ULTIMATE TRIVIA....

QUESTION: Who is the oldest living Major Leaguer and the last living teammate of Babe Ruth? (Good luck in your research)

 

"On Friday, Bill Werber, the oldest living former major leaguer, is celebrating his 100th birthday. He played in the big leagues in 1930, and then from 1933 to 1942. His anniversary day is being commemorated at a retirement home in Charlotte, N.C., where, though afflicted with diabetes that caused the amputation of a leg, he is still alert and articulate.

Although his baseball career did not make him a household name, Werber has considerably more to recommend him than his longevity. When he was spotted by the Yankees scout Paul Krichell, Werber was an incubating Phi Beta Kappa at Duke, where he became the university’s first all-American basketball player. Krichell declared that Werber had “better baseball legs than Ty Cobb” and Werber indeed turned out to be a superb base stealer, leading the American League twice in the 1930s and tying for the lead in a third year. "

It was my privilege to meet Mr Werber one time. What great stories he had to tell

 

Nice job Tom...in addition he waas the first hitter to be televised in a MLB game in 1939 against the Reds!!!!!

 

Red Legs

In 1939 he was WITH the Reds in that game. He won the 1940 WS with the Red Legs and was the MVP of that World Series!

 

ur correct the opponent i believe was the Brooklyn Dodgers!

 

It is amazing how much baseball history and how many "baseball men" are all over North Carolina. The Babe's first professional homer? He did it in Fayetteville NC! Sadly, a lot of the legendary "old timers" are passing on these days. I've always thought that it would be a great idea for high school coaches to seek out these men in their communities and expose their young players to some history, up close and personal.

 

If you haven't read it, this is an outstanding book by Bill Werber. I highly recommend it!

http://www.amazon.com/Memories-Ball...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1229959498&sr=8-1

 

Bill Werber is a fascinating man and a lens into the game when it was the king of all sports.

• Played for the New York Yankees in the early 1930’s…..last living teammate of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Played on the '27 Yankees for three weeks after his freshman year at Duke. Famed Yankee Scout, Paul Krichell signed him and said he had the best legs in baseball, even better than Cobb.
• Oldest living major league baseball player (turned 100 on June 20, 2008)
• Played with the Yankees, Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia A's and NY Giants
• Led the American League in steals in 1934, 1935 and 1937
• First batter in the first ever televised baseball game on May 1, 1939 (Reds vs. Brooklyn Dodgers from Ebbets Field)
• Led the Reds to the World Series title in 1940, batting .370
• Only player in baseball history to hit 4 consecutive doubles in both the American and National leagues
• Hobbled himself early in his career by kicking the water bucket in disgust after a bad play. Toe injury affected him the rest of his playing days and beyond
• Duke University’s first All American in basketball, in 1930
• Hunted quail with President Eisenhower while Ike was President
• Earned over $100,000 in 1943 selling insurance, his first year after retiring from baseball (the most Ruth ever made as America’s most celebrated athlete was $80,000). Werber went on to have a very successful career in the insurance business in Washington, DC, mostly selling large pension plans.
• Authored three books
• Married to his high school sweetheart for 70 years!

You can read about this great man's career in a book he wrote when he was 95, Memories of a Ballplayer....it can be found on eBay from time to time. His other two books are harder to find, but well worth the search (Circling the Bases, Hunting is For the Birds). Numerous articles were written about his career and life upon his 100th birthday (NY Times, Washington Post, USA Today, Boston Globe, etc)...some creative searching via Google will yield those articles.

 

told ya! thanks l & s! (ultimate in regards to baseball & life, huh?)