Al Widmar
Encyclopedia
Albert Joseph Widmar was an American
starting pitcher
and a pitching coach
in Major League Baseball
. Between 1945 and 1952, Widmar played for the Boston Red Sox
(1947), St. Louis Browns
(1948, 1950–1951) and Chicago White Sox
(1952). He batted and threw right-handed. As a coach, Widmar worked with the Philadelphia Phillies
, Milwaukee Brewers
and Toronto Blue Jays
. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio
.
In a five season career, Widmar posted a 13-30 record with 143 strikeout
s and a 5.21 ERA
in 388.1 innings pitched
.
Widmar played part of two major league seasons as a reliever
with the Boston Red Sox
and St. Louis Browns
. He debuted with the Red Sox in 1947, and was sent to St. Louis before the 1948 season in the same trade that brought Vern Stephens
to Boston. After an unspectacular year with the Browns, he was demoted to Baltimore
, St. Louis' Triple-A affiliate team.
In 1949 Widmar won 22 games in the International League
. A year later, he returned to the Browns as a starter. After going 11-24 in two seasons, he was sent along with Sherm Lollar
to the Chicago White Sox
for Dick Littlefield
, Joe DeMaestri
, Gus Niarhos
and Jim Rivera
. He finished the 1952 season with the Seattle Rainiers
in the Pacific Coast League
, and remained with the team through half of the 1955 season
. At that point, Widmar donned a Tulsa Oilers
uniform, and remained with the team as player/manager through 1958.
Following his playing career, Widmar became a successful minor league
manager
for more than a decade. He also was the pitching coach
for the Philadelphia Phillies
and Milwaukee Brewers
, and later became a front office official for Milwaukee.
In , Widmar became the pitching coach of the Toronto Blue Jays
; he kept the job for the next ten seasons. In , he guided a rotation that featured Dave Stieb
, Doyle Alexander
, Jim Clancy
and Jimmy Key
as the Blue Jays won their first AL East Division
title. He was promoted to special assistant to the vice president and general manager
in .
Widmar died of colon cancer in Tulsa, Oklahoma
, at age 80.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
and a pitching coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. Between 1945 and 1952, Widmar played for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1947), St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1948, 1950–1951) and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1952). He batted and threw right-handed. As a coach, Widmar worked with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
In a five season career, Widmar posted a 13-30 record with 143 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and a 5.21 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 388.1 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
.
Widmar played part of two major league seasons as a reliever
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. He debuted with the Red Sox in 1947, and was sent to St. Louis before the 1948 season in the same trade that brought Vern Stephens
Vern Stephens
Vernon Decatur Stephens was an American shortstop in professional baseball who played 15 seasons in the American League for four different teams. A native of McAlister, New Mexico, Stephens batted and threw right-handed...
to Boston. After an unspectacular year with the Browns, he was demoted to Baltimore
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
, St. Louis' Triple-A affiliate team.
In 1949 Widmar won 22 games in the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. A year later, he returned to the Browns as a starter. After going 11-24 in two seasons, he was sent along with Sherm Lollar
Sherm Lollar
John Sherman Lollar was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , St. Louis Browns , and the Chicago White Sox...
to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Dick Littlefield
Dick Littlefield
Richard Bernard "Dick" Littlefield was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for nine teams between 1950 and 1958.Born in Detroit, Michigan, he died there at age 71....
, Joe DeMaestri
Joe DeMaestri
Joseph Paul DeMaestri , nicknamed "Froggy," is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago White Sox , St. Louis Browns , Philadelphia & Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees...
, Gus Niarhos
Gus Niarhos
Constantine Gregory "Gus" Niarhos was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the New York Yankees , Chicago White Sox , Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies...
and Jim Rivera
Jim Rivera
Manuel Joseph "Jim" Rivera is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and left-handed batter who played for the St. Louis Browns , Chicago White Sox and Kansas City Athletics...
. He finished the 1952 season with the Seattle Rainiers
Seattle Rainiers
The Seattle Rainiers, originally named the Seattle Indians and also known as the Seattle Angels, were a minor league baseball team in Seattle, Washington, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903-06 and 1919-68...
in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
, and remained with the team through half of the 1955 season
1955 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Brooklyn Dodgers over New York Yankees ; Johnny Podres, MVP*All-Star Game, July 12 at County Stadium: National League, 6-5 -Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce...
. At that point, Widmar donned a Tulsa Oilers
Tulsa Oilers (baseball)
The Tulsa Oilers, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, were a minor league baseball team that existed on-and-off in multiple leagues from 1905 to 1976. For most of their history, they played at Oiler Park, which opened on July 11, 1934, and was located on the Tulsa County Fairgrounds at 15th Street and...
uniform, and remained with the team as player/manager through 1958.
Following his playing career, Widmar became a successful minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
for more than a decade. He also was the pitching coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, and later became a front office official for Milwaukee.
In , Widmar became the pitching coach of the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
; he kept the job for the next ten seasons. In , he guided a rotation that featured Dave Stieb
Dave Stieb
David Andrew Stieb [STEEB] is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.-Playing career:Born in Santa Ana, California, Stieb played varsity baseball at Southern Illinois University as an outfielder...
, Doyle Alexander
Doyle Alexander
Doyle Lafayette Alexander is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and Detroit Tigers...
, Jim Clancy
Jim Clancy (baseball)
James Clancy is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Toronto Blue Jays , Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves . He batted and threw right-handed....
and Jimmy Key
Jimmy Key
James Edward "Jimmy" Key is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Toronto Blue Jays , New York Yankees , and Baltimore Orioles...
as the Blue Jays won their first AL East Division
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
title. He was promoted to special assistant to the vice president and general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
in .
Widmar died of colon cancer in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, at age 80.
External links
- Al Widmar at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...