Bill Connelly

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Bill Connelly.jpg

William Wirt Connelly
(Wild Bill)

BR page

Biographical Information[edit]

Before the 1945 season, Bill Connelly, a right-hander with good stuff but lacking in control, was signed by the Philadelphia Athletics. "Wild Bill" made his debut directly in the majors, going 1-1 in two games for the Athletics. Bill then spent a few years in the minors with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Savannah Indians and Buffalo Bisons before being dealt to the Detroit Tigers before the 1949 season. He spent the year with the Toledo Mud Hens and was drafted by the Chicago White Sox on November 17 in the 1949 Rule V Draft. On May 15, 1950, the White Sox returned him to the Tigers, after he had made a couple of appearances. He also pitched twice for the Tigers, with an 8.53 ERA overall in four games.

It was back to the minors with the Little Rock Travelers and the Toledo Mud Hens. But "Wild Bill" came back in 1952 after the New York Giants plucked him from the minors and he was 5-0, 4.55 in 11 games. After a handful of games in 1953, he was gone from the majors with a lifetime record of 6-2 in 25 games. Connelly pitched in the high minors through 1957, making the Texas League his last stop before retiring after 13 active seasons. "Wild Bill's" minor league line: 309 games, 79-92 record, 5.07 ERA in 1,466 innings.

Connelly was employed with the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board in Richmond, where he died November 27, 1980, at age 55.

Sources[edit]

Baseball-Reference.com
Baseball Players of the 1950s
SABR MILB Database:page

Related Sites[edit]