Bill Voiselle
Encyclopedia
William Symmes Voiselle (January 29, 1919 - January 31, 2005) was a starting pitcher
in Major League Baseball
. From 1942 through 1950, Voiselle played for the New York Giants
(1942–47), Boston Braves
(1947–49) and Chicago Cubs
(1950). He batted and threw right-handed.
While born in Greenwood, South Carolina
, Voiselle grew up in the nearby town of Ninety Six
. He received special permission from the National League
to wear the number 96 on his jersey as a way to honor his hometown. At the time, this was the highest number ever worn in major league baseball.
Voiselle debuted with the New York Giants in 1942 and reached the big leagues full time in 1944. Nicknamed "Big Bill", he made a big impression in his rookie
season, leading the NL in innings pitched
and strikeout
s, and finishing third with a career-high 21 wins. He made his only All-Star
appearance that season and finished fifth in MVP
voting. To top it off, The Sporting News
named him the National League Pitcher of the Year
in the first season the award was handed out.
Voiselle suffered a minor sophomore jinx in 1945, winning 14 but with a high 4.49 ERA. After many prominent major leaguers returned from World War II
, his role with the Giants was reduced. Voiselle was eventually traded to the Boston Braves for another wartime star, Mort Cooper
, in the 1947 midseason.
In 1948, Voiselle won 13 games for the Braves Champions Team as the third starter behind Warren Spahn
and Johnny Sain
. In the World Series
against the Cleveland Indians
, Voiselle came into Game 3 as a relief pitcher
and he got the start in Game 6, taking the loss, 4-3. Most concede that Voiselle and the Braves out-pitched and out-hit the Indians, but the team was eliminated 4-2. Voiselle pitched 10.2 innings in the Series and surrendered three earned runs for a 2.53 ERA. After that, he pitched one more season with the Braves, winning just seven games, before being traded before the 1950 season to the Chicago Cubs for infielder
Gene Mauch
. Voiselle only spent a half a season with the Cubs, during which he failed to record a victory in 19 appearances (seven starts). It would end up being his last year in the majors, though he continued pitching for a significant number of minor league
clubs.
In a nine-season career, Voiselle posted a 74-84 record with 645 strikeouts and a 3.83 ERA
in 1373.1 innings.
Voiselle died in Greenwood, South Carolina, just two days after his 86th birthday.
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....
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 1942 through 1950, Voiselle played for the New York 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....
(1942–47), Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1947–49) and Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1950). He batted and threw right-handed.
While born in Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood, South Carolina
Greenwood is a city in and the county seat of Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 22,071 at the 2000 census and had slightly increased to 22,710 according to a 2009 estimate.-Geography:...
, Voiselle grew up in the nearby town of Ninety Six
Ninety Six, South Carolina
Ninety Six is a town in Greenwood County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,936 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ninety Six is located at ....
. He received special permission from the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
to wear the number 96 on his jersey as a way to honor his hometown. At the time, this was the highest number ever worn in major league baseball.
Voiselle debuted with the New York Giants in 1942 and reached the big leagues full time in 1944. Nicknamed "Big Bill", he made a big impression in his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
season, leading the NL in 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...
and 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 finishing third with a career-high 21 wins. He made his only All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
appearance that season and finished fifth in MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
voting. To top it off, The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
named him the National League Pitcher of the Year
The Sporting News Player of the Year Award
This is a list of the Major League Baseball players chosen by The Sporting News since 1936 as recipients of the TSN Player of the Year Award. Until 1969, it was the only major award given to a single player from MLB, rather than to a player in each league. In 1969, Baseball Digest began its Player...
in the first season the award was handed out.
Voiselle suffered a minor sophomore jinx in 1945, winning 14 but with a high 4.49 ERA. After many prominent major leaguers returned from World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, his role with the Giants was reduced. Voiselle was eventually traded to the Boston Braves for another wartime star, Mort Cooper
Mort Cooper
Morton Cecil Cooper was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals...
, in the 1947 midseason.
In 1948, Voiselle won 13 games for the Braves Champions Team as the third starter behind Warren Spahn
Warren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...
and Johnny Sain
Johnny Sain
John Franklin Sain was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who was best known for teaming with left-hander Warren Spahn on the Boston Braves teams from 1946 to 1951...
. In the World Series
1948 World Series
The 1948 World Series matched the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Braves. The Braves had won the National League pennant for the first time since the "Miracle Braves" team of . The Indians spoiled a chance for the only all-Boston World Series by winning a one-game playoff against the Boston...
against the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, Voiselle came into Game 3 as a relief pitcher
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...
and he got the start in Game 6, taking the loss, 4-3. Most concede that Voiselle and the Braves out-pitched and out-hit the Indians, but the team was eliminated 4-2. Voiselle pitched 10.2 innings in the Series and surrendered three earned runs for a 2.53 ERA. After that, he pitched one more season with the Braves, winning just seven games, before being traded before the 1950 season to the Chicago Cubs for infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Gene Mauch
Gene Mauch
Gene William Mauch was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers , Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs , Boston Braves , St...
. Voiselle only spent a half a season with the Cubs, during which he failed to record a victory in 19 appearances (seven starts). It would end up being his last year in the majors, though he continued pitching for a significant number of 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...
clubs.
In a nine-season career, Voiselle posted a 74-84 record with 645 strikeouts and a 3.83 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 1373.1 innings.
Voiselle died in Greenwood, South Carolina, just two days after his 86th birthday.
Facts
- Voiselle is the last rookie pitcher ever to have pitched more than 300 innings in his initial major league season.
- Following the 1940 season, the Chicago Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of AmericaBaseball Writers Association of AmericaThe Baseball Writers' Association of America is a professional association for baseball journalists writing for daily newspapers, magazines and qualifying Web sites. The BBWAA was founded on October 14, 1908, to improve working conditions for sportswriters in the early part of the 20th century...
established an award recognizing the major leagues' top rookie, selecting Lou BoudreauLou BoudreauLouis "Lou" Boudreau was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1970...
for the honor. The CCBBWAA presented the award to Voiselle following the 1944 season. - Voiselle's #96 was the highest number ever worn until relief pitcher Mitch Williams wore No. 99 in the 1980s.
External links
- Bill Voiselle 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:...