Werber’s Centennial Birthday Approaching Soon
His debut with the New York Yankees on June 25, 1930, was just after his 22nd birthday. That season he appeared in only 4 games, but by the end of his career he had played in almost 1,300. Today, Bill Werber is the oldest living former major league player and is approaching his 100th birthday on June 20.
He is the last of the Yankees from that season and his memories are golden. In 2001, SABR published Memories of a Ballplayer: Bill Werber and Baseball in the 1930s.
His debut with the New York Yankees on June 25, 1930, was just after his 22nd birthday. That season he appeared in only 4 games, but by the end of his career he had played in almost 1,300. Today, Bill Werber is the oldest living former major league player and is approaching his 100th birthday on June 20.
He is the last of the Yankees from that season and his memories are golden. In 2001, SABR published Memories of a Ballplayer: Bill Werber and Baseball in the 1930s. Copies are still available from SABR’s distributor, the University of Nebraska Press.
In that 1930 season, Werber spent most of his time with the Albany Senators, where he hit .339 with four home runs. He did not make it back to the bigs until 1933, spending time in Toledo and Newark in 1931, and in Buffalo in 1932 where he hit 17 dingers.
Once back in the majors, he led the league in steals three times and batted .370 for Cincinnati in the 1940 World Series. He played with 21 Hall of Famers, including Earle Combs, Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Lefty Gomez, Carl Hubbell, Tony Lazzeri, Red Ruffing, and Babe Ruth.
Order your copy of Memories of a Ballplayer: Bill Werber and Baseball in the 1930s today to learn more about the story of the second player to come out of Duke University.
Originally published: May 22, 2008. Last Updated: May 22, 2008.