Woodie Held
Encyclopedia
Woodson George "Woodie" Held (March 25, 1932 – June 10, 2009) was a shortstop
/outfielder
in Major League Baseball (MLB)
who played for the New York Yankees
, Kansas City Athletics
, Cleveland Indians
, Washington Senators
, Baltimore Orioles
, California Angels
and Chicago White Sox
. He batted and threw right-handed. His last name was originally Heldt, but later changed it to Held due to confusion pronouncing his name.
Born in Sacramento, California on March 25, 1932, Held served as a batboy
for the hometown Solons
in the mid-1940s. Originally signed by the Yankees for a $6,000 bonus
prior to the season, he made his major league debut on September 5, 1954. After spending almost all of his 6½ years with the Yankees in its minor league system
, he was traded along with Billy Martin
, Ralph Terry
and Bob Martyn
to Kansas City for Ryne Duren
, Harry Simpson
and Jim Pisoni
on June 15, 1957 (the MLB trade deadline at the time) in one of the many deals made between the two clubs during the late-1950s. Even though he had been primarily a middle infielder
, Held became the Athletics' starting center fielder
as a rookie
, hitting 20 homers.
His time with the Athletics lasted exactly one year, as he was dealt to Cleveland, along with Vic Power
, for Roger Maris
, Dick Tomanek
and Preston Ward
on June 15, 1958. For five campaigns beginning in , Held was a regular in the starting lineup, first at shortstop before shifting to second base
in . He was the first Indians' shortstop to hit at least 20 homers in a season, achieving it in each of three consecutive years (29 in , 21 in , 23 in ). He had possessed the team's career record for most home runs by a shortstop with 85 until he was surpassed by Jhonny Peralta
on May 1, 2009. Held's 6½ seasons in Cleveland came to an end on November 1, 1964 when he was traded with Bob Chance
to Washington for Chuck Hinton
.
Held spent his last four major league years as a versatile reserve who played each of the three outfield positions plus the middle and left side of the infield. After one campaign with the Senators, he was acquired by the Orioles on October 12, 1965 for John Orsino
. Held was on Baltimore's 1966 World Series
roster, but didn't see any action. He was sent to the Angels on June 15, 1967 for Marcelino Lopez
and a minor leaguer. He joined the White Sox on July 20, 1968 in exchange for Wayne Causey
. Held's professional baseball career ended when he was released on October 15, 1969. In a 14-season career, he posted a .240 batting average
with 179 home run
s and 559 runs batted in (RBI)
in 1,390 games played
.
Held died at his Dubois, Wyoming ranch
on June 10, 2009, after a seven-month battle with brain cancer
.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
/outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
in Major League Baseball (MLB)
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...
who played for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, Kansas City 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....
, 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...
, Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and 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...
, California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
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...
. He batted and threw right-handed. His last name was originally Heldt, but later changed it to Held due to confusion pronouncing his name.
Born in Sacramento, California on March 25, 1932, Held served as a batboy
Batboy
A batboy is an individual who carries the baseball bats around to a baseball team. A batboy may also lay out the equipment and mud the baseballs to be used in the game.Mascots and batboys had both been part of baseball since the 1880s....
for the hometown Solons
Sacramento Solons
The Sacramento Solons were a minor league baseball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Pacific Coast League during several periods . The current Sacramento River Cats began play in 2000...
in the mid-1940s. Originally signed by the Yankees for a $6,000 bonus
Signing bonus
A signing bonus or sign-on bonus is a sum of money paid to a new employee by a company as an incentive to join that company. They are often given as a way of making a compensation package more attractive to the employee, e.g., if the annual salary is lower than he or she desires...
prior to the season, he made his major league debut on September 5, 1954. After spending almost all of his 6½ years with the Yankees in its minor league system
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...
, he was traded along with Billy Martin
Billy Martin
Alfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
, Ralph Terry
Ralph Terry
Ralph Willard Terry is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees , Kansas City Athletics , Cleveland Indians and New York Mets...
and Bob Martyn
Bob Martyn
Academically, Martyn double-majored in mathematics and sociology and he graduated cum laude. While playing professional baseball, he earned his masters degree in education in 1959, studying between seasons....
to Kansas City for Ryne Duren
Ryne Duren
Rinold George "Ryne" Duren was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball.He was known for the combination of his blazing fastball and his very poor vision. With his thick coke bottle glasses, few batters dared to dig in against Duren...
, Harry Simpson
Harry Simpson
Harry Leon "Suitcase" Simpson was an African American outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for a number of teams. He played in the World Series with the New York Yankees in 1957, where they lost....
and Jim Pisoni
Jim Pisoni
James Peter Pisoni was an American professional baseball player, a backup outfielder in Major League Baseball. Pisoni played mainly as a center fielder for four teams between 1953 and 1960. Listed at , , he batted and threw right-handed, and was born in St...
on June 15, 1957 (the MLB trade deadline at the time) in one of the many deals made between the two clubs during the late-1950s. Even though he had been primarily a middle 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...
, Held became the Athletics' starting center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
as a 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...
, hitting 20 homers.
His time with the Athletics lasted exactly one year, as he was dealt to Cleveland, along with Vic Power
Victor Pellot
Victor Pellot a.k.a. "Vic Power" was the second black Puerto Rican to play in Major League Baseball and the first Puerto Rican to play in the American League...
, for Roger Maris
Roger Maris
Roger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
, Dick Tomanek
Dick Tomanek
Richard Carl Tomanek is a retired American professional baseball player, a pitcher who played for five seasons in Major League Baseball. He played for the Cleveland Indians from 1953 to 1954 and 1957 to 1958 and the Kansas City Athletics from 1958 to 1959. Nicknamed "Bones," he stood tall and...
and Preston Ward
Preston Ward
Preston Meyer Ward was a lefty-hitting, righty-throwing first baseman/outfielder/third baseman, who played 9 seasons in the major leagues, playing in both the National and American Leagues. In the National League, he played for the Brooklyn Dodgers , Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates...
on June 15, 1958. For five campaigns beginning in , Held was a regular in the starting lineup, first at shortstop before shifting to second base
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
in . He was the first Indians' shortstop to hit at least 20 homers in a season, achieving it in each of three consecutive years (29 in , 21 in , 23 in ). He had possessed the team's career record for most home runs by a shortstop with 85 until he was surpassed by Jhonny Peralta
Jhonny Peralta
Jhonny Antonio Peralta is a Dominican professional baseball shortstop with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He previously played with the Cleveland Indians.-Playing career:...
on May 1, 2009. Held's 6½ seasons in Cleveland came to an end on November 1, 1964 when he was traded with Bob Chance
Bob Chance
Robert Chance is a former professional baseball player who played 6 seasons for the Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, and California Angels of Major League Baseball....
to Washington for Chuck Hinton
Chuck Hinton
Charles Edward Hinton, Jr. is a former utility in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators , Cleveland Indians and California Angels...
.
Held spent his last four major league years as a versatile reserve who played each of the three outfield positions plus the middle and left side of the infield. After one campaign with the Senators, he was acquired by the Orioles on October 12, 1965 for John Orsino
John Orsino
John Joseph Orsino is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He was signed by the New York Giants as an amateur free agent before the 1957 season, and played for the San Francisco Giants , Baltimore Orioles , and Washington Senators .Orsino made his major league debut on July 14, 1961 against the...
. Held was on Baltimore's 1966 World Series
1966 World Series
The 1966 World Series matched the Baltimore Orioles against the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Orioles sweeping the Series in four games to capture their first championship in franchise history...
roster, but didn't see any action. He was sent to the Angels on June 15, 1967 for Marcelino Lopez
Marcelino López
Marcelino Pons López was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He was a member of the 1970 World Series Champion Baltimore Orioles.-Early years:...
and a minor leaguer. He joined the White Sox on July 20, 1968 in exchange for Wayne Causey
Wayne Causey
James Wayne Causey was an Infielder for the Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Athletics , Chicago White Sox , California Angels and Atlanta Braves ....
. Held's professional baseball career ended when he was released on October 15, 1969. In a 14-season career, he posted a .240 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 179 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 559 runs batted in (RBI)
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 1,390 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
Held died at his Dubois, Wyoming ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
on June 10, 2009, after a seven-month battle with brain cancer
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
.