Bob Wiesler – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Bob Wiesler’s baseball career is the story of a promising left-handed pitcher who went from the sandlots of St. Louis all the way to the major leagues in the 1950s. Born on August 13, 1930, Wiesler grabbed the attention of pro scouts while pitching for his high school team and the local American Legion squad. He ended up signing with the New York Yankees in 1949.

Wiesler put together a 7-19 record with a 3.93 ERA in five major league seasons from 1951 to 1958, playing for both the Yankees and Washington Senators before he retired from professional baseball. He looked impressive in the minors, racking up strikeouts, but just couldn’t quite find steady success in the big leagues.

Let’s take a closer look at how Wiesler developed from an amateur standout into a professional pitcher. We’ll dig into his stats, the challenges he faced in New York and Washington, and what his journey says about players from baseball’s golden era. There’s a lot to learn here, from the impact of military service to what life looked like after leaving the game.

Early Life and Amateur Baseball

Bob Wiesler was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 13, 1930. He honed his baseball skills at Beaumont High School.

As a left-handed pitcher, Wiesler drew the attention of major league scouts. The New York Yankees signed him as an 18-year-old amateur free agent in 1949.

Childhood and Family Background

Robert George Wiesler grew up in St. Louis during the Great Depression. Born in 1930, he came of age in a city with a deep baseball tradition.

St. Louis had both the Cardinals and Browns back then, and that city’s baseball culture probably helped spark his love for the game.

His family supported his athletic dreams as he got older. After his playing days, Bob returned to work for Anheuser-Busch Brewery, showing he always stayed connected to St. Louis.

High School Baseball Career

Wiesler attended Beaumont High School, where he really started to stand out as a lefty pitcher. Professional scouts noticed his performances.

He threw hard for his age and quickly became one of the best pitchers among his high school peers. That fastball became the ticket to his future.

The Yankees organization saw his potential before he even graduated. His amateur pitching was good enough for a contract offer right out of high school.

Journey to Professional Baseball

The New York Yankees signed Wiesler as an amateur free agent before the 1949 season. At just 18, he jumped straight into the Yankees system.

Back then, talented players often skipped college if a major league team came calling. The Yankees’ scouts seemed to have a knack for spotting young arms.

Signing that contract started a professional career that lasted 10 years. Just two years later, he made his major league debut at Yankee Stadium on August 3, 1951, against the St. Louis Browns.

Professional Career Overview

Bob Wiesler played six seasons in Major League Baseball from 1951 to 1958, pitching for the New York Yankees and Washington Senators. He appeared in 70 games, finishing with a 7-19 record and a 5.74 ERA over 241.1 innings.

Debut in Major League Baseball

Wiesler made his MLB debut on August 3, 1951, at age 20 for the Yankees. He faced the St. Louis Browns, pitching 3.1 innings and giving up 8 earned runs.

His rookie season was rough. He pitched in just 4 games, starting 3, and ended up with an 0-2 record. He posted a 13.50 ERA, allowing 13 hits and 11 walks in only 9.1 innings.

The young lefty managed to strike out 3 batters but couldn’t find the strike zone consistently. The Yankees were on top in 1951, but Wiesler played only a minor role.

Key Teams and Trades

Wiesler spent his first three big-league seasons with the Yankees from 1951 to 1955. He missed the 1952 and 1953 seasons, but when he came back in 1954, he looked sharper. Wiesler went 3-2 with a 4.15 ERA in 6 games.

His best Yankees season came in 1955 with 16 appearances. He pitched 53 innings with a 3.91 ERA, though he didn’t pick up any wins.

Before the 1956 season, the Yankees traded Wiesler to the Washington Senators. Washington gave him more chances, but he struggled with control. In 1956, he finished with a 3-12 record and a 6.44 ERA in 37 games.

Notable Milestones

Wiesler’s career highlight came in 1954 with the Yankees. He posted his best winning percentage at .600 and struck out 25 in 30.1 innings.

His busiest season was 1956 with the Senators, making 37 appearances and starting 21 times. He completed 3 games and threw 123 innings that year.

Wiesler made his last major league appearance on May 10, 1958, at age 27. He finished with 113 strikeouts and 218 walks, which pretty much sums up his control issues.

After leaving the majors, Wiesler kept pitching in the minors until 1961. He ended his pro career with a 91-78 record and a 3.70 ERA.

Pitching Performance and Career Statistics

Bob Wiesler spent seven seasons in the majors, finishing with a 7-19 record and a 5.74 ERA over 71 games. His time with the Washington Senators in 1958 marked the end of his professional career.

Major League Pitching Statistics

Wiesler’s career numbers show the battles he fought on the mound. He picked up 7 wins and 19 losses between 1951 and 1958.

Here’s a quick look at his stats:

• ERA: 5.74
• Strikeouts: 113
• WHIP: 1.939
• Games Played: 71

Wiesler had trouble finding consistency. His 5.74 ERA was well above the league average for that time. With a WHIP of 1.939, he allowed almost two base runners per inning.

He split his big-league time between the Yankees and Senators. Washington gave him more innings since the Yankees always had a crowded pitching staff.

Pitching Style and Techniques

Not much documentation exists about Wiesler’s pitching style or what pitches he threw. Pitchers in the 1950s usually relied on control and location, not just pure speed.

Most guys back then used a four-seam fastball, curveball, and changeup as their main pitches. Since detailed scouting reports weren’t really a thing, it’s tough to say exactly what made Wiesler tick—or what held him back.

With 113 strikeouts in 71 games, he clearly wasn’t a power pitcher. That era favored pitchers who could get hitters to put the ball in play and trust their defense.

Career Highlights on the Mound

Wiesler’s career highlights were few and far between, mostly because he didn’t spend long in the majors and his numbers weren’t flashy. Still, making it to the big leagues with the New York Yankees in 1951 was a huge accomplishment.

Even in a small role, playing for the Yankees meant you were at the top of the sport. That organization had high standards and a deep roster.

Moving to the Senators gave him more chances to pitch. Washington let him take on a bigger role and try to find his place on the pitching staff.

Analysis of 1958 Season and Retirement

The 1958 season was Wiesler’s last in the majors. At 28, he wrapped up his career with the Washington Senators after parts of seven seasons.

His stats probably made the decision for him. With an ERA approaching 6.00 and limited effectiveness, teams just weren’t calling anymore.

Baseball was changing, too. Teams were getting more selective and younger talent was coming up from the minors.

Wiesler’s career ended just three days before his 28th birthday on August 10, 1958. His final numbers might not jump off the page, but he made it to the big leagues during one of baseball’s most iconic eras.

Time with the New York Yankees

Bob Wiesler spent three seasons with the Yankees from 1951 to 1955. He was a lefty who struggled with control but sometimes surprised hitters with his stuff. His Yankees years included military service during the Korean War and a pitching style that didn’t always fit the stats.

Early Years with the Yankees

Wiesler signed with the Yankees before the 1949 season at age 18. He made his MLB debut on August 3, 1951, at Yankee Stadium against the St. Louis Browns, just before turning 21.

His first game was a rough one. He lasted 3.1 innings, gave up eight runs on six hits, and walked four. That kind of outing happened more than once during his rookie year.

Wiesler made four appearances in 1951. His second start went only 2.2 innings, but he did manage a scoreless inning from the bullpen. In his last 1951 game on August 19, he walked five in 2.1 innings but allowed just one hit.

He wrapped up his debut season with a 13.50 ERA and a 2.571 WHIP in nine innings. The Yankees called him up for military service during the Korean War, so he missed all of 1952.

Contribution to the Yankees’ Rotation

After military duty, Wiesler came back to the Yankees in 1954. He pitched in six games that year, still walking a lot of batters but keeping his ERA at 4.15.

In 1954, he walked 30 in 30.1 innings but struck out 25. His WHIP was 1.912, but he managed to get outs when it counted.

Wiesler’s Yankees Statistics:

• 1951: 13.50 ERA, 2.571 WHIP
• 1954: 4.15 ERA, 1.912 WHIP
• 1955: 3.91 ERA in 53 innings

His best season was 1955, mostly out of the bullpen. He put up a 3.91 ERA in 53 innings, which was his most effective year as a Yankee.

One 1955 start on May 26 really showed his wildness. He allowed just one hit but walked eight in 4.2 innings, including five walks to seven batters in the fifth inning.

Relationship with Teammates and Coaches

Wiesler played for the Yankees during some of their best years. He came up through the system at the same time as Mickey Mantle, which is pretty cool.

He kept a good relationship with the Yankees even after his playing days. After the 1955 season, they picked him for a special tour of Japan, with games in Hawaii and Manila along the way.

That Japan tour was the last time he wore a Yankees uniform. It was a nice gesture from the organization, considering his struggles on the mound.

Early the next spring, the Yankees traded Wiesler to the Washington Senators in a seven-player deal that also involved Whitey Herzog. That move ended his time in New York.

During his three years with the Yankees, Wiesler put up a 4.95 ERA and 1.835 WHIP in 92.2 innings. He allowed just one home run as a Yankee, so at least he kept the ball in the park, even if he couldn’t always find the plate.

Washington Senators Years

Wiesler joined the Washington Senators in 1956 after he struggled to find his footing with the Yankees. Those three seasons with the Senators, from 1956 to 1958, ended up being both his busiest stretch and the final years of his pro baseball career.

Transition to the Senators

When Bob Wiesler arrived in Washington in 1956, it really shifted the direction of his major league life. The lefty pitcher actually saw more regular action with the Senators than he ever did in New York.

That first season with Washington? Easily his most active. Wiesler pitched in 37 games, started 21 of them, and racked up 123 innings. That was a big jump compared to the handful of appearances he made for the Yankees.

But, with more innings came mixed results. Wiesler finished the year with a 3-12 record and a 6.44 ERA. He managed to complete three games, struck out 141 batters, and walked 112.

These numbers highlighted the control issues that seemed to follow him. His walks per nine innings sat at 8.2, which made it tough to find real consistency in the majors.

Impact and Memorable Games

After that busy 1956 season, Wiesler’s time on the mound started to shrink. He pitched in just three games in 1957, going 1-1 with a 4.41 ERA over 16.1 innings.

His last major league season came in 1958, still with Washington. Wiesler made four relief appearances, threw 9.1 innings, and posted a 6.75 ERA. His final big league game happened on May 10, 1958, when he was 27.

Across his Washington years, Wiesler put together a 4-13 record and a 6.24 ERA in 44 games. He struck out 63 hitters but also walked 128 in 148.2 innings.

Those Senators seasons made up 148.2 of his 241.1 career innings. His time in Washington really showed both flashes of promise and the control problems that kept him from lasting longer in the majors.

Post-Retirement Life and Legacy

After he hung up his cleats in 1958, Bob Wiesler started a new career with Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis and stayed there until he retired. Even though his major league playing days were over, Wiesler kept close to baseball through local activities and friendships with former teammates.

Life After Baseball

Once he finished up in baseball, Bob Wiesler found steady work at Anheuser-Busch Brewery in St. Louis. He stayed with the company for years before retiring to Florissant, Missouri.

That move from pro sports to regular work was pretty common for players from his era. Unlike today’s players, Wiesler needed a second career to support himself and his family.

He stayed in the St. Louis area after baseball. That kept him close to home, since he’d gone to Beaumont High School in St. Louis before the Yankees signed him in 1949.

Wiesler lived quietly in Florissant until he died on August 10, 2014. He passed away from heart failure at home, just three days shy of his 84th birthday. Living that long showed a kind of toughness that probably helped him on the mound too.

Influence on Future Generations

Wiesler’s big league stats might look modest, but his story really echoes what a lot of players from the 1950s went through. He started as a high school standout and worked his way up to the majors, following the old-school path so many others took.

Back in the minors, Wiesler racked up strikeouts. He led his league in strikeouts three years in a row, which is probably what got the Yankees’ attention in the first place.

He also lost the 1952 season to military service during the Korean War, just like so many players of his generation. That experience tied him to the bigger story of athletes who served their country during wartime.

Honors and Recognition

Bob Wiesler mostly got recognition at the minor league level during his career. In 1950, he made the All-Star team with the Joplin Miners after leading the Western Association with a 2.35 ERA.

He really made his mark by leading his league in strikeouts for three years in a row. That made it pretty clear he dominated as a minor league pitcher.

Wiesler didn’t become a household name in the majors, but baseball historians and a few interviews kept his story around. His time with the Yankees, especially when Mickey Mantle was just starting out, gave him a little spot in baseball history.

Folks in St. Louis still remember him for his high school and pro careers. When he passed away in 2014, local sports media took notice and gave a nod to his impact on baseball in the area.