Oscar Woehrlin

Oscar J. Woehrlin

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown

• Debut July 21, 1895
• Final Game July 21, 1895
• Born December 12, 1871 in St. Louis, MO, USA
• Died March 7, 1934 in St. Louis, MO USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Oscar Woehrlin played one game at shortstop for the Washington Senators on July 21, 1895, at a time the team was temporarily short an infielder while playing a three-game series in St. Louis, MO. He went 1 for 3 at the plate and had three assists in the field. The Senators that year couldn't settle on a regular shortstop, using 14 players there, with no one player getting more than 48 games. In 1896, they settled on Gene DeMontreville, who was virtually the only player they used at shortstop.

The single-game player was only listed as "Woerlin" in the local newspaper. At some point, someone tied this brief playing record to a St. Louis resident named Joseph Woerlin, who was born in France. However there was scant evidence that this was the right man, and there were facts that did not fit, mainly that the player was described as a youth, while Joe Woerlin would have been already 30 years old in 1895.

Digging into the case, SABR researcher Richard Malatzky identified two other potential candidates, in brothers Gus and Oscar Woehrlin, who were the right age. There was indeed a player named "Woehrlin" on local amateur teams at the time, but with no first name given in any of the accounts, it was impossible to know which of the two brothers was a ballplayer. Eventually, his search turned up evidence that the amateur player was shortstop O. Woehrlin (also spelled Wohrlin), and even mentioned by his first name at one poin, confirming that Oscar was the right man.

Further Reading

• "Oscar Woehrlin", in Bill Carle, ed.: Biographical Research Committee Report, SABR, May/June 2016, pp. 9-10.