A giant falls...the passing of Bill Werber

When a giant falls the rumble is not felt by everyone. Such was the case last week when Charlotte lost one of its’ finest citizens. Bill Werber had only called Charlotte his home for the last ten years of his life, but the final laps of life for a great man were still a time to educate and entertain those who had the pleasure of knowing him. He was a man of great achievement and purpose who distinguished himself from an early age in ways that made him stand out as an example of how to live life fully while remaining generous, kind and humble. His childhood in Berwyn, Maryland was normal enough with an occasional splash of mischief to keep things interesting, but mostly he developed himself as a gifted athlete. Most any physical endeavor became a competition. Running, jumping fences, throwing rocks, and diving from bridges were always a measure of who could do it the best. His athletic achievements took him to Duke University where he excelled on the ball diamond and the hardwood, becoming Duke’s first All-American in basketball in 1930. The New York Yankees signed him and he became a professional ballplayer, playing 12 seasons with more than a few special moments.

Werber’s career was often framed in terms of his being a teammate of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. While noteworthy, that wasn’t the measure of the man. He stood on his own and established a few records himself. Known as a tough competitor, Werber didn’t give an inch on the field and he prided himself on working hard and occasionally outsmarting his opponents. He took second base on a walk once while noting that the catcher turned to argue the ball four call. On the long train rides that were common then, he was often called on to be the arbiter in disputes and confer his knowledge upon the less educated ballplayers of the day. In all things he was gracious and dignified.

The Bill Werber most would never know from reading articles about him was a man who possessed the most fantastic vocabulary…and he enjoyed the full use of it. Although he never made the Baseball Hall of Fame, he surely would be a charter member of the storytellers Hall of Fame if one existed. He told vivid tales of moments large and small with a total recall of the little details that made it all so real for the fortunate recipient. Not just stories of the Babe, but also stories about hunting trips with President Eisenhower and caring for his beloved bird dogs…and stories about most everything in between. He was a big talker and he was very good at it. He was also a man of strong opinions and even after his 100th birthday this past June, he would share them with our political leaders and others he thought would benefit from his perspective.

Werber was very successful in business following his departure from baseball in 1942 and amazingly earned over $100,000 selling insurance his first year out of baseball. The most Ruth ever earned as America’s most celebrated athlete was $80,000. In his day, he was a respected businessman and he said his business success was mostly rooted in good listening skills and not being bashful about asking for the order. I’m sure he never asked to have a boulevard named after him, however.

He played baseball during the golden era of baseball, playing with or against Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Lefty Grove, Mel Ott, Bill Dickey and numerous other stars who roamed the major league diamonds in the 1930's and early 1940's. During spring training in 1939 he saw "The Kid" make a big splash and he said he knew instantly that Ted Williams was the best hitter he had ever laid eyes on. Werber is the only player in Major League history to hit 4 consecutive doubles in a game in both the American and National Leagues. He led the American League in steals in 1934, 1935 and 1937 and led the Reds to the World Series title in 1940 with a .370 batting average.

So, a giant fell last week in Charlotte…..and now maybe a few more heard the rumble.

 

Mr. Werber was indeed a great man and an outstanding storyteller. We were fortunate enough to spend an afternoon with Mr. Werber three years ago. His mind was as sharp as a tack and his stories were amazing.

His advice to our boys - run everywhere, never walk. Always throw hard. He told a story of Babe Ruth...when Mr. Werber was a rookie with the Yankees he was in the shower after the game...felt something warm on his back only to turn around an see "The Babe" initiating him. Mr. Werber had a great sense of humor.

He was kind enough to sign some autographs and give some gifts to the boys. We had picked up Cincinnati Reds cap and he graciously autographed the bill. It now sits proudly on my sons trophy shelf.

Congratulations to the Field of Dreams on their newest "rookie" - I'm sure he's running the bases!

P.S. Many thanks to Donn Koch for enabling these memories to happen for our team.

 

North Carolina has been blessed with a number of former greats and even more who maybe weren't considered great, but were a part of this GREAT GAME!
Find them, listen to their stories, learn from their experiences, and appreciate what ever small place they occupied in the history of baseball.
I will always be indebted to a gentleman who, in his youth, played in the old Appalachian League with players like Stan Musial. When my son was just starting out, around 6 or 7 yrs old, I debated getting a batting cage, even though I could get it for next to nothing. Mr. Horton asked me what I was waiting for and I replied that I didn't know if my son was going to be serious about playing baseball. He said if you wait until they decide to pick a path, then it will be too late for you to help them pick the right one. I think I made the right choice in listening and following his advice. Things have turned out pretty well for my son... and me!