Dick Whitworth

Note: This page is for 1920s pitcher Dick Whitworth; for the minor leaguer in the 1930s, click here.

Richard Henderson Whitworth
(Big)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 5", Weight 215 lb.

• Debut 1922
• Final Game 1924
• Born August 28, 1895 in St. Louis, MO USA
• Died March 6, 1966 in St. Louis, MO USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Dick Whitworth was Negro League pitcher for about a decade. He was known for his fastball.

Whitworth debuted in 1915 for the Chicago American Giants, going 5-2 against other top black teams. His 3.33 RA was second to Dizzy Dismukes among teams in the midwest. Whitworth threw a no-hitter on September 19 against the Chicago Union Giants. He spent the winter in the California Winter League, throwing one inning only. Whitworth went 3-1 in 1916.

Dick was 6-2 for the American Giants in 1918 in the Negro Leagues. He led the western teams in wins and RA (2.50, .12 ahead of Frank Wickware). In 1919, "Big" Whitworth held out for part of the year due to a salary dispute but still finished 5-1 with a 3.73 RA. He tied Cristobal Torriente for third in the midwest in wins and was third in RA as well. He also hit .227 that season.

In 1920, Whitworth jumped to the Philadelphia Hilldales. Rube Foster claims it was theft and asked teams to boycott the Hilldales. Whitworth went 4-2 that year. He lost an exhibition game to Bill Hubbell, backed by Bob Meusel, Irish Meusel, Joe Dugan, Casey Stengel, Possum Whitted, Johnny Rawlings and Tony Boeckel; the final was 5-2.

In 1921, the veteran went 7-4 with a 3.19 RA. He tied for third in the east in wins and was second to Connie Rector in RA. He beat the Atlantic City Bacharach Giants in his only playoff appearance. In a final series against the American Giants, he lost 5-2 in game 3 but came back to win game 6 by a 7-1 margin to give Hilldale a 3-2-1 win of the series.

Whitworth returned to the American Giants in 1922, falling to 11-10 as his club's least effective hurler. A heavy drinker in the past, even when scheduled to pitch, his alcoholism was now clearly affecting his play.

In 1924, the former hard-throwing right-hander was 1-1. He was released the next year.

Sources

• The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues by James Riley
• The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues by John Holway