Bill Dietrich

William John Dietrich
(Bullfrog)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
• School Villanova University
• High School Frankford High School
• Debut April 13, 1933
• Final Game June 5, 1948
• Born March 29, 1910 in Philadelphia, PA USA
• Died June 20, 1978 in Philadelphia, PA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Bespectacled righthander Bill Dietrich pitched 16 seasons in the majors and was a mainstay in the Chicago White Sox rotation for about a decade.

After finding minimal success during stints with the Philadelphia Athletics and Washington Senators, Dietrich was claimed off waivers by the White Sox during the 1936 season. Under the tutelage of pitching coach Muddy Ruel, he corrected flaws in his delivery, overcame control problems, and found a spot in the Chicago rotation. On June 1, 1937, he threw a no-hitter for the Sox against the St. Louis Browns, and during the 1941 campaign, he almost duplicated the feat on two occasions, twice taking no-hitters into the ninth inning.

Dietrich reached a career-high with 16 wins in 1944 but also led the American League with 17 losses that same year. After missing about two months of the 1945 campaign following arm surgery, he was released by the Sox late in the 1946 season. He returned to the Athletics the next summer and retired after two more years there.

His son, William Dietrich, pitched in the minor leagues from 1953 to 1959.

Notable Achievements

• 15 Wins Seasons: 1 (1944)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1934 & 1944)

Related Sites

• Bill Dietrich at the SABR Bio Project