Wilbur Good
From BR Bullpen
Wilbur David Good (Lefty)
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.
- Debut August 18, 1905
- Final Game September 2, 1918
- Born September 28, 1885 in Punxsutawney, PA USA
- Died December 30, 1963 in Brooksville, FL USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Wilbur "Lefty" Good played eleven years in the majors, first as a pitcher in 1905 and then as an outfielder from 1908-16 and in 1918.
Good was eyed by several major league teams in 1904 when he pitched for Johnstown, according to a September 1904 article in The Sporting Life.
Good went 0-2 in his debut as a pitcher with the 1905 New York Highlanders but hit .375. In 1906-07 he was back in the minors, still as a pitcher, and went 12-6 for Akron in part of 1907.
In 1908, though, he was an outfielder with Akron and when he hit .370 with 14 triples in 96 games, he was an outfielder to stay. In the majors for 46 games that year with the 1908 Naps, he hit 40 points higher than the team batting average.
He slumped in 1909, hitting .214, and spent much of 1910 with Baltimore in the minors, hitting .300. In the 23 games he spent in the majors with the 1910 Doves he hit .337.
In 1914 in the majors he had 580 at-bats and the following year 498 at-bats. He was often used around the top of the order since he had some speed, stealing 31 bases in 1914. In a game in 1915 he stole second, third and home in the same inning.
As his major league career faded, he began a long period in Kansas City, playing there in 1917, part of 1918, and from 1919-24. He played in the minors in the South from part of 1924 through 1929, and then finished up his minor league career with two years at Johnstown. He pitched one game for Johnstown, after not having pitched professionally since 1907.
His managerial career started in 1922, and, with some breaks, ran through 1949.
Through 2008 he is one of five major league players with the first name Wilbur. Except for Wilbur Wood, all of them broke into the majors during 1905-20, with Good being the first.
Another minor league player named Wilbur Good, probably Lefty's son, played on several teams managed by Lefty. The younger Wilbur had a minor league career from 1936 through 1949, with a break for World War II, playing for Lefty on teams at Johnstown, Leesburg and Fitzgerald.
[edit] Year-by-Year Managerial Record
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922 | Kansas City Blues | American Association | 64-49 | 3rd | none | replaced Otto Knabe (28-27) | |
| 1923 | Kansas City Blues | American Association | 112-54 | 1st | none | none League Champs | |
| 1924 | Kansas City Blues | American Association | -- | -- | replaced by Doc Lavan | ||
| 1927 | Macon Peaches | South Atlantic League | 76-73 | 5th | none | ||
| 1928 | Macon Peaches | South Atlantic League | 80-68 | 2nd | none | ||
| 1929 | Atlanta Crackers | Southern Association | 78-75 | 5th | none | ||
| 1930 | Johnstown Johnnies | Middle Atlantic League | 64-53 | 1st | League Champs | ||
| 1931 | Johnstown Johnnies | Middle Atlantic League | 73-54 | 5th | |||
| 1936 | Johnstown Johnnies | Middle Atlantic League | -- | none | replaced by Dutch Dorman | ||
| 1940 | Ocala Yearlings | Florida State League | -- | none | replaced by Gibbs Miller |
