The " My 3rd Base Hero" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading about one of my favorite baseball players, Don Wert.  Never heard of him before?  Well, Don was born in nearby Strasburg, Pennsylvania and played his college baseball at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster, PA.  He was signed as an amateur free agent in 1958 and played several years in the minor leagues.  He finally reached the majors in 1963 at the age of 24 and became the Detroit Tigers' regular third baseman from 1964-1970.  

One of his baseball cards.

As I was growing up and playing little league baseball, I was both a first basemen and a third baseman.  Was placed at the "hot corner" by my midget coach (ages 14-16), since I was one of the few kids on the team that could throw it across the diamond with some accuracy and speed.  The more I played the position, the more I enjoyed it and became fairly competent at the position.  Actually was picked to play in the end-of-the-year all-star game at third base.  And, naturally I try to model myself after Don Wert who at the time was working his way up through the minor leagues.  Don earned a reputation as one of the best fielding third basement in the American League and in 1965 played all 162 games for the Tigers at third base and led all American League third basement with a .976 fielding average.  He also led the Tigers with 159 hits, had a .341 on-base percentage and a career-high 73 walks.  

An old black and white of Don.

Actually hit 12 home runs even though he wasn't known as a power hitter.  In 1965 he was awarded the 1st annual "Tiger of the Year" award by the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America and finished 310 in the American League for Most Valuable Player.  So, you get the idea as to why I wanted to model myself after Don Wert.  Then, on June 24, 1968, Don was struck in the head in the 6th inning of a game by Cleveland Indians pitcher Hal Kurtz.  The pitch shattered his helmet and he was carried off the field on a stretcher.  He was held at the hospital for two nights and missed several games.  

His pennant clinching hit to win the 1968 AL pennant.

He never regained the hitting technique he had before the accident.  He was selected to the American League All Star Team that year by team manager Dick Williams and doubled off Tom Seaver in the 8th inning.  I, as well as all Detroit Tiger fans, remember him the most for his game-winning hit on September 17 to clinch the American League pennant.  He was mobbed by hist teammates and fans came pouring on the field after his pennant-winning single.  I found the radio broadcaster, Ernie Harwell, description of what happened that day which follows:

This big crowd here ready to break loose. Three men on, two men out. Game tied, 1-1, in the ninth inning. McDaniell checkin' his sign with Jake Gibbs. The tall right-hander ready to go to work again, and the windup, and the pitch...He swings, a line shot, base hit, right field, the Tigers win it! Here comes Kaline to score and it's all over! Don Wert singles, the Tigers mob Don, Kaline has scored...The fans are streaming on the field...And the Tigers have won their first pennant since 1945. Let's listen to the bedlam here at Tiger Stadium!!

Game 3 in Detroit - Teams line up before Game 3 of the
1968 World Series at Tiger Stadium.

But, he wasn't done yet.  He singled in Detroit's final run of the 1968 World Series, driving in Dick Tracewski with two outs in the top of the 9th inning in St. Louis, completing the Tiger's comeback to top the defending Series champs, 4-1, wining the series, 4 games to 3.  What a season...and I was pulling for him all the way.  

1968 Tigers infield:
Don Wert, Ray Oyler, Dick McAuliffe, Norm Cash

On July 15 of the following season, with President Richard Nixon in atten- dance, Don started a triple play on a ground ball hit by Ed Brinkman.  On October 9, 1970, Don and Denny McLain were traded to the Washington Senators in an eight-player deal.  Wert ended up being released from the Senators the following year.  During nine years in the Majors, Don played in 1,100 games and had a batting average of .242 with 929 hits, 417 runs scored, 389 walks, 366 RBIs, 129 doubles and 77 homers.  He played 1,043 of his games at third base and collected 914 putouts, 1,987 assists, and 173 double plays.  And, I had finished my baseball career by that time and was playing slo-pitch softball.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.