Bill Werle

William George Werle
(Bugs)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2½", Weight 182 lb.
• School Modesto Junior College, University of California
• High School Stockton (CA) High School
• Debut April 22, 1949
• Final Game June 20, 1954
• Born December 21, 1920 in Oakland, CA USA
• Died November 27, 2010 in San Mateo, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Bill Werle was a native of Oakland, CA, who began his career in pro ball in 1943 across the bay with the San Francisco Seals. Bill was with the Seals through 1948, winning 55 games and losing 48 during this stay in the Pacific Coast League, missing the 1945 season while serving with the United States Army during World War II. A left-hander out of the University of California, where he had a record of 25-2, he was called "Bugs" since he graduated in the field of entomology, the study of insects.

He once started both ends of a doubleheader for the PCL San Francisco team, hurling a shutout in the opener, with the nightcap ending in a curfew-suspended tie. After winning 17 games in 1948 he was sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates and won a career high 12 games as a rookie in 1949. After falling off to 8-16 in 1950, he was used primarily in relief in 1951, before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for right-hander Red Munger early in 1952.

On October 2, 1952, Bill was selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox from the Cardinals. He was used primarily as a reliever with the Red Sox in 1953 and 1954, finishing his six-year run in the majors with a 29-39 record, with 15 saves and a 4.69 ERA. Bill continued pitching back in the PCL until 1961, ending his 15-year (1943-1961) active pitching career in the minors with 147-123 mark and a 3.54 ERA.

Werle continued in pro baseball as a manager in the minor leagues for nine seasons (1961-1970) and was Masanori Murakami's manager with the class A Fresno Giants in 1964, right before Murakami became the first Japanese player in the major leagues. After his managing career was finished, Bill became a scout for the Baltimore Orioles for 20 years and then became a West Coast scout for the Cleveland Indians before retiring in San Mateo, CA, where he died in 2010.

Notable Achievements

• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1949 & 1950)

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1961	Hawaii Islanders	Pacific Coast League	8-2 3-8	6th	Kansas City A's	none	replaced Tommy Heath (19-30) on June 5 replaced by Tommy Heath (38-46) on June 16 replaced Tommy Heath (38-46) on August 31
1963	Fresno Giants	California League	73-67	3rd	San Francisco Giants
1964	Fresno Giants	California League	86-53	1st	San Francisco Giants	League Champs
1965	Tacoma Giants	Pacific Coast League	75-72	5th	San Francisco Giants
1966	Phoenix Giants	Pacific Coast League	81-67	3rd	San Francisco Giants
1967	Phoenix Giants	Pacific Coast League	75-72	6th	San Francisco Giants
1968	Aberdeen Pheasants	Northern League	26-44	6th	Baltimore Orioles	none
1969	Stockton Ports	California League	81-59	1st	Baltimore Orioles	League Champs
1970	Stockton Ports	California League	54-86	7th	Baltimore Orioles

Sources

Baseball Players of the 1950s
Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition

Related Sites

• Bill Werle at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors Page