Bill Werber - Oldest Living Major Leaguer Was a Philadelphia Athletic

[philliesfiend55]

Following the death of Rollie Stiles on July 22 former Philadelphia Athletic, Billy Werber became the oldest living major leaguer, at age 99. While never quite an all-star, Werber was an everyday player for about a dozen years. He finished with more career hits than games played, one of the sure signs of a productive player. He had solid years in Philadelphia as a regular infielder for the A's in 1937 & '38. He played from 1930 to 1942 and no other living major leaguer played before 1933 in the bigs.
He turned 99 on June 20 and made his major league debut three days past his 22nd birthday on 6/23/1930.
Any fans with knowledge of Werber's career are invited to post in this thread.

[nymetsgiantspolo]

Following the death of Rollie Stiles on July 22 former Philadelphia Athletic, Billy Werber became the oldest living major leaguer, at age 99. While never quite an all-star, Werber was an everyday player for about a dozen years. He finished with more career hits than games played, one of the sure signs of a productive player. He had solid years in Philadelphia as a regular infielder for the A's in 1937 & '38. He played from 1930 to 1942 and no other living major leaguer played before 1933 in the bigs.
He turned 99 on June 20 and made his major league debut three days past his 22nd birthday on 6/23/1930.
Any fans with knowledge of Werber's career are invited to post in this thread.

He's a major voice on when it was a game....

[icee82]

Werber was a very well educated man and most of his wealth came from his interests after his baseball career. He played third base on the Cincinnati Reds National League Championship team in 1939 who lost to the Yankees and was on the World Champion 1940 Reds team that beat the Detroit Tigers. He resides in Charlotte, NC now.

[JoostSuderFain]

I had the pleasure of meeting and talking with Bill Werber at a Philadelphia A's Historical Society breakfast some years ago (I think it was the same one I met Dom DiMaggio and Johnny Pesky).

Mr. Werber is still clear and very sharp in his memories and conversation. He completely goes against what some would think a man of his age would be like. He talks and acts about 40-50 years south of his actual age.

I purchased his book then, and had him sign it for me. The book is also a great read, highly recommended.

(Also, as far as I know, he is the last living member of the 1927 Yankees)

[riredsox]

He is the last living member of the 1927 Yankees, but doesn't show up because he didn't get into any action.

[philliesfiend55]

He is the last living member of the 1927 Yankees, but doesn't show up because he didn't get into any action.

I tend not to believe claims by former players who say they were with a team but did not get into a game.

Anybody could say that!

For example, my former high school baseball coach said he was a catcher in the Yankees minor league system and in August 1953 was called up due to Yogi Berra's second string catcher having an injury. He swears that he was with the Yankees on a Western road trip (St.Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers) but never got in a game. Most claims similar to this one are unsubstantiated lies or stretches of the truth.

Werber would have had to be just 19 to be with the 1927 Yankees. He had a trial in the majors in 1930 at 22 and still wasn't ready. His big league career only got under way in earnest at age 25 in 1933, so I doubt that he was ever with the 1927 Yankees at age 19.

philliesfiend55-

[bbxpert]

Werber died today at the age of 100.

[The Commissioner]

Here's a link to his obituary in the L.A. Times: http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-werber23-2009jan23,0,5598241.story

[philliesfiend55]

The last four "Oldest Living Major Leaguers" have all died at age 100 - Ray Cunningham, Howie Groskloss, Rollie Stiles and Bill Werber.

Infielder, Tony Malinosky, whose entire MLB career lasted about three months over the first half of the 1937 season, for the Brooklyn Dodgers (He played in 35 games) becomes the oldest living major leaguer at age 99 (birthdate : 10/5/1909).
98-year-old, Lonnie Frey, a National League all-star second baseman, who played 14 seasons between 1933 and 1948, missing the 1944 and 1945 seasons for military service, becomes the second oldest player. Frey is the only living major leaguer to have appeared in a MLB game before 1935. (birthdate: 8/23/1910). Frey was a three-time all-star, playing 1535 games for the Dodgers, Cubs, Reds and Yankees and played on the 1940 Cincinnati and 1947 Yankees World's Champion teams.

-philliesfiend55-

[bbxpert]

Phil Cavarretta is still alive and he broke in in 1934.

[philliesfiend55]

Phil Cavarretta is still alive and he broke in in 1934.

You're absolutely right! I missed Cavarretta, because he is so far down the list. He's only the 25th oldest living former major leaguer according to Wikipedia.
Living players who broke into the majors before oldest living MLB player, Tony Malinosky, at the start of the 1937 season, would include:
1933: Lonnie Frey
1934: Phil Cavarretta
1935: Buddy Lewis
1936: Eddie Joost, Bob Feller & Gene Corbett.

-philliesfiend55-

[icee82]

RIP Mr. Werber. He was a great TTM signer. I have an auto of both Eddie Joost and him together from the 1940 World Series.

[philliesfiend55]

RIP Mr. Werber. He was a great TTM signer. I have an auto of both Eddie Joost and him together from the 1940 World Series.

Until Bill Werber's death this week at age 100, three starting infielders of the World's Champion 1940 Cincinnati Reds team were alive, over age 92 and ranked #1 (Werber), #3 (Lonnie Frey) and #25 (Eddie Joost) among the oldest living major league players.

Was it just a coincidence, or was there something in that Crosley Field infield dirt?

-philliesfiend55-