Alan Lee Wirth is a former professional baseball

Professional baseball

Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....

 pitcher

Pitcher

In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...

. Wirth pitched in parts of three seasons 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...

, from until , for the Oakland Athletics

Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

.

Playing career

Wirth was originally drafted by the San Francisco Giants

San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

 in the 3rd round of the 1974 Major League Baseball Draft

1974 Major League Baseball draft

-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1974 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :With the number one pick of the June regular phase, San Diego tabbed infielder Bill Almon from Brown University, one of six shortstops selected in round one...

. After four seasons in their organization, Wirth was part of one of the most famous trades of , when the Giants traded seven players -- Wirth, Gary Alexander

Gary Alexander (baseball)

Gary Wayne Alexander is a former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants , Oakland Athletics , Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates...

, Gary Thomasson

Gary Thomasson

Gary Leah Thomasson is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1972-1980.He played in 1981-1982 for the Yomiuri Giants in Japanese Nippon Pro Baseball...

, Dave Heaverlo

Dave Heaverlo

David Wallace Heaverlo is a former right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher.He attended Moses Lake High School in Moses Lake, Washington, graduating in 1968. He then went on to Central Washington University, in Ellensburg, Washington, where he graduated in 1973...

, John Henry Johnson

John Henry Johnson (baseball)

John Henry Johnson is a former Major League Baseball player. He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 15th round of the 1974 amateur draft. He made his major league debut for the Oakland A's in after being acquired before the season in the trade that sent Vida Blue to the...

, Phil Huffman

Phil Huffman

Phillip Lee Huffman , is a retired Major League Baseball player who played pitcher in two seasons: 1979 and 1985...

, Mario Guerrero

Mario Guerrero

Mario Miguel Guerrero Abud is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who played for four teams in an eight-year career from to .Guerrero signed with the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in...

 -- and $300,000 to the A's for pitcher Vida Blue

Vida Blue

Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 17-year career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Francisco Giants , and Kansas City Royals He won the American League Cy Young award and Most Valuable Player Award in 1971...

.

Wirth started the 1978 season with Oakland, but was sent to the minors in June. He also split the next two seasons between the major league A's and their minor league Ogden A's

Ogden A's

The Ogden A's were a former minor league baseball team located in Ogden, Utah. They played as the Triple-A farm club of the Oakland Athletics. The team only played for two seasons, and...

 farm team. In all, Wirth pitched in 23 games over three seasons for Oakland before being released during spring training

Spring training

In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...

 in . He was signed by the Seattle Mariners

Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...

, and spent the 1981 season with their top farm team, the Spokane Indians

Spokane Indians

The Spokane Indians are a minor league baseball team located in Spokane, Washington, United States. They are a Short-Season A classification team in the Northwest League and have been a farm team of the Texas Rangers since 2003. The Indians play home games at Avista Stadium...

. After spending the 1982 season

1982 in baseball

-Major League Baseball:*World Series Champion: St. Louis Cardinals*World Series MVP: Darrell Porter**American League Championship Series MVP: Fred Lynn**National League Championship Series MVP: Darrell Porter...

 in the Baltimore Orioles

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...

 and Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

 organizations, he retired.

Personal life

Wirth's daughter Christina

Christina Wirth

Christina Wirth is an American basketball player for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA. She is the daughter of Alan Wirth, a former major league baseball player with the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics.-High school:...

 was an All-American basketball player for the Vanderbilt Commodores

Vanderbilt Commodores women's basketball

The Vanderbilt Commodores women's basketball team represents Vanderbilt University in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference . The Commodores have won four SEC tournament titles . Melanie Balcomb is the current head coach of the Commodores.-Memorial Gymnasium:The Commodores play their...

, and later played one season for the Indiana Fever

Indiana Fever

The Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...

. His daughter Alana played baskeball at Barry University

Barry University

Barry University is a private, Catholic university, which was founded in 1940 in Miami Shores, Florida, a suburb north of Downtown Miami. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami....

, and a third daughter, Theresa, currently plays for Seton Catholic Preparatory High School, at which both her sisters also played. His son, Joe, played high school soccer for Mountain View and now plays for Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale Community College

Scottsdale Community College, is located in Salt River, Arizona, a suburb/rural area of Phoenix. Scottsdale Community College is a two-year college located on the eastern boundary of the city of Scottsdale, Arizona, on 160 acres of land belonging to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community...

.

Sources