Whit Wyatt

John Whitlow Wyatt

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 185 lb.
• School Georgia Institute of Technology
• High School Cedartown High School
• Debut September 16, 1929
• Final Game July 18, 1945
• Born September 27, 1907 in Kensington, GA USA
• Died July 16, 1999 in Carrollton, GA USA

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Biographical Information

In his first nine seasons in the majors, Whit Wyatt was just 26-38 despite a great fastball. In 1938 he went back to the minors for a full year, added a changeup and dominated the American Association. Throwing for the Milwaukee Brewers, Wyatt won a pitching triple crown. He led in ERA (2.37), wins (23, 6 more than the number two men), strikeouts (208, 74 more than runner-up Nate Andrews), complete games (26, 8 more than Roy Parmelee), shutouts (9, triple any other player) and innings pitched (254). He returned to the majors the next season and showed that he had truly changed his performance when he went 80-52 in his 30s, leading the league in wins once, making four All-Star teams and posting 2 top-3 finishes in ERA and two second-place finishes in Ks.

After his playing career ended, Wyatt was a coach for the Atlanta Crackers from 1950 to 1953 and then managed the team in 1954, finishing with a 94-60 record and winning the Southern Association league championship. He then spent over a decade as a big league coach with the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves. He features prominently in Pat Jordan's memoir, A False Spring.

Wyatt also managed the Atlanta franchise in 1951. Fred Walker was the original manager that year but was replaced June 30 by Wyatt who was replaced by Walker July 30th.

Wyatt's son, John Whitlow Wyatt Jr., played for the 1962 Dublin Braves [1].

Source: "The American Association" by Bill O'Neal

Notable Achievements

• 4-time NL All-Star (1939-1942)
• NL Wins Leader (1941)
• NL Winning Percentage Leader (1943)
• 2-time NL Shutouts Leader (1940 & 1941)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 3 (1940-1942)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 3 (1932 & 1940-1942)

Related Sites

• Whit Wyatt at the SABR Bio Project