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atomheart · 08-25-2002, 02:48 AM

Knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, the first reliever elected to the Hall of Fame and the last pitcher to throw a no-hitter against the New York Yankees, has died.

My dad always said he was the best he's ever seen, and that he's the reason catchers switched to oversized mitts.

The man hit a home run in his very first at bat, and then never hit another one.

Anybody ever seen him play?

wireman · 08-25-2002, 04:37 AM

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

atomheart · 08-25-2002, 05:20 AM

Wilhelm said in 1969 : "I don't even try to fool anybody. I just throw the knuckleball 85 to 90 percent of the time. You don't need variations, because the damn ball jumps around so crazily, it's like having a hundred pitches."

Kinda why I liked having Tim Wakefield around. When he was here, kids all over tried to master the knuckleball.

Wilhelm and Earl Averill are the only Hall of Famers to hit a home run in their first ML at-bat...but wasn't there someone recently? Anyone?

Malleus Dei · 08-25-2002, 12:49 PM

I saw Wilhelm pitch. I never saw him much in the sixties due to him playing in the AL, maybe once or twice, but he came over to the NL right around the beginning of the seventies and pitched on three or four different teams and I saw him pitch a bit. The only things that stuck in my mind about him at the time were that he threw a knuckleball like Phil Niekro did and my uncle maintaining that Dutch Leonard, who he said had taught Wilhelm the knuckleball, threw it better than Wilhelm did.

unrealdemand · 08-26-2002, 12:15 PM

i saw him pitch.

he went to the braves in late '69 and helped them to
the pennant. i had a friend working in the braves front
office and he got me an autographed ball (team)

still have it...he was something, i first remember him
with the orioles...he use to KILL the yankees when he
was with the orioles.

LivnLegend · 08-26-2002, 05:33 PM

3 HOF in two months. Damn. Plus we just lost John Roseboro, someone near and dear to Dodgers fans hearts. Couple that with Chick Hearn, Kile, and Jack Buck, it's been rough for sports fans! So many good people. Then I find out one of my all-time favorites from any sport, Raiders HOF Jim Otto is fighting cancer.

08-25-2002, 02:48 AM	#1 (permalink)
atomheart Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 454	Hoyt Wilhelm Knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm, the first reliever elected to the Hall of Fame and the last pitcher to throw a no-hitter against the New York Yankees, has died. My dad always said he was the best he's ever seen, and that he's the reason catchers switched to oversized mitts. The man hit a home run in his very first at bat, and then never hit another one. Anybody ever seen him play?

08-25-2002, 12:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
Malleus Dei Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: In front of a fajita platter and a cold beer Posts: 8,437 Thanked 115x in 55 posts	I saw Wilhelm pitch. I never saw him much in the sixties due to him playing in the AL, maybe once or twice, but he came over to the NL right around the beginning of the seventies and pitched on three or four different teams and I saw him pitch a bit. The only things that stuck in my mind about him at the time were that he threw a knuckleball like Phil Niekro did and my uncle maintaining that Dutch Leonard, who he said had taught Wilhelm the knuckleball, threw it better than Wilhelm did. __________________ Senior member of the OOTP boards/former mod maker/surly bastage/The Big Guy "When the big guy went from hissing at you like a heat-crazed Gila Monster to simply brushing you off his collar like so much animal dander, you knew you finally belonged." - Caporegime

08-26-2002, 12:15 PM	#5 (permalink)
unrealdemand Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: waxahachie Posts: 27	i saw him pitch. he went to the braves in late '69 and helped them to the pennant. i had a friend working in the braves front office and he got me an autographed ball (team) still have it...he was something, i first remember him with the orioles...he use to KILL the yankees when he was with the orioles. __________________ bye!

08-26-2002, 05:33 PM	#6 (permalink)
LivnLegend Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Hunters Ridge, CA Posts: 5,523	3 HOF in two months. Damn. Plus we just lost John Roseboro, someone near and dear to Dodgers fans hearts. Couple that with Chick Hearn, Kile, and Jack Buck, it's been rough for sports fans! So many good people. Then I find out one of my all-time favorites from any sport, Raiders HOF Jim Otto is fighting cancer. __________________ 1977 Dodgers MLB Replay - A replay of the '77 Dodger season, managing each game individually Pastoral Baseball Union - An 1800's Dynasty I'm going back to where I started. I'm flashing back into my pan.

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08-25-2002, 04:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
wireman All Star Reserve Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 683 Thanked 12x in 3 posts	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

08-25-2002, 05:20 AM	#3 (permalink)
atomheart Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 454	Wilhelm said in 1969 : "I don't even try to fool anybody. I just throw the knuckleball 85 to 90 percent of the time. You don't need variations, because the damn ball jumps around so crazily, it's like having a hundred pitches." Kinda why I liked having Tim Wakefield around. When he was here, kids all over tried to master the knuckleball. Wilhelm and Earl Averill are the only Hall of Famers to hit a home run in their first ML at-bat...but wasn't there someone recently? Anyone?