Kirby Higbe – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Walter Kirby Higbe pitched in Major League Baseball for 14 seasons, moving through five different teams from 1937 to 1950. This South Carolina native made his name with the Brooklyn Dodgers, especially in 1941 when he racked up 22 wins and helped push the team to its first pennant in over twenty years.

Higbe threw his last big league pitch on July 7, 1950, at age 35. He tossed two scoreless innings in relief for the New York Giants, then got sent down to the minors, which pretty much closed the book on his MLB career.

He went from dropping out after seventh grade and working for the railroad to becoming a two-time National League All-Star. Higbe’s story is all about raw talent meeting the right moment during baseball’s golden years.

People used to compare his fastball to Bob Feller’s, and he turned into one of the National League’s most reliable starters in the early 1940s. But his career wasn’t all smooth sailing. He clashed with management over Jackie Robinson joining the Dodgers and took a break for military service during World War II.

In his final years, Higbe bounced from the Pittsburgh Pirates to the New York Giants as his skills faded, then wrapped things up in the minors. Like a lot of players back then, he found the transition from baseball stardom to regular life tough. After hanging up his cleats in 1953, he worked for the post office in Columbia, South Carolina.

Early Life and Path to Baseball

Walter Kirby Higbe was born on April 8, 1915, in Columbia, South Carolina. Oddly enough, his family had Northern roots, even though he grew up in the South.

The Great Depression forced him out of school early. He worked to help his family, but his pitching arm eventually took him from bakery teams to professional baseball.

South Carolina Roots and Family

Kirby’s family background was a bit unusual for a Southern kid. His grandfather, Wellington William Higbe, came from Ohio. He was born in 1849 and served in the Union Army after the Civil War.

Wellington moved to Columbia, South Carolina, after marrying Mary Elizabeth Baugh and became chief of police there. Kirby’s dad, Lloyd Wellington Higbe, worked as a glass blower and later sold bottles for Lauren’s Glass Works.

Kirby felt especially close to his mother, Cynthia (Kirby) Higbe. She was a gentle, church-going woman.

The family faced a terrible loss in 1918. They moved to Jacksonville, Florida, to get away from the flu epidemic, but Kirby’s younger brother Harold caught the disease and died.

They returned to Columbia to bury Harold. Later, Lloyd and Cynthia had two more children: Cynthia and Frazier.

Education and Youth Baseball

The Great Depression hit the Higbe family hard. Kirby left school after seventh grade to help out with money.

He worked as a messenger for the Southern Railroad, making $50 a month. He later said he regretted leaving school, but he wanted to help his family.

In 1931, Higbe switched jobs and started working at Claussen’s Bakery. That job came with a bonus—he got to pitch for their baseball team.

He built his powerful fastball in a pretty unconventional way. As a kid, he threw rocks to build arm strength, which people later compared to Bob Feller’s. He also pitched for a local American Legion team, even though he didn’t really know much about pitching mechanics.

Entry Into Professional Baseball

Scouts from the Pittsburgh Pirates spotted Higbe’s fastball and signed him to pitch for Tulsa in the Western League in 1932. His first shot at pro ball didn’t go well, though.

He hit so many batters in batting practice that when camp ended, the team left him behind with just a catcher to work on his control. Only seventeen and pretty homesick, he went back to Columbia to pitch for a semipro team.

Higbe struggled in the minor leagues for the next few years. He went 1-4 with Wichita/Muskogee in 1933 and 0-2 with Atlanta in 1934.

In 1935, things finally clicked for him with Portsmouth in the Class B Piedmont League. He won ten games and pitched 206 innings in his first full pro season.

After splitting 1936 between Portsmouth and Columbia, Higbe finally got his shot at the majors.

The minor leagues and Tri-State League came back into his life later, too. He finished up with the Rock Hill Chiefs in the Class B Tri-State League in 1953.

Major League Career Highlights

Kirby Higbe pitched in the majors from 1937 to 1950, with his best years coming with the Brooklyn Dodgers. His fastball and competitive edge made him a standout, but his career had its share of ups and downs.

Notable Seasons and Achievements

1941 really was Higbe’s shining season. He led the National League with 22 wins for the Brooklyn Dodgers. That year, he also led the league in appearances (48) and starts (39), and he pitched a career-high 298 innings.

His 1941 performance helped the Dodgers win their first pennant since 1920. Higbe finished seventh in MVP voting that year.

Higbe made the All-Star team in 1940 and 1946. During the 1946 All-Star Game at Fenway Park, he pitched 1⅓ innings but gave up four runs on five hits—including one of Ted Williams’s two home runs in that blowout for the American League.

His 1946 season stood out, too. He went 17-8 with a career-best 3.03 ERA for Brooklyn.

He appeared in the World Series in 1941, starting Game Four against the Yankees. He left the game trailing 3-0 after 3⅔ innings, and the Dodgers ended up losing in that infamous Mickey Owen dropped third strike game.

Teams Played For

Higbe suited up for five MLB teams during his career. He started with the Chicago Cubs in 1937, making his debut on October 3 in a 6-4 win over the Cardinals.

The Cubs traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1939. Even though those teams struggled, Higbe got regular work and developed his skills. In 1940, he went 14-19 but somehow led the league in both walks and strikeouts.

Brooklyn picked up Higbe in November 1940, trading three players and $100,000 for him. That move changed his career. General manager Larry MacPhail raved about Higbe’s curveball, calling it the best in baseball.

His Brooklyn years (1941-1947) were his best. He put together a 70-38 record with a 3.29 ERA in five seasons for the Dodgers.

After Higbe spoke out against Jackie Robinson joining the team, Brooklyn traded him to Pittsburgh in May 1947. He spent parts of three seasons with the Pirates, then finished up with the New York Giants in 1949 and 1950.

Pitching Style and Comparisons

Higbe threw a fastball that scouts loved, often comparing him to Bob Feller. Early on, he struggled with control and hit a lot of batters during practice.

He mostly relied on his fastball but added a good curveball later. By the end, he leaned on his knuckleball.

Higbe taught himself how to pitch. He built up his arm as a kid by throwing rocks, which definitely helped his reputation as a hard thrower.

At 5’11” and 190 pounds, he was known for being tough and durable. Over his career, he racked up 118 wins, 101 losses, and a 3.69 ERA in 418 games.

Control was always a problem for him. He led the National League in walks four times, including 123 in 1939 and 122 in 1947.

Brooklyn Dodgers Years

Higbe’s run with the Brooklyn Dodgers, from 1941 to 1947, marked the high point of his career. He put up his best numbers and helped the team win the 1941 pennant alongside Whitlow Wyatt.

Breakout Performances

The Dodgers brought Higbe over from the Phillies in 1941 for $100,000 and three players. That trade paid off immediately, with Higbe delivering his best season.

He tied for NL wins leader with 22 victories in 1941, right alongside Whitlow Wyatt. His 22-9 record gave the Dodgers the push they needed for the pennant.

He led the league with 48 games pitched and 39 starts that year. His durability really anchored Brooklyn’s rotation.

Higbe kept pitching well in the next few years. He went 16-11 in 1942 and 13-10 in 1943, before military service took him away from the game.

He came back from World War II and put up another strong season in 1946, going 17-8. That performance helped cement him as one of Brooklyn’s most dependable starters in the 1940s.

World Series Appearance

The 1941 World Series was the highlight of Higbe’s career. The Dodgers faced the powerhouse New York Yankees.

Higbe started Game 2 at Yankee Stadium. Despite his regular season numbers, he couldn’t get it done in the Series and lasted just 1.2 innings.

The Yankees beat the Dodgers in five games. That was as close as Brooklyn got to a title during Higbe’s time.

Losing the Series stung for Higbe and the team. Still, his 22-win regular season was something most pitchers only dream about.

Relationship with Branch Rickey

Branch Rickey managed the Dodgers when Higbe played there. Things got tense when Rickey signed Jackie Robinson in 1947.

Higbe didn’t hide his discomfort about playing with Robinson. As a guy from South Carolina, he told Rickey he’d rather not have a black teammate.

This put him at odds with Rickey’s vision for the Dodgers. The tension in the clubhouse got pretty thick.

Rickey traded Higbe to the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 3, 1947, just weeks after Robinson’s debut. That move ended Higbe’s most successful run in the majors.

Controversies and Notable Events

Kirby Higbe’s career wasn’t free of controversy, especially around racial integration and personal conduct issues. His opposition to Jackie Robinson joining the Dodgers led to his exit from Brooklyn, and his behavior off the field sometimes caused headaches for teams.

Clubhouse Dynamics and Jackie Robinson

Higbe landed in baseball’s history books for the wrong reasons when Branch Rickey announced Jackie Robinson would join the Dodgers in 1947. He was among the players who pushed back against Robinson’s promotion.

That protest spoke to the racial tensions of the time. Many Southern players struggled with the idea of integrating baseball.

Higbe’s stance had immediate consequences. The Dodgers traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates on May 3, 1947, along with four other players for Al Gionfriddo and $100,000.

That trade closed out his best years. With Brooklyn, he’d put together a 70-38 record and a 3.29 ERA over five seasons. After leaving the Dodgers, his career slid downhill fast.

Personality and Off-Field Incidents

People knew Higbe as a “hell-raiser” during his career. He even called his autobiography “The High Hard One,” which really fit both his pitching style and the way he lived.

He struggled with alcohol and made choices he later regretted. Higbe came clean about his mistakes and admitted the trouble he brought to his family.

His wild control on the mound definitely matched his unpredictable personality. Between 1939 and 1947, he led the National League in walks four times.

During spring training with the Pirates, he hit so many batters in practice that coaches left him behind with just a catcher to work on his control. That must’ve been frustrating for everyone.

After his playing days, financial problems caught up to him. Higbe wrote bad checks when bills piled up, and when he couldn’t pay them back, he ended up serving 60 days in jail in Richland County.

Military Service During World War II

Kirby Higbe joined the U.S. Army on October 16, 1943, right after finishing a 13-10 season with the Brooklyn Dodgers. His service took him from training in South Carolina all the way to the Philippines, where he managed a military baseball team.

Army Enlistment and Training

Higbe went through his initial Army processing at Fort Jackson near Columbia, South Carolina, in just three hours. Normally, it took three days, but the Fort Jackson Red Raiders ball team had a game that afternoon, so they rushed things.

The Army first put Higbe in the military police. But his training didn’t stop there, as he learned rifleman skills and prepared for combat.

By 1944, Higbe found himself stationed at Camp Livingston, Louisiana. He kept playing baseball there and pitched in the National Baseball Congress Semi-Pro tournament.

His performance earned him a spot on the All-America team. Even in the Army, his pitching stayed sharp.

Baseball in Wartime

Military service didn’t end Higbe’s baseball life. The Army saw his value as a player and as a morale booster.

At Camp Livingston, Higbe played in organized baseball competitions. These games kept morale up, entertained the troops, and helped players stay in shape.

The National Baseball Congress tournament let military personnel compete seriously. Higbe’s All-America nod proved military baseball still had high standards.

Lots of major leaguers served during World War II, so the military teams were pretty darn competitive.

Playing and Managing in the Philippines

In 1945, the Army sent Higbe to the Philippines. There, he managed the Manila Dodgers, a military baseball team with several professional players.

His lineup had Max Macon, Frank LaManna, and Joe Garagiola as catcher. Around this time, Higbe started toying with a knuckleball that would help him later on.

While in the Philippines, he got a bit entrepreneurial. He took over living quarters meant for umpires and, with Early Wynn, sold beer to local Filipinos.

On January 2, 1946, Higbe pitched for the Manila Dodgers against a team of National League all-stars led by Chuck Dressen. The game drew 25,000 fans to Rizal Stadium.

He lost 5-4, giving up two home runs to first baseman Frank McCormick. That must have stung.

Higbe left the Army on March 26, 1946, and rejoined the Brooklyn Dodgers for the 1946 season.

Post-Major League and Retirement

After his last major league game on July 7, 1950, Higbe kept playing in the minors for several more seasons. He eventually made the jump to civilian life, working different jobs but never really leaving baseball behind, at least in spirit.

Final Playing Years and Minor Leagues

Higbe’s baseball career didn’t end with the majors. The New York Giants sent him to the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association on July 12, 1950, just five days after his final big league appearance.

In the minors, his results were a mixed bag. He went 5-8 with Minneapolis that year and pitched in four games for the Seattle Rainiers in the Pacific Coast League.

The next year went better. He racked up 17 wins split between Class A Montgomery and Class AA Atlanta.

He spent the whole 1952 season with Montgomery in the South Atlantic League. Higbe finished 13-14 with a solid 2.79 ERA, showing he still had something left, even if it wasn’t quite the big leagues.

His last professional season came in 1953. He played in both the Tarheel and Tri-State Leagues.

Even with arm trouble, Higbe managed to win 18 games, including a 12-11 record with the Rock Hill Chiefs of the Class B Tri-State League. That wrapped up a 20-year run in professional baseball.

Life After Baseball

After retiring from baseball, Higbe faced the challenge of finding his place in regular life. He worked at the post office in Columbia, South Carolina, the city where he was born in 1915.

His personal life changed a lot during these years. Higbe divorced his first wife Anne and married Betsy Ains in 1960.

They had two sons together: David Parks Higbe, born in 1961, and Hugh Whitlow Higbe, born in 1963. Hugh’s name honored two of Higbe’s closest baseball friends, Hugh Casey and Whitlow Wyatt.

Financial problems just wouldn’t let go. He left the post office for a job at a chemical company, but that only lasted nine months.

Bills kept piling up, and with no steady income, Higbe made some poor financial choices. He ended up getting sentenced to 60 days in Richland County Jail for writing bad checks when he couldn’t pay his debts.

Legacy and Recognition

Higbe made a real mark in baseball, and people still remember him for it, even though his life after the game wasn’t always easy. The South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame inducted him, recognizing what he gave to the sport during his long 26-year pro career.

If you look up his stats on Baseball Reference or similar sites, you’ll see he racked up 118 wins and 101 losses, with a 3.69 ERA across 13 seasons. Honestly, his best years happened with the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1941 to 1947, when he put together a 70-38 record and a 3.29 ERA.

That 1941 season? It stands out as his big moment. He tied for the National League lead by snagging 22 wins, and he also led everyone in games pitched (48) and starts (39). That year, his efforts pushed the Dodgers to their first pennant since 1920.

Walter Kirby Higbe died on May 6, 1985, in Columbia, South Carolina. It’s kind of poetic—he passed away in the same city where he was born 70 years before. His story captures the thrill of baseball glory, but also the tough road a lot of players faced after they hung up their cleats.