727 | ||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Wilmer Joseph Harris (March 1, 1924 – December 23, 2004) was an amazing baseball pitcher who played in the Negro league baseball. He was known for his powerful arm and tricky curveball. Harris spent his entire eight-year career with the Philadelphia Stars. He was a true star, winning many games and even striking out some of the biggest names in baseball history!
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Wilmer Harris was born in Philadelphia on March 1, 1924. From a young age, he loved playing baseball. He started by playing "sandlot ball" with friends in his neighborhood.
He went to Central High School for Boys and graduated in 1941. While there, he was captain of both the baseball and basketball teams. He also played for a local team called the Passon Stars, which won four championships in a row!
Playing in the Negro Leagues
Wilmer Harris joined the Negro league baseball in 1945. He played for the Philadelphia Stars for his entire career, from 1945 to 1952. He was known for having a really tough curveball that was hard for batters to hit.
Facing Baseball Legends
In his very first game, Wilmer Harris pitched against the famous Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Monarchs. This big game was played in the original Yankee Stadium in front of 40,000 fans!
Later that year, he had another exciting moment. He struck out Jackie Robinson, who was a new player for the Monarchs at the time. Robinson later became famous for breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball.
A Career Highlight
One of the most amazing moments in Harris's career happened in 1946. He was pitching against the Newark Eagles at Connie Mack Stadium. The bases were loaded, meaning three opposing players were on base, and there were no outs. This is a very tough situation for a pitcher!
But Wilmer Harris was incredible. He struck out three of the greatest hitters in Negro League history, one after another: Larry Doby, Lennie Pearson, and Monte Irvin. This helped his team win the game!
All-Star Games and Record
In 1947, after the regular baseball season, Harris played on an All-Star team led by Jackie Robinson. This team included many important players from the Negro Leagues.
Wilmer Harris was chosen as an All-Star twice, in 1951 and 1952. In the 1951 East-West All-Star Game, he pitched the last three innings. He didn't let any runs score and got four strikeouts. He even earned a save, which means he finished the game and helped his team win 3–1.
He finished his career with an impressive record of 120 wins and only 45 losses. This gave him a strong winning percentage of .727.
Playing Around the World
Besides playing in the United States, Wilmer Harris also played baseball in other countries during the winter. He played in professional leagues in Panama (1945), Venezuela (1949), and the Dominican Republic (1950).
Life After Baseball
After he stopped playing baseball in 1952, Wilmer Harris started a new career. He worked for a company called SPS Technologies in Jenkintown for 37 years. He retired as a supervisor in 1989.
Later, he worked for Allied Securities Service in Pittsburgh for 12 years.
Wilmer Harris passed away in 2004 in his hometown of Philadelphia at the age of 80. At the time of his death, he was one of only five surviving members of the Philadelphia Stars. He had five children.
See also
- List of Negro league baseball players
