Ducky Detweiler

Robert Sterling Detweiler

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 178 lb.
• High School Quakertown High School
• Debut September 12, 1942
• Final Game June 1, 1946
• Born February 15, 1919 in Trumbauersville, PA USA
• Died March 13, 2013 in Easton, MD USA

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Biographical Information

Infielder Ducky Detweiler signed his first pro contract with the Federalsburg A's of the Eastern Shore League in 1939 and went promptly to work, appearing in 98 games and hitting at a .292 clip with 10 home runs. He spent 1940 with the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the class B Interstate League, hitting .313. Before the 1941 season, Detweiler was sent to the Boston Braves organization in an unknown transaction.

Ducky would hit .310 in 1941 in a split season with the Bradford Bees of the class D PONY League and the Bridgeport Bees of the class B Interstate League. He capped off his 1942 minor league year by hitting .341 and 10 homers in 120 games that included a 40-game hitting streak, collecting 74 hits and hitting over .400 during the string, for the Evansville Bees of the class B Three-I League.

All this action caught the Boston Braves' attention and Ducky received a late-season call to report to Braves Field. He made his major league debut on September 12, 1942, appeared in 12 games during the remainder of the year and hit the big guys' pitching at a .318 clip with 14 hits in 44 at-bats. He hit the first pitch ever thrown to him as a major leaguer for a single and proceeded that day to go 3 for 7 in a doubleheader for his big league debut.

The next call for Detweiler came from the Military Services and Ducky would spend the next three years (1943-1945) serving a stretch in the United States Army, during World War II. On his return from the service, he had trouble hitting his old stride in 1946, After spending 11 games with the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association and hitting .182, he was called up to the Braves and on June 1, 1946; he appeared in one game, went 0-for-1 and Ducky's big league days were over.

Shortly thereafter, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals and finished out the 1946 season with the Rochester Red Wings, hitting .236 in 88 games. They in turn moved him to the Philadelphia Athletics organization and the next thing Ducky knew it was 1947 and he was back were he had started with Federalsburg in the Eastern Shore League. This was the tonic he needed as he hit .352, had 29 home runs and 133 RBIs to go with 269 total bases and was awarded the league's MVP Award.

For five seasons (1947-1951) Ducky was a baseball machine, hitting .352 in 1947, .341 in 1948, that included an 18-game hitting streak, going 26 for 65 for a .400 run. And also .339 in 1949, .342 in 1950 and .381 in 1951. In 1952 he turned 33 years of age, played in 106 games, with three different clubs and also hit .245. 1952 was his last active season. Ducky also spent five years as a player-manager from 1948 to 1952.

In 2010, Robert Sterling "Ducky" Detweiler, was retired and living in Federalsburg, MD. He died in Easton, MD in 2013.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1948	Federalsburg Athletics	Eastern Shore League	49-76	7th	Philadelphia A's
1950	Red Springs Red Robins	Tobacco State League	68-61	3rd	Philadelphia A's	Lost in 1st round
1951	Cordele A's	Georgia-Florida League		8th	Philadelphia A's	--	replaced by Jimmie DeShong on May 25
1952	Fayetteville Athletics	Carolina League	21-31	7th	Philadelphia A's	--	replaced by Red Norris (42-42) on June 10
	Lexington Indians	North Carolina State League		6th	Philadelphia A's	--	replaced Robert Deese on June 11 replaced by Carl Campbell on July 3

Related Sites

• [BR Minors page
• obituary