Woodie Held

Woodson George Held

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10½", Weight 180 lb.
• High School Sacramento High School
• Debut September 5, 1954
• Final Game September 28, 1969
• Born March 25, 1932 in Sacramento, CA USA
• Died June 11, 2009 in Dubois, WY, USA

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Biographical Information

Woodie Held played 14 seasons in the major leagues, getting nearly 5,000 at-bats and hitting 179 home runs. Though never hitting above .267, Held was versatile - the only player in major league history to appear in at least 100 games each at shortstop, second, third, center, left and right field. (Tony Phillips was the closest other player). Held played for seven different teams, all in the American League.

As a teenager in the mid-1940s, Held was the bat boy for the Pacific Coast League Sacramento Solons.

Held played the heart of his career with the Cleveland Indians. He came to the Indians in 1958 in a five-man swap that sent the young Roger Maris to the Kansas City Athletics, and hit more than 20 homers three consecutive seasons. In the midst of that three year stretch Held had his 1960 season shortened by six weeks after breaking a finger on his right hand July 18 on a throw from Johnny Temple, all started by a ground ball from Maris (Maris by that point playing for the New York Yankees).

After his playing days he was a backhoe operator and frequent participant in Cleveland Indians fantasy camps.

In fan balloting to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Cleveland Indians, Woodie Held was voted one of the 100 greatest Indians players of all-time.

Held died of brain cancer in June 2009.

Notable Achievements

• 20-Home Run Seasons: 4 (1957 & 1959-1961)
• Won a World Series with the Baltimore Orioles in 1966 (he did not play in the World Series)

Related Sites

• Woodie Held at the SABR Bio Project