Dick Welteroth

Richard John Welteroth

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 165 lb.
• High School St. Mary's High School
• Debut May 16, 1948
• Final Game June 15, 1950
• Born August 3, 1927 in Williamsport, PA USA
• Died May 7, 2014 in Williamsport, PA USA

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Biographical Information

Right-hander Dick Welteroth was signed as an amateur free agent by the Washington Senators before the 1945 season. The 17-year-old spent his initial season with two different teams, the Hagerstown Owls of the Interstate League and the Williamsport Grays of the Eastern League. He had a combined 3-3 record and a 5.61 ERA.

Dick, who would do a lot of pitching in the next couple of years with the Charlotte Hornets, Chattanooga Lookouts, Scranton Miners and the Richmond Virginians, recalls his major league debut. "I started against Boston and was taken out in the 9th with a 7-1 lead. The only run I gave up was a home run by Ted Williams. The Red Sox rallied, but we held on to win, 7-6." Welteroth was with the Senators his entire major league career, from 1948 to 1950 going 4-6 in 90 appearances, all but four from out of the bullpen.

Throughout his career, Dick struggled with his control, averaging nearly one walk per inning, like the similarly named Dick Weik. In a game at Yankee Stadium on September 11, 1949, the New York Yankees beat Washington by a score of 20-5 as four Senator pitchers walked 17 batters, including a major league record 11 in a 55-minute bottom half of the 3rd inning. Welteroth came on in relief of starter Paul Calvert and gave up four bases on balls and two hits before being sent to the showers.

Welteroth is one of only two pitchers in big league baseball history to walk at least 145 batters and strikeout 55 or fewer batters in his career - the other is George Turbeville.

Dick spent 10 seasons in pro baseball (1945-1954), eight of those in the minors, winning 31 encounters and losing 55 with a 4.30 ERA. After baseball, Dick took over as the owner of J.J. Welteroth Roofing and Sheet Metal in Williamsport, PA, a company originally owned by his father. He died in his hometown in 2014, aged 86.

Sources

Baseball Players of the 1950s
BR Minors page

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