Herb Moford – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Herbert Moford made his mark in baseball history during his eight-year major league run from 1955 to 1962.

He grew up in the small Kentucky town of Brooksville and spent 17 seasons in professional baseball, grinding through several minor league systems before finally getting the call to the majors with four different teams.

Moford stands out as one of only four pitchers who appeared in the first game in New York Mets franchise history on April 11, 1962. He threw a scoreless seventh inning against his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals. That moment was both a career highlight and, strangely enough, the closing chapter of his big league journey. He pitched his last major league innings just weeks later, on April 29, 1962.

His journey through baseball is really a story of grit and stubbornness, the kind you saw in so many players from that era.

He started out as a tobacco farm weighmaster in Kentucky, then carved out a spot in Mets history, bouncing through the Cardinals, Tigers, Red Sox, and Mets organizations.

His path from rural Kentucky to the bright lights of major league stadiums gives you a glimpse into the tough but rewarding world of pro baseball in the 1950s and early ’60s.

Herb Moford’s Early Life and Background

Herbert Moford was born on August 6, 1928, in Brooksville, Kentucky.

His parents, tenant farmers, shaped his work ethic from the start.

He shined as a high school athlete, especially in basketball, but eventually found his way to baseball after a tryout camp that set everything in motion.

Birthplace and Family

Moford came into the world in Brooksville, Kentucky, the county seat of Bracken County.

At the time, fewer than 1,000 people called the place home.

Hazel “Ted” Moford and Naomi Strausbaugh Moford, his parents, worked as tenant farmers.

That farming background would later influence Herb’s life outside baseball.

The farm life drilled a sense of hard work and persistence into young Herb.

He watched his parents face daily struggles with the land, and those lessons stuck with him.

Growing up in rural Kentucky during the Great Depression wasn’t easy.

Still, those tough years taught Moford resilience and determination, qualities he’d need in baseball.

Education and High School Athletics

Herb went to Bracken County High School in Brooksville.

He stood out as a student-athlete, showing leadership from early on.

Basketball was actually his main sport during high school.

He served as team captain for two years straight, which says a lot about how teammates and coaches saw him.

He wasn’t just talented—he earned respect for his judgment and character.

Moford graduated from Bracken County High in 1946.

Those high school years set him up for the challenges of pro sports.

Entry Into Professional Baseball

In 1947, just a year after finishing school, Moford’s baseball journey really started.

At a tryout camp in Lexington, Kentucky, scout Buddy Lewis spotted his potential and signed him to a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

His first pro assignment took him to the Johnson City Cardinals in the Appalachian League.

That Class D team was his introduction to organized ball.

Those first days weren’t easy.

In his first 29 innings, Moford posted a 1-4 record and an 8.38 ERA.

Even so, team officials saw enough in him to move him to the Salisbury Cardinals of the Eastern Shore League.

That shift let him keep working on his game while staying in Class D ball.

He stuck with it and improved with Salisbury.

By the end of his rookie season, his combined record showed he was making progress.

Major League Baseball Career Overview

Herbert Moford played in the majors for four seasons from 1955 to 1962.

He suited up for four different teams during his career.

His best season came with the Detroit Tigers in 1958, when he went 4-9 with a 3.61 ERA over 25 games.

MLB Debut and Teams Played For

Herb Moford made his big league debut on April 12, 1955, with the St. Louis Cardinals at age 26.

He came into the Opening Day game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in the seventh inning of a 13-2 loss.

His career involved a lot of moving around.

After starting with the Cardinals in 1955, he joined the Detroit Tigers in 1958.

The next year, the Tigers traded him to the Boston Red Sox for catcher Lou Berberet.

Moford’s last MLB season was in 1962 with the New York Mets.

The Mets bought his contract from the Baltimore Orioles for $25,000 in December 1961.

He became one of just four pitchers with big-league experience when the Mets started out.

He never spent more than a year with any one team.

That constant movement showed just how tough it was to stick in the majors back then.

Position and Playing Style

Moford pitched right-handed.

He stood 6’1” and weighed 175 pounds.

He batted and threw right-handed, too.

He could handle both relief and spot starts.

In 1958 with Detroit, he started 11 games out of 25 and finished six, proving he could go deep when called upon.

His pitching style leaned on experience and baseball smarts, not overpowering stuff.

Manager Mike Higgins once said Moford “pitched well in every game he’d been in,” even if the win-loss record didn’t show it.

As a hitter, well, he struggled.

He managed just two hits in 44 at-bats for a .045 average.

Both hits were singles, and one drove in his only career RBI while with Detroit in 1958.

Career Highlights and Milestones

Moford’s biggest moment probably came with the New York Mets in 1962.

He pitched in the first game in franchise history on April 11, 1962, against the St. Louis Cardinals and threw a scoreless seventh inning.

His best season stats-wise happened in 1958 with the Detroit Tigers.

Even though he went 4-9, he posted a solid 3.61 ERA over 109⅓ innings.

On September 2 that year, he tossed a complete-game two-hitter against the Washington Senators, winning 6-1 after retiring the first 15 batters.

He picked up his first major league win on May 11, 1955, at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis.

He came into a tie game with the bases loaded and no outs, and helped the Cardinals pull off a 6-5 victory over the Phillies.

Career Statistics:

• Games: 50
• Wins: 5
• Losses: 13
• ERA: 5.03
• Strikeouts: 78
• Saves: 3

Retirement From Major League Baseball

Moford pitched his last major league game on April 29, 1962, tossing two innings of one-hit ball for the New York Mets.

He appeared in just seven games that April, posting a 7.20 ERA.

On May 7, 1962, right before the roster cutdown, the Mets sent him to their Triple-A affiliate in Rochester.

That move pretty much closed the book on his big league career, though he kept pitching in the minors until partway through 1963.

Rochester released him in mid-May 1963, ending his 17-year pro baseball career.

He’d spent 11 seasons in the Cardinals’ minor league system before reaching the majors.

After hanging up his spikes, Moford returned to Kentucky.

He ran a tobacco farm and later served as campaign manager for his old teammate Jim Bunning’s 1983 run for governor.

Looking back, he once said, “For an old farm boy, it was really an accomplishment for me to play under Casey Stengel.”

Seasonal Breakdowns and Key Performances

Moford’s seven-year big league career took him through four teams between 1955 and 1962.

He debuted with the Cardinals in 1955, then played for the Tigers in 1958, the Red Sox in 1959, and finished up with the expansion Mets in 1962.

St. Louis Cardinals Season

Moford made his major league debut with the Cardinals on April 12, 1955, at age 26.

In his first game, he pitched 2 innings, gave up 4 hits, 1 earned run, and walked 2.

That 1955 season kicked off his pro career after years in the minors.

He appeared in several games for St. Louis as a rookie.

Key Performance Stats:

• Debut Date: April 12, 1955
• Opposing Team: Chicago Cubs
• Age at Debut: 26 years, 249 days

His time with the Cardinals established him as a right-handed reliever.

That experience gave him his first taste of major league action.

Detroit Tigers Tenure

Moford joined the Detroit Tigers in 1958 for his second big league stop.

The Tigers gave him another shot to prove himself on the mound.

He continued working mostly as a reliever in Detroit.

His role there let him see different game situations and helped him grow as a pitcher.

The 1958 season was a fresh start after his stint with the Cardinals.

He worked to become a reliable bullpen arm.

His time with the Tigers added to his career stats and gave him more innings to develop his skills.

Boston Red Sox Campaign

The Boston Red Sox picked up Moford in 1959.

That made them his third team in five years.

Boston mostly used him in relief that season.

He got chances to pitch in a range of situations.

His time with the Red Sox gave him even more experience with different organizations.

Each team brought its own challenges and ways for him to improve.

The 1959 season in Boston was another chapter in his journeyman career.

He kept working as a right-handed relief option for the club.

New York Mets and the 1962 Inaugural Season

Moford’s last major league season came with the expansion New York Mets in 1962.

He became part of baseball history as one of the original Mets.

On April 11, 1962, he pitched in the franchise’s first game, an 11-4 loss to the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

That game was a big moment for him and for baseball.

1962 Season Performance:

• Games Pitched: 7
• Home Games: 4 (6.97 ERA, 10.1 innings)
• Road Games: 3 (8.57 ERA, 4.2 innings)
• Total Innings: 15.0

He made his final big league appearance on April 29, 1962.

The Mets’ first season gave him a unique chance to be part of something new.

Moford’s role with the expansion Mets showed the challenges facing the team.

His experience helped provide some veteran presence for a young franchise.

Statistical Achievements and Playing Records

Herb Moford’s stats show a pitcher who found more success in the minors than in the big leagues.

His record tells the story of a right-handed pitcher who went 5-13 with a 5.03 ERA across four teams during his eight-year major league career.

Win–Loss Record and ERA Analysis

Moford’s major league pitching record shows 5 wins and 13 losses, which really highlights how tough it was for him to move up from minor league success to the majors. His earned run average sat at 5.03, noticeably higher than the league average during his years from 1955 to 1962.

He had his best season in 1958 with the Detroit Tigers. That year, he went 4-9 with a 3.61 ERA over 109⅓ innings.

His numbers pretty much matched the team’s overall ERA of 3.59 in 1958. The Cardinals brought Moford up for his first shot in 1955, but he struggled with a 7.88 ERA and went back to the minors after just a few games.

In 1959, the Boston Red Sox gave him a brief chance, but he posted an 11.42 ERA in just four appearances. That had to sting.

Moford finished his major league career with the New York Mets in 1962. He pitched in seven games during their first season and ended up with a 7.20 ERA.

Strikeouts and Pitching Metrics

Moford took the mound in 50 total major league games. His busiest season was 1958, when he pitched in 25 games for Detroit.

He started 11 of those games and managed to finish six, which says something about his stamina and maybe the team’s needs at the time. His minor league stats tell a different story.

Over 17 pro seasons, Moford racked up a 147-131 record and a 3.87 ERA in the minors. He pitched in 462 games at that level.

The gap between his minor and major league results stands out. In the minors, he hovered near a .500 winning percentage, but in the big leagues, he only won about 28% of his decisions.

His longest big league outing happened in 1958 with Detroit, when he threw several complete games, including a two-hitter win over Washington. That must’ve felt good.

Batting and Fielding Performance

Like most pitchers of his era, Moford didn’t do much at the plate. He picked up just two hits in 44 at-bats for a .045 average in the majors.

Both hits were singles, and one brought in his only career RBI while playing for Detroit in 1958. Not exactly a threat at the plate.

His minor league batting wasn’t much better. Over 17 seasons, he hit .152, which was about what teams expected from a pitcher.

On defense, though, Moford did his job. He handled 44 fielding chances in the majors without making an error, which says a lot about his fundamentals.

In 1953, his struggles with the bat were so obvious that he went his first 17 minor league games without a single at-bat. Managers almost always sent up a pinch-hitter for him, which really says it all.

Life After Baseball and Retirement

After his release from pro baseball in 1963, Herbert Moford headed back to Kentucky. He became a tobacco farmer and cattle rancher, and he kept some ties to the sport through political involvement with old teammates.

Transition to Post-Playing Career

Moford left professional baseball in mid-May 1963, after the Rochester Red Wings released him because he struggled with a 10.29 ERA in just seven innings. At 34, he decided he was done with playing and went back to Kentucky for good.

He didn’t seem to have much trouble with the transition. Moford had already been working as a weighmaster at tobacco markets during the offseasons, which gave him some solid experience.

His time in the Army Reserve played a part in his life after baseball, too. Moford missed the 1951 and 1952 seasons for reserve training at Fort Hayes in Columbus and at Camp Breckenridge in Kentucky.

Farming and Personal Endeavors

Moford set up his main home and farm in Dove, Kentucky, before later moving to Minerva. He focused on tobacco farming, which brought in most of his income, and he also ran cattle.

Tobacco was the cash crop for his operation. His background as a weighmaster at tobacco markets helped him run the business.

Raising cattle gave him another source of income and some variety. Lots of Kentucky farmers did the same thing back then.

Farming let Moford provide a good life for his family—his wife Martha and their daughters. Staying on the farm kept him close to the rural community where he grew up.

Contributions to Community and Baseball

Moford made his biggest mark after baseball by getting involved in Kentucky politics. He served as campaign manager for his old teammate Jim Bunning’s run for governor in 1983.

Bunning, who had pitched with Moford on the Tigers in 1958, lost the election. Still, that political work showed how Moford stayed connected to baseball through friendships.

Bunning later threw a perfect game on Father’s Day in 1964 and went on to serve in Congress and the Senate. Kentucky honored Moford by naming him a Kentucky Colonel, which is a pretty big deal for people who’ve helped the state.

In 1986, Moford talked to the Hartford Courant and said, “For an old farm boy, it was really an accomplishment for me to play under Casey Stengel.” That quote really shows how much he appreciated his short but memorable time with the 1962 New York Mets.

Legacy, Family, and Personal Life

Herb Moford spent his post-baseball life focused on family, farming, and dealing with some tough times. He married Martha Beckett in 1952 and built a tobacco farm in Kentucky, while keeping some ties to baseball through politics.

Marriage and Children

Moford married Martha Beckett in September 1952 while he was playing for the Columbus Red Birds. They built their life together in Kentucky, and Martha supported him throughout his baseball journey.

Their first child arrived in July 1956 when Herb played for the Omaha Cardinals. They had two daughters: Jo Estill and Minda Marie Moford.

Martha was always there for Herb, through team changes and minor league moves. Even as his career took him all over, they kept their roots in Kentucky.

After baseball, the Mofords settled down in Kentucky for good. They focused on raising their daughters and growing their tobacco business.

Family Tragedy and Later Years

In 1977, tragedy struck when their daughter Minda Marie Moford died. She was still young.

That loss hit Herb and Martha hard. They leaned on their surviving daughter Jo, who stayed close to the family.

Herb threw himself into farming after his baseball days ended. He worked tobacco farms in Dove and later in Minerva, Kentucky, and raised cattle, though tobacco was always the main crop.

Both Herb and Martha found meaning in their farm work. Herb put the same effort into agriculture that he once gave to baseball, and Martha worked right alongside him to build a successful farm.

Impact on Baseball History

Moford stands out in baseball history as one of the original 1962 New York Mets pitchers.

He pitched in the very first game in Mets history on April 11, 1962. That day, he threw a scoreless seventh inning against the Cardinals.

His ties to baseball stretched into politics, too. Moford took on the role of campaign manager for his former teammate Jim Bunning’s 1983 run for governor in Kentucky, although Bunning didn’t win.

He always seemed proud of his baseball achievements, and honestly, who wouldn’t be? In 1986, he looked back and said, “For an old farm boy, it was really an accomplishment for me to play under Casey Stengel.”

Kentucky even named him a Kentucky Colonel to honor what he gave back to the state. When Herb died on December 3, 2005, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, Martha and their daughter Jo Estill survived him.