Burgess Whitehead
Encyclopedia
Burgess Urquhart "Whitey" Whitehead (June 29, 1910 – November 25, 1993) was a Major League Baseball
second baseman
from 1933 to 1946. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals
, New York Giants
, and Pittsburgh Pirates
.
. He attended the University of North Carolina
and started his professional baseball career with the Class AAA Columbus Red Birds
in 1931. He batted over .300 in each of the next three seasons, helping to lead the 1933 team to the American Association
pennant.
In 1934 and 1935, Whitehead was a utility infielder
for the National League
Cardinals. He was a member of the 1934 World Series
champion team and was friends with future Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean
. Whitehead was selected to the All-Star
team in 1935.
Whitehead was traded to the Giants in December. With a weak bat but a good glove at second base, he helped the Giants win two consecutive pennants in 1936 and 1937. In 1937, he led all second basemen in fielding percentage
and putout
s, and he was named to the All-Star team for the second time.
Before the 1938 season, Whitehead suffered a nervous breakdown
following an appendectomy. He sat out the entire season. He came back in 1939 but hit poorly, and his behavior was erratic; he was suspended twice during the season and reportedly assault
ed a woman in North Carolina. Nonetheless, Whitehead rejoined the Giants in 1940 and had a good season. His hitting numbers declined again in 1941, however, and he was sold to the International League
's Toronto Maple Leafs.
In December 1942, Whitehead was inducted into the Army Air Force
. He spent three years out of professional baseball and returned for one more major league season in 1946, with the Pirates. He hit a career-low .220 and went back to the minors with the Jersey City Giants
. After two seasons in Jersey City, Whitehead retired.
Whitehead was married to the former Ruth Madre Lyon, and they had two children. He was the last surviving member of the St. Louis Cardinals' Gashouse Gang
team that won the 1934 World Series. In 1981, he was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
Whitehead died of a heart attack
in 1993.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
from 1933 to 1946. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
.
Biography
Whitehead was born in Tarboro, North CarolinaTarboro, North Carolina
Tarboro is a city located in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2010, the town had a total population of 13,121. It is the county seat of Edgecombe County. Tarboro is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region...
. He attended the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
and started his professional baseball career with the Class AAA Columbus Red Birds
Columbus Red Birds
The Columbus Red Birds was the name of a top-level minor league baseball team that played in Columbus, Ohio, in the American Association from 1931 through 1954. The Columbus club, a member of the Association continuously since 1902, was previously known as the Columbus Senators — a typical...
in 1931. He batted over .300 in each of the next three seasons, helping to lead the 1933 team to the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
pennant.
In 1934 and 1935, Whitehead was a utility infielder
Utility infielder
A utility infielder is a baseball player, usually one who does not have a regular starting role on the team and who is capable of playing more than one of the four defensive infield positions: second base, third base, shortstop, and less typically first base...
for the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
Cardinals. He was a member of the 1934 World Series
1934 World Series
The 1934 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang" winning in seven games for their third championship in nine years....
champion team and was friends with future Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean
Dizzy Dean
Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953....
. Whitehead was selected to the All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team in 1935.
Whitehead was traded to the Giants in December. With a weak bat but a good glove at second base, he helped the Giants win two consecutive pennants in 1936 and 1937. In 1937, he led all second basemen in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
and putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s, and he was named to the All-Star team for the second time.
Before the 1938 season, Whitehead suffered a nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
following an appendectomy. He sat out the entire season. He came back in 1939 but hit poorly, and his behavior was erratic; he was suspended twice during the season and reportedly assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
ed a woman in North Carolina. Nonetheless, Whitehead rejoined the Giants in 1940 and had a good season. His hitting numbers declined again in 1941, however, and he was sold to the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
's Toronto Maple Leafs.
In December 1942, Whitehead was inducted into the Army Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
. He spent three years out of professional baseball and returned for one more major league season in 1946, with the Pirates. He hit a career-low .220 and went back to the minors with the Jersey City Giants
Jersey City Giants
The Jersey City Giants was the name of a high-level American minor league baseball franchise that played in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the top farm system affiliate of the New York Giants from 1937 through 1950. The Jersey City club played in the International League...
. After two seasons in Jersey City, Whitehead retired.
Whitehead was married to the former Ruth Madre Lyon, and they had two children. He was the last surviving member of the St. Louis Cardinals' Gashouse Gang
Gashouse Gang
The Gashouse Gang was a nickname applied to the St. Louis Cardinals Major League Baseball team of .The Cardinals, by most accounts, earned this nickname from the team's generally very shabby appearance and rough-and-tumble tactics...
team that won the 1934 World Series. In 1981, he was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
Whitehead died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in 1993.