Bill Werle

Bill Werle (b. 1921) was a left-handed major league baseball pitcher from
Oakland, California. He pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, and Boston Red Sox from 1949 "-" 1954. His nickname was "Bugs" and his full name was William George Werle. He threw and batted left-handed. His playing weight was 182 pounds."Bill Werle", http://www.baseball-reference.com, Players.]

College pitcher

Werle pitched for Modesto Junior College in the spring of 1941. In an 8-7 loss to Compton Junior College he ceded 14 hits, but it was an unearned run which caused his defeat. He pitched a
complete game. ["Compton Jaysee Nine Edges Modesto, 8-7", Los Angeles Times, April 8, 1941, Page 24.] In March 1942 Werle held the University of Southern California baseball team to 8 hits in a key California Intercollegiate Baseball Association contest. The University of California won 10-5. One of the hits he gave up was a solo homer toCal Barnes in the 9th inning. ["Bear Nine's Spurt in Eighth Downs Troy to Tune of 10-5", Los Angeles Times, March 14, 1942, Page 11.] Playing for the Stockton, California All-Stars, Werle shut out the McClellan Field Commandos, 7-0, in May 1943. ["Stockton All-Stars Blank McClellans", Los Angeles Times, May 28, 1943, Page A11.]

Pacific Coast League 1943 "-" 1948, 1955 "-" 1957

In a benefit game for Hammond General Hospital in Modesto, California, Werle was one of three San Francisco Seals pitchers to face Sergeant Joe Dimaggio. Stationed at the Santa Ana, California Army Air Base, Dimaggio did not reach safely in four at bats. ["Servicemen Win Over Coast Nine", Los Angeles Times, October 4, 1943, Page A11.] In February 1945 Werle was inducted into the U.S. Army. He had been employed in a Stockton war plant. He was married and had one child."Sports Items Rationed", Los Angeles Times, February 23, 1945, Page A8.] Following World War II Werle again pitched for San Francisco. In a game versus the Sacramento Solons, in June 1946, he gave up 13 hits, including 2 home runs. ["Solons Surprise Seal Nine, 8-3", Los Angeles Times, July 25, 1946, Page 8.] Werle pitched 16 innings against Sacramento inAugust 1948, winning the first game 11-0 and preserving a tie in the nightcap, 3-3. He struck out nine batters in the opener and five in the finale. The tie was not broken because of a league rule prohibiting an inning from beginning after 11:50 p.m. ["Bill Werle in Iron-Man Stunt", Los Angeles Times, August 28, 1948, Page H1.] He won 17 and lost 7 with the Seals who were managed by Lefty O'Doul. ["Sports Parade", Los Angeles Times, January 27, 1949, Page C1.]

The Portland Beavers obtained Werle from the Cincinnati Reds in early April 1955. ["Beavers Buy Hall, Pare 8 Off Roster", Los Angeles Times, April 3, 1955, Page B11.] By this time he had become a sidearm pitcher. He yielded only 4 hits to the Seals in an April 12 contest in San Francisco. ["Beaver Homers Ruin Opener For Seals, 4-2", Los Angeles Times, April 13, 1955, Page C2.] Werle tossed a 3-hitter against Sacramento on June 10, in a 6-0 Portland win. ["Werle Twirls Beavers To 6-0 Nod Over Sacs", Los Angeles Times, June 10, 1955, Page C2.] He was selected by Charlie Metro for the northern squad in the 1957 Pacific Coast League All-Star Game. ["Sports Clippings", Tucson Daily Citizen, June 26, 1957, Page 16.]

Pittsburgh Pirates (1949 "-" 1952)

The Pittsburgh Pirates released catcher LeRoy Jarvis to the Seals as partial payment for the rights to Werle in January 1949. ["Seals Get Jarvis", Los Angeles Times, January 29, 1949, Page B1.] As a National League rookie Werle survived a 9th inning rally at Ebbets Field in May 1949 to beat the Dodgers 5-3. He surrendered seven runs,three in the last inning, when Bob Ramazzoti homered. ["Werle Wobbles, But Finally Tames Dodgers", Los Angeles Times, May 12, 1949, Page C2.] Pirates chief scout, Pie Traynor, favored Cliff Chambers over Werle, and predicted Chambers would win more games in 1949. ["Sports Parade", Los Angeles Times, June 3, 1949, Page C1.] Werle shut out the Cincinnati Reds on 7 hits on July 4, 1949. It was the second game of a doubleheader and lifted the Pirates into 6th place in the National League. ["Masterpieces By Chambers, Werle Lift Pirates Into 6th Place", Charleroi, Pennsylvania Mail, July 5, 1949, Page 7.] Werle pitched in relief for Pittsburgh in 1950. In June he came on for his second relief stint in two days. Tommy Holmes homered off of him in the 8th, breaking a 6-6 tie and giving the Boston Braves the win. ["Braves Score 10 in Eight to Win, 15-6", Los Angeles Times, June 18, 1950, Page B8.] Werle outpitched All-Star Larry Jansen with a 2-hitter on July 15th at Forbes Field. The Pirates beat the New York Giants 2-1. ["Bill Werle Hurls Bucs To 2-1 Win", Los Angeles Times, July 16, 1950, Page B11.] On April 17, 1951 Werle provided effective relief in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He retired the side without a hit in the top of the 7th after Murry Dickson walked the bases loaded. Only a single run scored when Red Schoendienst hit a sacrifice fly which plated Solly Hemus. ["Werle Rescues Pittsburgh Again", Los Angeles Times, April 18, 1951, Page C2.] He won 8 and lost 6 for the Pirates in 1951."Werle Handed Fine of $500", Los Angeles Times, April 4, 1952, Page C1.]

Werle was fined $500 and suspended indefinitely on April 3, 1952. Manager Billy Meyer ordered him to go back to Pittsburgh and wait for further instructions. Pittsburgh general manager, Branch Rickey, reinstated Werle on April 11, but the fine was not dropped. The incident which prompted the fine and suspension was not explained clearly. Werle understood that it had to do with his having been thirty minutes late, a violation of training rules. It was mentioned that he arrived at his hotel with roommate, George Metkovich, after seven innings of a night game in Beaumont, Texas. They had a couple of bottles of beer each, showered, and went downstairs. He denied a rumor of having a woman in his hotel room, which Rickey seemed to believe at first. Werle swore on his father's grave that this was untrue and "that someone was a damned liar"."Werle Says Fine Affair Big Mix-Up", Los Angeles Times, April 13, 1952, Page A11.]

t. Louis Cardinals (1952), Boston Red Sox (1952 "-" 1954)

Werle was traded to the Cardinals on May 1, 1952 for righthand pitcher George Red Munger. ["Sportraits", Los Angeles Times, June 29, 1952, Page B8.] In a game against the New York Giants on June 16 he relieved Eddie Yuhas in the 9th inning with two men on base. He walked Whitey Lockman before he was removed for Willard Schmidt. Schmidt ceded a grand slam to Bobby Thomson, who hit his first pitch over the left field roof just inside the foul line at the Polo Grounds, to win the game for the Giants. ["Thomson's Grand Slammer in 9th Wins for Giants, 8-7", Los Angeles Times, June 17, 1952, Page C1.]

Werle was claimed by the Boston Red Sox off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals on October 2, 1952. In a May 1953 game versus the New York Yankees, he relieved Mickey McDermott with only one out in the first inning. He yielded a 3rd inning home run to Mickey Mantle and 3 runs over 5 and 2/3 innings of work. ["Mantle Rips Fifth Homer In 6-4 Win", May 10, 1953, Page B10.] Werle gave a up a long homer to Dave Philley in a relief outing against the Cleveland Indians in April 1954. He gave up 5 hits in 4 and 2/3 innings and 3 earned runs. ["Fast Start Gives Cleveland 6-3 Victory; Regalado Hurt", Los Angeles Times, April 30, 1954, Page C3.] Gus Zernial tagged Werle for a home run in the 9th inning of a game with the Philadelphia Athletics in June. ["Zernial Bat PacesA's Over Red Sox", Los Angeles Times, June 2, 1954, Page C3.]

The Cincinnati Reds obtained Werle from the Louisville Colonels of the American Association (20th Century) on October 14, 1954. ["Redlegs Obtain Werle", Los Angeles Times, October 15, 1954, Page 30.] Manager Birdie Tebbetts named Werle as one of three pitchers to be used in the first game of spring training 1955. The Reds played an exhibition against the Chicago White Sox. ["Baseball Briefs", Los Angeles Times, March 8, 1955, Page C2.] After the Reds cut him, Tebbetts refuted a statement by Werle, saying that the pitcher was given every chance to make the club. ["Sports Briefs",Los Angeles Times, April 14, 1955, Page 36.]

Manager and scout

Werle was named interim manager of the Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League in August 1961. ["Heath Promoted", Los Angeles Times, September 1, 1961, Page C2.] He managed the Phoenix Giants (Phoenix Firebirds) in 1966 until he served as a temporary replacement for Larry Jansen as pitching coach for the San Francisco Giants. ["Sports Report", Hayward, California Daily Review, October 11, 1966, Page 26.] Werle was placed on the San Francisco Giants roster at the age of 46 in September 1967. He managed Phoenix thatseason and was just nineteen days short of becoming eligible for the major league pension plan. So the Giants put him on the active list. ["Dodgers Pick On A Winner, Blast McCormick, S.F.", Los Angeles Times, September 14, 1967, Page C1.] Werle served as a scout (sport) for the Baltimore Orioles in 1980. ["Orioles Beat Angels In 10th Inning, 6-5", Los Angeles Times, August 21, 1980, Page F1.]

References