Rube Waddell
Pitcher
1902 Philadelphia AL
“Waddell stopped Chicago’s hit and run game by striking out the batters.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer, August 17, 1902
Waddell was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1946.
Heinie Wagner
Shortstop
1908 Boston AL
“Wagner made a fine stop of Williams’ smoking hot grounder.”
— Boston Globe, June 16, 1908
Honus Wagner
Shortstop
1903 Pittsburgh NL
The Pittsburgh fans know “Honus Wagner as the star of the Champions and as the best baseball player in the world.”
— Pittsburgh Press, July 26, 1903
Wagner was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1936.
Bobby Wallace
Shortstop
1902 St. Louis AL
“Seybold’s Texas Leaguer to left looked good, but shortstop Wallace converted himself into an outfielder, ran far out into left and with a forward lunge pulled down the ball.”
— St. Louis Republic, September 1, 1902
Wallace was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1953.
Ed Walsh
Pitcher
1904 Chicago AL
“It is safe to predict that young Walsh will prove a winner. The big fellow has the speed and the courage, and the skill of a high class twirler.”
— Chicago Inter Ocean, June 3, 1904
Walsh was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1946.
Jack Warner
Catcher
1902 Boston AL
“Can you imagine finer batteries than Cy Young and Louis Criger, Billy Dinneen and Jack Warner?”
— Boston Globe, February 9, 1902
Art Weaver
Catcher and first base
1903 Pittsburgh NL
“Catcher Weaver is working hard at practice but is not needed while Phelps is in condition.”
— Pittsburgh Press, June 11, 1903
Jake Weimer
Pitcher
1903 Chicago NL
“Weimer performed the rare feat of striking out three men in a row with runners at third and second waiting to score.”
— Chicago Tribune, July 17, 1903
Doc White
Pitcher
1903 Chicago AL
White “served up a varied assortment of benders which were a complete puzzle.”
— Chicago Tribune, July 31, 1903
Kirby White
Pitcher
1909 Boston NL
“Kirb White is rather youthful in appearance and is slated to be one of Boston’s flingers providing he makes good.”
— Boston Globe, March 8, 1909
Bob Wicker
Pitcher
1903 Chicago NL
Wicker “pitched gilt-edged ball from start to finish. He had terrific speed, a good curve ball, and fielded his position like a veteran.”
— Chicago Inter Ocean, April 26, 1903
Irvin Wilhelm
Pitcher
1903 Pittsburgh NL
First baseman “Bransfield secured the ball plenty in time to throw to the bag ahead of the runner, but Wilhelm was miles away. Bransfield was angry and gave Wilhelm a little bit of advice.”
— Pittsburgh Post, April 26, 1903
Ed Willett
Pitcher
1907 Detroit AL
“Willett Strong with No One on Bases, Wild and Ineffective When Sacks Are Populated”
— Detroit Free Press, May 4, 1907
Dave Williams
Pitcher
1902 Boston AL
“Young Williams, the left-hander, finished the game and did fairly well.”
— Boston Globe, July 3, 1902
Jimmy Williams
Second base
1903 New York AL
“Jimmy Williams is the only infielder on the New York American team playing consistently good ball.”
— Brooklyn Citizen, June 10, 1903
Vic Willis
Pitcher and first base
1903 Boston NL
“Vic Willis Outpitches the Great Mathewson”
— Boston Globe, July 29, 1903
Willis was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1995.
Art Wilson
Catcher
1909 New York NL
Manager McGraw says Art Wilson is “one of the coming catchers of the baseball world.”
— Decatur (Illinois) Review, December 27, 1909
Howard Wilson
Pitcher
1903 Washington AL
“To the youthful pitcher, Howard Wilson, the latest acquisition of the Washington forces, is due the credit for to-day’s fine victory. He had speed and curves of every assortment.”
— Washington Post, May 3, 1903
Owen Wilson
Outfield
1908 Pittsburgh NL
“Owen Wilson sent a foul tip into the Philadelphia press box and smashed a telegraph instrument.”
— Pittsburgh Press, September 18, 1908
Hooks Wiltse
Pitcher
1904 New York NL
Wiltse “suffered his first defeat after twelve straight victories.”
— New York Tribune, September 23, 1904
Lewis Wiltse
Pitcher
1902 Philadelphia AL
“Wiltse was pie for the Senators. They gave him the worst walloping received by an Athletic pitcher this season.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer, July 6, 1902
George Winter
Pitcher
1902 Boston AL
“Young George Winter seems to have regained his form, and his victory over Baltimore has restored him to the well wishes of the fans who, while not as bad as the fans in other cities, are apt to commence kicking when defeat comes to the team.”
— Boston Post, June 29, 1902
Barney Wolfe
Pitcher
1904 Washington AL
“Wolfe pitched a splendid game, and was cool and steady all the time.”
— Washington Post, July 24, 1904
Harry Wolverton
Third base
1903 Philadelphia NL
“Wolverton on third delivered the goods” with two putouts and seven assists. He “did not look so fine” on one ball in the first inning but “made up for that with a whole lot of compound interest.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer, May 1, 1903
Bob Wood
Catcher and first base
1902 Cleveland AL
Findlay, Ohio, “the old home of Bob Wood, is jubilant over the news” that Cleveland and Detroit will play an exhibition game there Sunday. “The whole town will cut out church and go to the ball game.”
— Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 24, 1902
Joe Wood
Pitcher
1909 Boston AL
Joe Wood is “a pitcher of nerve and staying qualities, and the way that boy tore holes in the Tigers’ batting records was a treat.”
— Boston Globe, August 4, 1909
Ralph Works
Pitcher
1909 Detroit AL
Catcher Schmidt of the Tigers stated “that Ralph Works threw a speedier ball than any other American League twirler. Schmidt challenged some doubters to catch the tall boy and they all backed out.”
— Detroit Times, July 10, 1909
Gene Wright
Pitcher
1902 Cleveland AL
Wright’s “speed today was terrific, while his swift drop curves proved most mystifying. In addition he had perfect control.”
— Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 26, 1902
Joe Yeager
Pitcher and utility
1902 Detroit AL
“In Yeager and Mullin the Tigers have a couple of pitchers whose presence at bat is as acceptable as that of the regulars.”
— Detroit Free Press, September 1, 1902
Cy Young
Pitcher
1902 Boston AL
“Young’s work this season easily surpasses that of any pitcher in the major leagues.”
— Boston Post, July 6, 1902
Young was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1937.
Irv Young
Pitcher
1905 Boston NL
“Young served up a collection of curves that had the Giants guessing, and they might as well have been handling lead pencils as bats.”
— Boston Globe, May 7, 1905
Jack Zalusky
Catcher
1903 New York AL
“Zalusky has been working too hard, catching nearly every game that the Spokane Indians have played so far. A catcher, just like a pitcher, needs a rest some time.”
— Spokane (Washington) Spokesman-Review, June 11, 1903
Charles Zimmer
Catcher and manager
1903 Philadelphia NL
“The Phillies tried to make up for their shortcomings by kicking at the umpire. Manager Zimmer, even in his civilian clothes, felt it incumbent upon him to walk out from the bench” and join in.
— Philadelphia Inquirer, September 1, 1903
Heinie Zimmerman
Infield
1909 Chicago NL
Zimmerman “broke up the game with a three base swat into the fog and mist of right field.”
— Chicago Tribune, April 15, 1909