Bill Short – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

William Ross Short pitched for six different Major League Baseball teams over nine seasons before he retired in 1969. His career began with promise as a Yankees prospect, but he bounced around teams and never really got a long run.

Short was born in Kingston, New York in 1937. He stood just 5-foot-9, but he had sharp control that caught Yankees scout Paul Krichell’s eye while Short was still in high school.

Short’s journey through pro baseball feels like the story of a talented lefty who flashed real potential but never quite locked in at the big league level. After he won International League MVP honors in 1959 with a 17-6 record for Richmond, the Yankees called him up in 1960. He’d go on to play for the Yankees, Orioles, Red Sox, Pirates, Mets, and Reds.

His stats tell the story of many fringe players from that era—roster spots were tight, and chances didn’t come easy. Short finished with a 5-11 record over 73 MLB games. His story gives a peek into the grind of pro baseball for guys who weren’t stars. The way he moved from promising rookie to journeyman pitcher really shows what perseverance in sports looks like.

Bill Short’s Early Life and Background

William Ross Short was born on November 27, 1937, in Kingston, New York. He grew up loving baseball, surrounded by a supportive family.

His high school years at Newburgh Free Academy shaped his baseball career. He stood out as an athlete and earned plenty of recognition.

Family and Childhood in Kingston, New York

Bill grew up in Kingston, a Hudson River city about 90 miles north of New York City. His dad, Al Short, played semipro ball as a catcher and worked as a social worker.

His mom stayed home and looked after Bill and his three younger siblings—two brothers and a sister. The family lived in Port Ewen, where Bill went to elementary school.

Al Short stayed involved in Bill’s baseball journey. He called his son every night during those minor league years to talk pitching strategies.

Bill’s love for baseball really grew from watching games on TV as a kid. He once wrote that he “chose baseball as a career” because he just loved watching the sport.

Ted Williams, along with other Red Sox players, was his baseball idol. Short said he “used to worship the Red Sox” until he signed with the Yankees.

On a player questionnaire, Short said his ancestry was “English and Indian.” That background meant a lot to him as he chased his baseball dreams.

High School Years at Newburgh High School

Short went to Newburgh Free Academy in Newburgh, New York. The school noticed his athletic talent and upbeat personality.

The 1955 yearbook called Short “always a smile” and gave him two nicknames: “Diamond Bill” and “Joe Sportsman.” Those nicknames captured his baseball skills and his all-around athleticism.

Short wasn’t a big guy for a future pitcher. He stood 5-foot-9 and weighed 170 pounds—pretty small for a pro player.

Yankees scout Paul Krichell signed Short after high school in 1955. But there was a catch—Short had to play a year of semi-pro ball in Watertown, New York first.

He also did a year at Orange County Community College, juggling school and baseball. That year gave him more time to develop before he went all in on baseball.

Professional Baseball Career Overview

Bill Short pitched for six different MLB teams from 1960 to 1969. He racked up a 5-11 record with a 4.73 ERA in 73 games.

The lefty stood 5-foot-9, weighed 170 pounds, and worked as both a starter and reliever.

MLB Debut and Teams Played For

The Yankees signed Short as an amateur free agent in 1955. He made his MLB debut in 1960 at just 22.

He played for the New York Yankees (1960), Baltimore Orioles (1962, 1966), Boston Red Sox (1966), Pittsburgh Pirates (1967), New York Mets (1968), and Cincinnati Reds (1969).

All those team changes show how tough it was for Short to stick as a big league pitcher. He bounced between the American and National Leagues.

His longest run with any team was with Baltimore, where he had two separate stints. He also had a short but busy time with the Mets in 1968, pitching in 34 games.

Pitching Style and Skills

Short threw left-handed and collected 71 strikeouts in his MLB career. His best year came in 1966, when he posted a 2.87 ERA in six starts for Baltimore.

He showed he could do both—start games and come out of the bullpen. He started 16 games and finished 16 as a reliever, picking up two saves.

Short struggled with control sometimes. He walked 64 batters in 131.1 innings, which works out to 4.4 walks per nine innings.

His strikeout-to-walk ratio was 1.11, so command was an issue. Still, he managed to finish three games and notch one shutout.

Notable Performances and Achievements

Short’s best season was in 1966, splitting time between Baltimore and Boston. With the Orioles, he went 2-3 with a 2.87 ERA in 37.2 innings.

He completed two games as a rookie with the Yankees in 1960, going 3-5 with a 4.79 ERA in 10 starts.

His career highlight was a shutout in 1966 with Baltimore. That’s something not every pitcher gets to do.

Short made his last MLB appearance in 1969 with Cincinnati, but it didn’t go well—he had a 15.43 ERA in four games. Even so, he hung around pro baseball for 15 years, which is impressive in its own way.

His career WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of -1.4 shows just how tough it was to compete at the top.

Major League Baseball Highlights

Bill Short’s MLB career ran from 1960 to 1969. He pitched for six different teams in both leagues.

His biggest early moment came with the Yankees in 1960. Later, he spent more time developing with Baltimore and had a full season with the Mets in 1968.

New York Yankees Years

Short made his MLB debut on April 23, 1960, against the Orioles at age 22. He threw 6⅓ innings in his first game, gave up two earned runs, and got the win with help from reliever Ryne Duren.

Casey Stengel liked what he saw. “He looks and acts like a big-leaguer already,” Stengel said after Short’s complete-game 4-2 win over Detroit. Pitching coach Eddie Lopat chimed in: “He knows what he’s doing.”

Short’s strong start got derailed by elbow problems in late May. He lost three in a row and got sent down to Richmond. He finished his rookie year 3-5 with a 4.79 ERA.

In 1961, Short had to undergo surgery to remove bone chips and spurs from his elbow. He spent most of the season on the disabled list, pitching only 13 games at Triple-A Richmond before Baltimore took him in the Rule 5 draft.

Baltimore Orioles Tenures

Short spent about four and a half years with the Orioles, though not all at once. His 1962 debut with Baltimore lasted just five games and four innings, with a rough 15.75 ERA.

He spent three solid seasons with Rochester, Baltimore’s Triple-A team, from 1963 to 1965. His numbers looked like this: 1963 (13-8, 3.38), 1964 (8-11, 3.39), 1965 (13-4, 2.92).

Short started 1966 hot at Rochester (8-5, 2.78), which got him another shot in the majors. On May 10, he threw a one-hitter against Syracuse but lost 1-0 on a leadoff homer.

He returned to the majors on July 1, 1966, and threw a six-hit shutout against Minnesota. After six starts, he had a 2.87 ERA, but just a 2-3 record. The Red Sox bought his contract for $20,000 on August 15.

Other MLB Teams: Red Sox, Pirates, Mets

Short finally got to play for his childhood team when Boston picked him up in 1966. He pitched only in relief for the Red Sox—10 games, 8⅓ innings, and a 4.32 ERA.

The Pittsburgh Pirates bought Short’s contract in October 1966. In 1967, he had only brief MLB action (2⅓ innings in six games) before spending most of the year at Columbus, where he went 14-9 with a 3.28 ERA.

Short’s busiest MLB year was with the Mets in 1968. He pitched in 34 games over 29⅔ innings, with one save and eight holds, posting a 4.85 ERA. That season included a wild 24-inning game against Houston on April 15.

The Cincinnati Reds picked up Short in the 1968 Rule 5 draft. He made his last MLB appearances in June 1969, pitching in four games over 2⅓ innings before heading back to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Career Statistics and Records

Bill Short finished his MLB career with a 5-11 record and a 4.73 ERA in 131.1 innings. He struck out 71 hitters and walked 64, playing for six teams from 1960 to 1969.

Season-by-Season Performance

Short started out in 1960 with the Yankees, going 3-5 with a 4.79 ERA in 10 games. That was his busiest year as a starter, and he completed two games.

After missing 1961, he came back with Baltimore in 1962 but struggled, pitching only 4 innings with a 15.75 ERA in five games.

His best season came in 1966, splitting time between Baltimore and Boston. With the Orioles, he went 2-3 with a 2.87 ERA in six starts, including one complete game shutout. Boston used him only in relief.

In his final three seasons, Short mainly worked out of the bullpen. He appeared in 34 games for the Mets in 1968, his busiest season by appearances. He ended his career in 1969 with Cincinnati, pitching just four games with a 15.43 ERA.

Pitching Records

Short’s career stats fit the profile of a journeyman pitcher. He struck out 71 and walked 64, for a 1.11 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

He picked up two saves, both in the National League. His only shutout came in 1966 with Baltimore.

His career WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) was 1.477. He allowed 130 hits in 131.1 innings, so hitters got on base against him.

His best year was definitely 1966 with Baltimore, when he posted a 2.87 ERA and a 1.168 WHIP. That season, he had a career-high 27 strikeouts in 37.2 innings.

Awards and Honors

Short never picked up any major league awards or honors during his playing career. He didn’t make any All-Star teams or get much individual recognition, honestly.

He pitched during the dominant era of the 1960s, which made it tough to rack up impressive stats. As a journeyman pitcher, he mostly filled out rosters instead of taking the spotlight.

This lack of awards really shows the uphill battle he faced trying to stay consistent while bouncing around different teams. Over his career, he played for six clubs, so teams usually saw him as organizational depth, not a star.

Retirement in 1969 and Later Life

Bill Short finished his professional baseball career in 1969 after nearly 15 years in the game. After hanging up his cleats, he moved on from baseball and eventually settled down in Florida.

Circumstances of Retirement

Short took the mound for his last Major League Baseball game on June 13, 1969, pitching for the Cincinnati Reds. He wrapped up six big league seasons between 1960 and 1969, all by the age of 31.

His final stats really show that journeyman label. Short bounced around teams like the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and New York Mets before ending up in Cincinnati.

That 1969 season closed the book on both his major and minor league days. He’d pitched in the minors from 1955 all the way through 1967, so 1969 marked his last year as a pro after the Yankees signed him as an amateur free agent in 1955.

In the majors, he finished with a 5-11 record and a 4.70 ERA across 73 games. He struck out 71 hitters and tossed one shutout during his MLB time.

Post-Retirement Activities

There’s not a lot out there about what Short did after baseball. Like a lot of guys from his era, he probably just moved into regular work once his playing days ended.

Baseball-Reference lists him among National League players who retired in 1969. He retired alongside plenty of others who’d started their pro careers back in the ‘50s.

He did get some recognition later on—Short made it into the International League Hall of Fame in 2009. That honor really highlighted his standout run in Triple-A baseball, especially his 1959 season when he was named Most Valuable Pitcher in the International League.

His 17-6 record with a 2.48 ERA for the Richmond Virginians in 1959 still stands out as a career high point. He managed to win 13 or more games three other times in the International League too.

Places of Residence and Legacy

After calling it quits on his baseball career, Short eventually made his home in Sarasota, Florida. That’s a pretty popular spot for ex-ballplayers, especially those who had ties to spring training in the area.

He stayed in Sarasota until he passed away on February 2, 2022, at age 84. Born in Kingston, New York, on November 27, 1937, he lived almost 85 years.

His career got formal recognition with his International League Hall of Fame induction. That honor really put a spotlight on his minor league contributions, which, honestly, were more impressive than his major league numbers.

Short’s career followed the path a lot of players took back then. He spent way more time in the minors than the majors, but his Triple-A achievements still earned him some well-deserved respect.

He played through the end of baseball’s reserve clause era. Moving between six MLB teams kind of shows how little control players had over their careers at that time.

Net Worth and Personal Life Information

Bill Short kept his personal life pretty private, both during and after his playing days. There’s not much public info about his finances after baseball. He died in 2022 at age 84 in Sarasota, Florida.

Estimated Net Worth

Nobody really knows the details of Bill Short’s net worth. Baseball salaries in the ‘60s were nowhere near what players make today.

Back then, most guys earned modest paychecks compared to modern athletes. The average MLB salary in 1960 hovered around $19,000 per year.

Short’s 15-year professional career included six seasons in Major League Baseball. Most of his earnings would have come from contracts with teams like the Yankees, Orioles, and Reds.

After he retired in 1969, it’s likely he found other ways to make a living. A lot of his peers took regular jobs after baseball to support their families.

Family and Personal Relationships

There’s not much out there about Bill Short’s family or personal relationships. The baseball records mostly stick to his professional stats.

Born in Kingston, New York, he went to Newburgh High School in Newburgh, New York. The Yankees signed him as an amateur free agent in 1955, kicking off his pro career.

Short stood 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 170 pounds when he played. He built a reputation for his dedication over 15 years in pro baseball.

There aren’t any public details about his marriage, kids, or other family members.

Date and Place of Passing

Bill Short died on February 2, 2022, in Sarasota, Florida. He was 84.

After his death, his family chose cremation. Short had spent his later years living in Florida.

Sarasota, honestly, seems like a natural fit for retired ballplayers. The warm weather and nearby spring training spots probably made it even more appealing.

He lived more than 50 years after leaving professional baseball in 1969. When he passed, it felt like the end of a chapter that stretched across almost nine decades.

The baseball community lost another link to the earlier days of the game with Short’s passing.