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That's too bad.
Wilhelm's always been a pretty amazing phenomenon. He didn't break in till he was around 28 or so, but managed to pitch something like 20-21 years. Who'd have bet on THAT when he started?
He had an interlude as a starter when he was with the Orioles in the late '50s, and I believe he went 9-0 at one point, but then he went back to the bullpen and stayed there. He was practically unhittable for a time; it was said even HE didn't know which way his knuckleball was going to break.
The Orioles manager at the time was Paul Richards, a savvy, former big-league catcher. I think he gets the credit for the big mitt. At first, the Orioles tried to use one that was the next best thing to a mattress, but it was outlawed, so they had to scale it down some.
Wilhelm was a great pitcher and a great favorite. I'm really sorry to hear this.
-- Louie
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