Bill Voiselle

William Symmes Voiselle
(Ninety-Six or Big Bill)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 200 lb.
• High School Ninety Six High School
• Debut September 1, 1942
• Final Game July 8, 1950
• Born January 29, 1919 in Greenwood, SC USA
• Died January 31, 2005 in Greenwood, SC USA

BR page

Biographical Information

"Everything I got, I owe it to baseball. I’m a little old cotton mill boy; never had nothing and never been nowhere." - Bill Voiselle

As the third starting pitcher for the 1948 Boston Braves, Bill Voiselle actually had a lower ERA than Warren Spahn even though the cry was "Spahn and Sain, and pray for rain."

He started the 1945 season 8-0 for the New York Giants.

He wasn't called "Ninety Six" because he could throw a fastball that fast, but rather because he was from a town by that name. The town of Ninety Six, SC currently has around 2,000 people and is in western South Carolina. He played ball at the local high school, and after his professional days he came back to Ninety Six to play semi-pro ball with the mill team. He also wore uniform #96 for a few years.

He played in the minors for seven years after his major league career.

Voiselle's brother, Diz Voiselle, was a minor league pitcher.

Notable Achievements

• NL All-Star (1944)
• NL Innings Pitched Leader (1944)
• NL Strikeouts Leader (1944)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 1 (1944)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 1 (1944)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 3 (1944, 1945 & 1948)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1944)

Related Sites

• Bill Voiselle at the SABR Bio Project
• 2005 article about Voiselle