Major League Baseball Player, Manager. He was a gifted defensive catcher and a lifetime .217 hitter who delivered homers in bunches and at crucical times. His time with Giants were the last 11 years (1947 to 1957) the team was in New York. In 1950 he set a National League record with a .999 fielding percentage with one error in 680 chances (since broken by Charles Johnson at 1.000 in 1997). That same year the right-handed hitter batted. 236 with 23 homers and 71 runs batted in. On June 24, he had three homers, a triple, four runs batted in and five runs scored as the Giants hammered Cincinnati 12-2. He hit only .219 in 1951 but had 20 homers, walked 104 times and scored 70 runs. In the 1951 World Series, won by the crosstown Yankees, he hit .235. His averages stayed low: .220 in 1952, .224 in 1953, .187 in 98 games in 1954, .212 in 69 games in 1955, .220 in 68 games in 1956 and .165 in 63 games in 1957. In the 1954 World Series sweep over Cleveland, he hit .273 with three RBIs. His lifetime totals were 59 doubles, 96 homers and 315 RBIs. After coaching for the San Francisco Giants from 1958-63, he was involved in the only-ever swap of coaches. He went to the New York Mets for Cookie Lavagetto. When Mets manager Casey Stengel fell and broke a hip in 1965, Westrum was named to succeed him on July 25. The hapless Mets were 19-48 under Westrum the rest of the season to finish 10th and last. The Mets improved to 66-95 and ninth place under Westrum in 1966, the first time they ever finished out of the basement. But with the club 52-94 and in last place in 1967, he resigned and was replaced by coach Salty Parker. He left with a 142-237 managerial record but helped in the development of young pitchers Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Jon Matlack and Tug McGraw just before they carried the club to the 1969 World Series title. He replaced Charlie Fox as San Francisco manager on June 28, 1974, and the Giants were 38-48 under him the rest of the season. His record was 80-81 in 1975, but the Giants coaxed Bill Rigney to come out of retirement to manage in 1976. As a young player, Westrum had his career interrupted by service in the United States Army's Airborne Division as a paratrooper during World War II from 1943 to 1945.
Major League Baseball Player, Manager. He was a gifted defensive catcher and a lifetime .217 hitter who delivered homers in bunches and at crucical times. His time with Giants were the last 11 years (1947 to 1957) the team was in New York. In 1950 he set a National League record with a .999 fielding percentage with one error in 680 chances (since broken by Charles Johnson at 1.000 in 1997). That same year the right-handed hitter batted. 236 with 23 homers and 71 runs batted in. On June 24, he had three homers, a triple, four runs batted in and five runs scored as the Giants hammered Cincinnati 12-2. He hit only .219 in 1951 but had 20 homers, walked 104 times and scored 70 runs. In the 1951 World Series, won by the crosstown Yankees, he hit .235. His averages stayed low: .220 in 1952, .224 in 1953, .187 in 98 games in 1954, .212 in 69 games in 1955, .220 in 68 games in 1956 and .165 in 63 games in 1957. In the 1954 World Series sweep over Cleveland, he hit .273 with three RBIs. His lifetime totals were 59 doubles, 96 homers and 315 RBIs. After coaching for the San Francisco Giants from 1958-63, he was involved in the only-ever swap of coaches. He went to the New York Mets for Cookie Lavagetto. When Mets manager Casey Stengel fell and broke a hip in 1965, Westrum was named to succeed him on July 25. The hapless Mets were 19-48 under Westrum the rest of the season to finish 10th and last. The Mets improved to 66-95 and ninth place under Westrum in 1966, the first time they ever finished out of the basement. But with the club 52-94 and in last place in 1967, he resigned and was replaced by coach Salty Parker. He left with a 142-237 managerial record but helped in the development of young pitchers Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Jon Matlack and Tug McGraw just before they carried the club to the 1969 World Series title. He replaced Charlie Fox as San Francisco manager on June 28, 1974, and the Giants were 38-48 under him the rest of the season. His record was 80-81 in 1975, but the Giants coaxed Bill Rigney to come out of retirement to manage in 1976. As a young player, Westrum had his career interrupted by service in the United States Army's Airborne Division as a paratrooper during World War II from 1943 to 1945.
Bio by: Ron Coons
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