Del Wilber – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Del Wilber finished up his major league baseball career in 1954 after eight seasons as a journeyman catcher. His story, though, goes way past what you’ll find in box scores.

He was born in Lincoln Park, Michigan, in 1919. Before reaching the big leagues, Wilber served as a glider pilot in World War II and managed base teams with future Hall of Famers.

Wilber played 299 games over eight seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Boston Red Sox, hanging it up in 1954 with a .242 batting average and 19 home runs. His biggest moment? On August 27, 1951, he became the only player in baseball history to hit three home runs in three at-bats, scoring and driving in every run in a 3-0 Phillies win over Cincinnati.

After putting away his glove, Wilber stuck around the game for decades, coaching, managing, and scouting. He even managed the Texas Rangers for a single day in 1973, which kind of sums up his status as a true baseball lifer who found ways to contribute at every level.

Early Life and Amateur Beginnings

Del Wilber’s journey to professional baseball kicked off in the industrial neighborhoods of Michigan. He tried his hand at several sports before settling behind the plate.

His path from high school standout to minor league prospect really shows the determination that became his trademark.

Birth and Family Background

Delbert Quentin Wilber was born on February 24, 1919, in Lincoln Park, Michigan. His parents, Delbert and Mary Philomena (Quandt) Wilber, lived in a Detroit suburb full of auto industry workers.

The family had already faced tragedy before Del arrived. His older brother Delmar died at just six months old, a year before Del was born.

Del’s father worked as a garage mechanic and later ran a trucking company. His mother Mary, who everyone called “Edna Ma,” gave Del the nickname “Babe,” which stuck.

Del’s middle name came from Quentin Roosevelt, son of President Theodore Roosevelt, who was an aviator killed in World War I.

Two years after Del was born, his brother Don arrived—on the same February 24th date. The brothers grew up side by side in Lincoln Park’s working-class neighborhoods.

High School and Early Education

Del started out at William Raupp School in Lincoln Park. He switched to St. Henry’s Catholic School, but when he realized they didn’t have sports, he talked his parents into letting him go back to William Raupp.

At Raupp, Del played basketball, baseball, and soccer. He later moved on to Lincoln Park High School, and that’s really where he started to shine.

He earned three letters in football, four in basketball, and four in baseball before graduating in 1937. That’s some serious multi-sport talent.

After graduation, Del worked in the stockroom at Ford Motor’s River Rouge plant in Dearborn. He unpacked car parts and played industrial league basketball at the same time.

Findlay Oilers and Ohio State League

In July 1937, Del spotted a blurb about a three-day tryout camp in Springfield, Illinois, for the San Antonio Missions. That team was a farm club for the St. Louis Browns.

He and a friend made the 450-mile trip each way in a Ford Model A to check it out. Scouts liked what they saw and gave him a minor league contract for the 1938 season.

The Findlay Oilers of the Class D Ohio State League became his first pro team. At 19, he batted .304 in 97 games as a rookie in 1938.

His second year got even better. In 1939, Del hit .332 and led the league with 157 RBIs. He helped the Findlay Oilers, who’d just changed their name, win the regular-season championship.

That performance got the attention of the St. Louis Cardinals. After 1939, the Cardinals picked him in the minor league draft, and his career took another step forward.

Military Service and Wartime Baseball

Del Wilber served four years in the Army Air Force during World War II. He rose to captain while still playing and managing baseball teams on military bases.

His service took him from Michigan to Florida, then Texas. Along the way, he managed and played for championship squads.

Army Air Force Experience

Wilber joined the military on February 4, 1942, just before turning 23. He started at Fort Custer, Michigan.

He showed leadership right away. In October 1942, he headed to Miami Beach, Florida, for Officers’ Candidate School.

After earning his lieutenant’s bars, Wilber got orders to San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center (SAACC) in Texas. He worked as a physical instructor there in 1943.

The Army Air Force noticed his baseball skills and put him in charge of the base team while he taught physical training.

He served until February 1946, when he was discharged in San Antonio. Over those four years, Wilber moved up from enlisted man to captain.

Jefferson Barracks and San Antonio Teams

Wilber’s first military baseball job came in summer 1942 at Jefferson Barracks Army Air Force team in Missouri. He caught and managed the squad.

He hit well in military ball. On May 17, 1942, he knocked in three runs with a homer and two singles in a 5-0 win over Parks Air College.

The San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center team had some big names in 1944. Former Cardinals Enos Slaughter and Howie Pollet joined Wilber there.

Wilber tied for the league lead with 13 home runs in 1944, matching Slaughter in the San Antonio Service Baseball League.

His team won the league championship that year. SAACC beat Randolph Field in three games for the title with Wilber managing.

In 1945, a controversy broke out when umpire Nemo Herrera accused Wilber of roughing him up, leading to a 12-game suspension.

Major League Baseball Career Overview

Del Wilber played eight seasons in Major League Baseball from 1946 to 1954, working as a catcher for three teams. He put together a .242 batting average with 19 home runs and 115 RBIs in 299 games.

He made his mark as a reliable backup catcher, even if his bat never really stood out.

MLB Debut and Initial Seasons

Wilber debuted in the majors on April 21, 1946, with the St. Louis Cardinals at age 27. Military service had delayed his career—he’d served as a captain in the Army Air Forces.

That debut came in a 7-6 win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Wilber entered as a defensive sub at catcher in the seventh but got lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth, so he didn’t get an at-bat.

He collected his first major league hit on April 17, 1947, doubling off Cincinnati’s Kent Peterson as a pinch-hitter. Wilber spent four seasons with the Cardinals (1946-1949), usually as the third-string catcher behind Del Rice and Joe Garagiola.

After 1949, the Cardinals left Wilber unprotected in the minor league draft. The Philadelphia Phillies picked him up, and he had his best major league season in 1951.

Position and Playing Style

Wilber played catcher his whole MLB career. He stood 6-foot-3, weighed 200 pounds, and batted and threw right-handed, which made him a handy platoon option against lefties.

His defensive skills kept him in the big leagues even though his bat was pretty average. Wilber backed up at catcher for all three teams, bringing veteran leadership and steadiness behind the plate.

The 1951 season in Philadelphia was his best. He hit .278 and set career-highs in games (84), hits (68), and RBIs (34).

On August 27, 1951, Wilber hit three home runs in three at-bats during a 3-0 Phillies win over Cincinnati. He’s still the only player to hit three homers while accounting for all his team’s runs in a shutout.

Team Tenures and Key Contributions

Del Wilber’s eight-year MLB career took him to three teams from 1946 to 1954. Hitting three home runs in a single game for Philadelphia in 1951 was his standout feat, but he also made the most of limited chances in Boston.

St. Louis Cardinals Years

Wilber kicked off his MLB career with the Cardinals in 1946 at age 27. He debuted on April 21, 1946, in a 7-6 win over the Cubs at Wrigley.

He worked as the third-string catcher behind Del Rice and Joe Garagiola. The Cardinals had a tough time finding a steady catcher, and manager Eddie Dyer once joked that one catcher “can’t hit, one can’t catch, and one can’t throw.”

Cardinals Stats (1946-1949):

• Games: 61
• Batting Average: .210
• Home Runs: 1
• RBIs: 22

His best year in St. Louis was 1947, when he got his first big league hit—a double off Kent Peterson in Cincinnati on April 17.

Wilber’s time with the Cardinals ended in 1949 when he went to manage Houston in the Texas League. He posted a 60-91 record as player-manager and hit .309 with five homers.

Philadelphia Phillies Highlights

Wilber joined the Phillies in 1951 after they picked him in the minor league draft. This was the high point of his playing years at age 32.

He made history on August 27, 1951, against the Cincinnati Reds. Wilber hit three home runs in three at-bats and drove in every Phillies run in a 3-0 win.

1951 Season Highlights:

• Games: 84
• Hits: 68
• Batting Average: .278
• Home Runs: 6
• RBIs: 34

He hit all three home runs off Cincinnati starter Ken Raffensberger. That same day, he and his wife brought their newborn daughter Cynthia home from the hospital.

His time in Philadelphia was short but unforgettable. He played just two games in 1952 before the Phillies traded him to Boston on May 12.

Boston Red Sox Closing Seasons

Wilber’s last big league seasons with the Red Sox showed how he could make the most out of limited chances. He joined Boston in mid-1952 and stayed through 1954.

His 1953 numbers were unusual. Wilber racked up more RBIs (29) than hits (27), and 14 of those hits were for extra bases, including seven home runs.

Notable Boston Achievements:

• Four pinch-hit home runs in 1953
• 14th-inning game-winning homer against the St. Louis Browns on May 20, 1953
• Only stolen base of his career in 1952

His pinch-hitting made him a bit of a folk hero in Boston. He finished just one home run shy of the American League pinch-hit record of five, set by Joe Cronin in 1943.

Wilber played his final big league game on September 19, 1954, against Washington. He picked up two hits, including a triple off Camilo Pascual, in a 6-2 win at Griffith Stadium.

Statistical Achievements and Milestones

Del Wilber’s eight-year run produced a .242 batting average with 19 home runs and 115 RBIs in 299 games.

His best statistical season came in 1951 with the Phillies, where he hit .278 and posted his highest WAR at 1.0.

Batting Average and WAR

Wilber hit .242 over his career, which really shows the tough road backup catchers faced in the majors. In 1951, he had his best season at the plate for Philadelphia, batting .278 in 84 games.

That same year, his WAR (Wins Above Replacement) reached 1.0. He genuinely helped the Phillies that season.

1951 was the only year he finished with a positive WAR above 0.5. In most other seasons, he posted slightly negative WAR numbers, which was pretty common for backup catchers back then.

His rOBA (relative On-Base Average) peaked at .337 in 1951, showing he could get on base when he was at his best.

Home Runs and RBIs

Wilber knocked out 19 home runs during his eight years in the big leagues. His power really showed up in 1953, when he hit 7 homers in just 58 games for the Boston Red Sox.

He collected 115 career RBIs over multiple seasons. In 1951, he drove in 34 runs, which ended up being his best single-season total.

In 1953, he put up 29 RBIs, almost matching his best year, despite not always being in the lineup.

As a part-time player, he still managed to chip in with some timely power.

Notable Single-Game Performances

In his last game on September 19, 1954, against Washington, Wilber went 2-for-3 and picked up an RBI. Not a bad way to go out.

He had several multi-hit games in 1951, which helped him reach that .278 average. When he got regular chances, he could really contribute with the bat.

During 1953, his power numbers spiked, with 7 home runs coming in big moments for Boston.

Overall Career Summary

Across 299 games, Wilber put up 174 hits and crossed the plate 67 times. He added 35 doubles and 7 triples, giving his offensive numbers a little extra punch.

He drew 44 walks and struck out 96 times. For a catcher in that era, that’s not bad at all. His fielding percentage changed from season to season, but he generally handled his defensive duties well.

Wilber played as a reliable backup, giving his teams steady defense and a bit of offense when they needed it.

Legacy Beyond Playing: Coaching and Management

After hanging up his spikes in 1954, Del Wilber jumped right into coaching and managing—a career shift that lasted for decades. He worked with the Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, and several Pacific Coast League teams.

Minor and Major League Coaching Roles

Wilber started coaching as soon as his playing career ended. In 1955, the Chicago White Sox brought him in as bench coach under Marty Marion, who used to be his teammate on the Cardinals. The White Sox finished third in the American League in both 1955 and 1956, with Wilber ready as an emergency catcher, though he never actually got into a game.

When Al Lopez took over for Marion in 1957, Wilber lost his coaching spot. He then spent a short time scouting for Baltimore before managing the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Colonels, in 1958. That team had a rough go, finishing 56-95 and landing in eighth place in the American Association.

In 1970, Wilber returned to the majors as a coach for the Washington Senators. He worked under manager Ted Williams, who had also been his teammate in Boston. That job let him share his catching know-how with younger players, while working alongside one of the game’s all-time great hitters.

Scouting and Influence on Professional Baseball

After coaching with the White Sox, Wilber spent ten years scouting for the Minnesota Twins from 1960 to 1969. He really knew how to spot talent and understood the game inside-out.

Scouting made up a big part of Wilber’s life after playing. He brought the same work ethic and focus that marked his playing days to his search for future big leaguers. His experience in the minors, both as a player and manager, gave him a solid perspective on what it took to develop players.

Once his time with the Twins ended, Wilber kept scouting for another ten years before he finally stepped away from pro baseball. His coaching and scouting career actually lasted longer than his playing days, which says a lot about the value he brought to every organization he worked with.

Pacific Coast League and Other Affiliations

Wilber made his biggest mark in the Pacific Coast League, where he led his teams to two championships. Those wins really showed he knew how to guide a team to success at the top levels of minor league baseball.

He picked up an American Association championship too during his time managing. Winning at more than one level of professional baseball says a lot about his tactical sense and leadership.

All of this happened even though his one-game stint as interim manager for the Texas Rangers in 1973 turned out to be brief and, honestly, pretty disappointing.

When Rangers owner Bob Short fired Whitey Herzog, Wilber stepped in and led the team to a 10-8 comeback win over the Oakland Athletics on September 7, 1973.

But Short replaced him that same night with Billy Martin, so Wilber’s major league managerial career ended up about as short as it gets.