Verdun Gilchrist

Verdun Gilchrist
first name also spelled Verdon or Vurdon

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 160 lb.

• Born 1920 in Fort Worth, TX USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Verdun Gilchrist spent five years in the low minors as an OBP machine, posting a career OBP of .507; his average was .352 and he slugged .487. In four of his five seasons, he led his league in walks.

As a rookie with the 1946 Borger Gassers, Gilchrist hit .376/~.542/.535 and led the West Texas-New Mexico League with 149 walks and 176 runs in 136 games. He led in OBP and average, hit 42 doubles and struck out only 24 times in 497 AB. His .956 fielding percentage led league second baseman. In 1947, he batted .358/~.528/.545 and walked 183 times in 140 contests, leading the league. He also scored 175, hit 48 doubles, stole 18 bases and jacked 13 home runs. Not bad for a shortstop-second baseman, even in a high-octane circuit. He batted .342/~.513/.474 for Borger in 1948 and scored 159 times in 132 games with a career-high 20 steals; his 170 walks led the league.

In 1949, the 29-year-old scored under a run per game for the first time (128 in 137), smacking 47 doubles, stealing 16, drawing a WT-NM-leading 148 walks. He hit .365/~.489/.471 in 137 games for Borger. In 1950, he went 3 for 8 for Borger but spent most of the year with the Wichita Falls Spudders, batting .309/~.407/.385. He only drew 61 walks in 95 games and scored 77 runs, while striking out just 15 times. His .949 fielding percentage led Big State League shortstops.

Sources: 1947 and 1951 Baseball Guides, The Minor League Register ed. by W. Lloyd Johnson