Wild Bill Widner

William Waterfield Widner

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.

• Debut June 8, 1887
• Final Game July 23, 1891
• Born June 3, 1867 in Cincinnati, OH USA
• Died December 10, 1908 in Cincinnati, OH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Bill Widner pitched five seasons in the majors, with most of his games coming in 1889 and 1890 with the Columbus Solons of the American Association. He was born and died in Cincinnati, OH, and also played a couple of season for teams based in Cincinnati.

Widner was born in 1867, the same year that Cy Young and Ed Delahanty were also born in Ohio. Jake Stenzel and Bill Widner were both born in June 1867 in Cincinnati. Stenzel and Widner never played together on the same major league team, but they were teammates on a Cincinnati football team that also featured some other major leaguers.

He played in one major league game in 1887 shortly after he turned age 20, and was also with the New Orleans Pelicans that season and the next.

"Bill had an arm on him like an army mule, his control was perfect and he sent the ball over the plate with all the speed of a vestibuled train. I was delighted and thought a pitching phenom had been picked up. His fielding, too, was very catchy . . . He was soon released, however, as President Stern thought I was carrying too many pitchers." - reminiscence of manager Gus Schmelz about the debut of Bill Widner

He joined the army in 1898, presumably to fight in the Spanish-American War. In 1905 it was reported that he suffered "a stroke of paralysis". He was involved in local politics in 1906-1907. When he died in 1908, it was said he had been ill for a long time.

Notable Achievements

• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1889)

Related Sites

• Wild Bill Widner at the SABR Bio Project