Skeeter Webb
Encyclopedia
James Laverne "Skeeter" Webb (November 4, 1909 – July 8, 1986) was a Major League Baseball
infielder
who played twelve season in the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals
(1932), Cleveland Indians
(1938–1939), Chicago White Sox
(1940–1944), Detroit Tigers
(1945–1947), and Philadelphia Athletics (1948). Born in Meridian, Mississippi
, Webb attended the University of Mississippi
before playing professional baseball.
He began his major league career on July 20, 1932, with the St. Louis Cardinals
at the age of 23. He appeared in only one game in 1932 and did not have a plate appearance for the Cardinals.
Webb did not make another major league club for six years. In April 1938, he signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians
, In 1939, he played in 81 games at shortstop for the Indians and had a career-high .264 batting average.
Traded to the Chicago White Sox
in January 1940, he was moved to second base where he played 74 games. His batting average dropped to .237 in 1940, and he relegated to the role of a utility infielder and back-up second baseman in 1942 and 1943. However, with the major league talent pool depleted, Webb won the job as the Sox' starting shortstop
in 1944. However, he hit only .211 in 513 at bats for the 1944 White Sox.
Traded to the Detroit Tigers at the end of the 1944 season, Webb was the Tigers' starting shortstop
in their 1945 World Series championship season. Skeeter played 104 games at shortstop for the 1945 Tigers but proved to be a liability at bat. His batting average dropped to .199 in 1945, as Webb got only 81 hits in 407 at bats. Some believe that Webb was able to hold onto the starting shortstop job despite his weak hitting, because the Tigers' manager Steve O'Neill
was his father-in-law.
Despite his weak hitting performance in the regular season, Skeeter Webb played all seven games of the 1945 World Series
as the Tigers' shortstop. He hit .185 in the World Series, going 5-for-27, though he did score 5 runs. In Game 7, Webb had his best performances, scoring two runs and fielding the final out of the Series.
In 1946 and 1947, Skeeter stayed with the Tigers as a backup second baseman. He finished his baseball career playing in 23 games for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1948, where he hit a career-low .148. He played in his final game on August 31, 1948.
In 12 major league seasons, Webb played in 699 games, 368 at shortstop, 282 at 2nd base, and 7 at 3rd base. Webb had a career .219 batting average, a .263 on base percentage, and a .368 slugging percentage.
Webb was born and died in Meridian, Mississippi
.
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...
infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
who played twelve season in the major leagues with 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...
(1932), Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1938–1939), Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1940–1944), Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1945–1947), and Philadelphia Athletics (1948). Born in Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, Webb attended the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
before playing professional baseball.
He began his major league career on July 20, 1932, with 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...
at the age of 23. He appeared in only one game in 1932 and did not have a plate appearance for the Cardinals.
Webb did not make another major league club for six years. In April 1938, he signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, In 1939, he played in 81 games at shortstop for the Indians and had a career-high .264 batting average.
Traded to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in January 1940, he was moved to second base where he played 74 games. His batting average dropped to .237 in 1940, and he relegated to the role of a utility infielder and back-up second baseman in 1942 and 1943. However, with the major league talent pool depleted, Webb won the job as the Sox' starting shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
in 1944. However, he hit only .211 in 513 at bats for the 1944 White Sox.
Traded to the Detroit Tigers at the end of the 1944 season, Webb was the Tigers' starting shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
in their 1945 World Series championship season. Skeeter played 104 games at shortstop for the 1945 Tigers but proved to be a liability at bat. His batting average dropped to .199 in 1945, as Webb got only 81 hits in 407 at bats. Some believe that Webb was able to hold onto the starting shortstop job despite his weak hitting, because the Tigers' manager Steve O'Neill
Steve O'Neill
Stephen Francis O'Neill was an American catcher, manager, coach and scout in Major League Baseball.Born to Irish immigrants in Minooka, Pennsylvania , O'Neill was one of six brothers who escaped a life in the coal mines by playing in the major leagues...
was his father-in-law.
Despite his weak hitting performance in the regular season, Skeeter Webb played all seven games of the 1945 World Series
1945 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 3, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 2:Thursday, October 4, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan-Game 3:Friday, October 5, 1945 at Briggs Stadium in Detroit, Michigan...
as the Tigers' shortstop. He hit .185 in the World Series, going 5-for-27, though he did score 5 runs. In Game 7, Webb had his best performances, scoring two runs and fielding the final out of the Series.
In 1946 and 1947, Skeeter stayed with the Tigers as a backup second baseman. He finished his baseball career playing in 23 games for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1948, where he hit a career-low .148. He played in his final game on August 31, 1948.
In 12 major league seasons, Webb played in 699 games, 368 at shortstop, 282 at 2nd base, and 7 at 3rd base. Webb had a career .219 batting average, a .263 on base percentage, and a .368 slugging percentage.
Webb was born and died in Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
.
External links
- Skeeter Webb at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- Baseball Library.com