Billy Werber
Born: 6/20/1908 in Berwyn, MD, USA
Died: 1/22/2009 in Charlotte, NC, USA
MLB Debut: 1930-06-25 | Final Game: 1942-09-05
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 170 lbs
Full name: William Murray Werber
Biography
Billy Werber, born in 1908, was a notable American baseball player whose career spanned from 1930 to 1942. A versatile position player, he made a significant impact in Major League Baseball during the pre-war era, showcasing his talents primarily as a third baseman and outfielder. Over the course of 1,295 games, Werber accumulated 1,363 hits, 78 home runs, and 539 RBIs, finishing his career with a batting average of .271. His ability to steal bases was also noteworthy, as he successfully swiped 215 bases, reflecting his speed and agility on the field.
Werber's playing style was characterized by his offensive contributions and his knack for clutch performances, which made him a valuable asset to the teams he played for, including the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. He played during a transformative period in baseball, navigating the game through the challenges of the Great Depression and the early years of World War II. His legacy is remembered not only for his solid statistics but also for his role in the evolution of baseball as it adapted to the changing social and economic landscape of the time.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1295 | 5024 | 875 | 1363 | 271 | 50 | 78 | 539 | 215 | 701 | 363 | 0.271 | 0.364 | 0.392 | 0.756 | 5476.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | NYY | AL | 4 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0.286 | 0.0 |
| 1933 | BOS | AL | 108 | 425 | 64 | 110 | 30 | 6 | 3 | 39 | 15 | 33 | 39 | 0.259 | -263.7 |
| 1933 | NYY | AL | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | -263.7 |
| 1934 | BOS | AL | 152 | 623 | 129 | 200 | 41 | 10 | 11 | 67 | 40 | 77 | 37 | 0.321 | 2416.1 |
| 1935 | BOS | AL | 124 | 462 | 84 | 118 | 30 | 3 | 14 | 61 | 29 | 69 | 41 | 0.255 | 661.8 |
| 1936 | BOS | AL | 145 | 535 | 89 | 147 | 29 | 6 | 10 | 67 | 23 | 89 | 37 | 0.275 | 803.0 |
| 1937 | PHA | AL | 128 | 493 | 85 | 144 | 31 | 4 | 7 | 70 | 35 | 74 | 39 | 0.292 | 973.5 |
| 1938 | PHA | AL | 134 | 499 | 92 | 129 | 22 | 7 | 11 | 69 | 19 | 93 | 37 | 0.259 | 746.5 |
| 1939 | CIN | NL | 147 | 599 | 115 | 173 | 35 | 5 | 5 | 57 | 15 | 91 | 46 | 0.289 | 945.0 |
| 1940 | CIN | NL | 143 | 584 | 105 | 162 | 35 | 5 | 12 | 48 | 16 | 68 | 40 | 0.277 | 959.6 |
| 1941 | CIN | NL | 109 | 418 | 56 | 100 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 46 | 14 | 53 | 24 | 0.239 | -779.3 |
| 1942 | NY1 | NL | 98 | 370 | 51 | 76 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 51 | 22 | 0.205 | -986.4 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 43 | 6 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 0.326 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940 | WS | CIN | 7 | 27 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0.370 |
| 1939 | WS | CIN | 4 | 16 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0.250 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 3B | 1143 | 0 | 1264 | 2415 | 220 | 214 |
| OF | 48 | 0 | 99 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| SS | 96 | 0 | 183 | 272 | 47 | 53 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1930 | NYA | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930 | NYA | SS | 3 | 0 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 3 |
| 1933 | BOS | 2B | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933 | BOS | 3B | 38 | 0 | 39 | 63 | 7 | 7 |
| 1933 | BOS | SS | 71 | 0 | 128 | 194 | 32 | 36 |
| 1933 | NYA | 3B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1934 | BOS | 3B | 130 | 0 | 136 | 323 | 29 | 25 |
| 1934 | BOS | SS | 22 | 0 | 43 | 69 | 14 | 14 |
| 1935 | BOS | 3B | 123 | 0 | 174 | 264 | 27 | 20 |
| 1936 | BOS | 2B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1936 | BOS | 3B | 101 | 0 | 112 | 161 | 19 | 16 |
| 1936 | BOS | OF | 45 | 0 | 90 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 1937 | PHA | 3B | 125 | 0 | 132 | 260 | 17 | 25 |
| 1937 | PHA | OF | 3 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1938 | PHA | 3B | 134 | 0 | 168 | 266 | 30 | 21 |
| 1939 | CIN | 3B | 147 | 0 | 165 | 308 | 34 | 32 |
| 1940 | CIN | 3B | 143 | 0 | 139 | 287 | 17 | 24 |
| 1941 | CIN | 3B | 107 | 0 | 120 | 256 | 16 | 30 |
| 1942 | NY1 | 3B | 93 | 0 | 79 | 227 | 24 | 14 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Second Base | 3 |
| Third Base | 1144 |
| Shortstop | 96 |
| Left Field | 40 |
| Center Field | 2 |
| Right Field | 8 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1940 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | 3B |
| 1934 | Baseball Magazine All-Star | 3B |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duke University | Durham | NC | 1928, 1929, 1930 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1941 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 28th | 6.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1940 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 10th | 36.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1939 | Most Valuable Player | NL | 22th | 6.0 | 336 | 0 |
| 1934 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 8.0 | 80 | 0 |