Wilbur McConnell

Wilbur J. McConnell

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 9", Weight 178 lb.

• High School Burlington City High School

• Born ~1928 in Burlington, NJ USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Wilbur McConnell hit .278 in five seasons in the minor leagues. He debuted with the Muncie Reds in 1948, hitting .269 and slugging .347. One of the pitchers he caught was Ray Trava, his high school teammate. With the 1949 Ogden Reds, he improved to .320 and slugged .426. It was somewhat deceptive as the Pioneer League was a hitter-friendly circuit where over 50 batters topped .300. He split 1950 between three class A teams, hitting a combined .294. He missed 1951-1952, presumably due to the Korean War. Returning in 1953, he fell to .239/.292/.285 for the Columbia Reds, with only 19 strikeouts in 376 at-bats. He also fielded .987, .001 shy of leading South Atlantic League starting catchers. He split 1954 between the Knoxville Smokies (.292, .402 SLG) and Columbia (.221, .263 SLG).

Sources include 1954 Baseball Guide, Burlington City High School Hall of Fame bios