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Wilhelm, Hoyt

James Hoyt Wilhelm
Born: July 26, 1922, Huntersville, North Carolina
Died: August 23, 2002, Sarasota, Florida
Bats: 
Right
Throws: 
Right
Played For: 
New York Giants (1952-1956), St. Louis Cardinals (1957), Cleveland Indians (1957-1958), Baltimore Orioles (1958-1962), Chicago White Sox (1963-1968), California Angels (1969), Atlanta Braves (1969-1970, 1971), Chicago Cubs (1970), Los Angeles Dodgers (1971-1972)
Elected to the Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers: 1985
Biography: 

Hoyt Wilhelm didn't make his Major League debut until the age of 28, but he got off to a fast start by hitting a home run in his first at-bat. Twenty years and a then-record 1,069 games later, he had never homered again; but it was on the mound that he distinguished himself as the game's premier reliever. The knuckleballer won 143 games, including a record 124 out of the bullpen. In a rare start for the Orioles in 1958, he no-hit the Yankees.

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Induction Speech

Did You Know: 
that Hoyt Wilhelm served in the Army during World War II and was awarded a Purple Heart for injuries received during the Battle of the Bulge?