Bill Werle
From BR Bullpen
William George Werle (Bugs)
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 2½", Weight 182 lb.
- School University of California
- Debut April 22, 1949
- Final Game June 20, 1954
- Born December 21, 1920 in Oakland, CA USA
- Died November 27, 2010 in San Mateo, CA USA
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Biographical Information
Bill Werle was a native of Oakland, CA, who began his career in pro ball in 1943 across the bay with the San Francisco Seals. Bill was with the Seals through 1948, winning 55 games and losing 48 during this stay in the Pacific Coast League, missing the 1945 season while serving with the United States Army during World War II. A left-hander out of the University of California, where he had a record of 25-2, he was called "Bugs" since he graduated in the field of entomology, the study of insects.
He once started both ends of a doubleheader for the PCL San Francisco team, hurling a shutout in the opener, with the nightcap ending in a curfew-suspended tie. After winning 17 games in 1948 he was sold to the Pittsburgh Pirates and won a career high 12 games as a rookie in 1949. After falling off to 8-16 in 1950, he was used primarily in relief in 1951, before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for right-hander Red Munger early in 1952.
On October 2, 1952, Bill was selected off waivers by the Boston Red Sox from the Cardinals. He was used primarily as a reliever with the Red Sox in 1953 and 1954, finishing his six-year run in the majors with a 29-39 record, with 15 saves and a 4.69 ERA. Bill continued pitching back in the PCL until 1961, ending his 15-year (1943-1961) active pitching career in the minors with 147-123 mark and a 3.54 ERA.
Werle continued in pro baseball as a manager in the minor leagues for nine seasons (1961-1970) and was Masanori Murakami's manager with the class A Fresno Giants in 1964, right before Murakami became the first Japanese player in the major leagues. After his managing career was finished, Bill became a scout for the Baltimore Orioles for 20 years and then became a West Coast scout for the Cleveland Indians before retiring in San Mateo, CA, where he died in 2010.
Managerial Record
| Year | League | Team | W | L | Pct | GB | Fin | Managers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | PCL | Hawaii Islanders | 68 | 86 | .442 | 29 | 6 | Tom Heath / Bill Werle |
| 1963 | California | Fresno Giants | 73 | 67 | .521 | 14.5 | 3 | Bill Werle |
| 1964 | California | Fresno Giants | 86 | 53 | .619 | 0 | 1 | Bill Werle |
| 1965 | PCL | Tacoma Giants | 75 | 72 | .510 | 5.5 | 5 | Bill Werle |
| 1966 | PCL | Phoenix Giants | 81 | 67 | .547 | 4.5 | 2 | Bill Werle |
| 1967 | PCL | Phoenix Giants | 75 | 72 | .510 | 9.5 | 3 | Bill Werle |
| 1968 | Northern | Aberdeen Pheasants | 26 | 44 | .371 | 17 | 6 | Bill Werle |
| 1969 | California | Stockton Ports | 81 | 59 | .579 | 0 | 1 | Bill Werle |
| 1970 | California | Stockton Ports | 54 | 86 | .386 | 39.5 | 7 | Bill Werle |
Sources
Baseball Players of the 1950s
Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition
