Joe Wilhoit

Joe Wilhoit
Joe Wilhoit
	Outfielder
	Born: December 20, 1885; Hiawatha, Kansas
	Died: September 25, 1930 (aged 44); Santa Barbara, California
	Batted: Left Threw: Right
MLB debut
	April 12, 1916, for the Boston Braves
Last MLB appearance
	September 28, 1919, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Batting average	.257
Home runs	3
Runs batted in	73
	Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
	Boston Braves (1916–1917); Pittsburgh Pirates (1917); New York Giants (1917–1918); Boston Red Sox (1919);

Joseph William Wilhoit (December 20, 1885 – September 25, 1930) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball, playing mainly as a right fielder from 1916 through 1919 for the Boston Braves (1916–1917), Pittsburgh Pirates (1917), New York Giants (1917–1918), and Boston Red Sox (1919). Listed at 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) and 175 pounds (79 kg), Wilhoit batted left-handed and threw right-handed.

Early life

A native of Hiawatha, Kansas.^{[citation needed]} He attended and played baseball at DePaul University (then St. Vincent's College). He was also a hurdler, shot putter and pole vaulter. In 1906, he set a pole vault record in Southern California of 10 feet, 9 and 3/4 inches.^[1]

Career

Wilhoit joined the Vernon Tigers, led by Happy Hogan.^[1] He then joined the Boston Braves in 1915. He was later sold to the New York Giants. He played with the Giants from 1917 to 1918.^[2] In 1919, he joined the Wichita Jobbers of the Western League.^[3] He retired from the Salt Lake City Bees in 1923.^[2]

In a four-season career, Wilhoit was a .257 hitter (201-for-782) with three home runs and 73 RBI in 283 games, including 93 runs, 23 doubles, nine triples, 28 stolen bases, and a .323 on-base percentage. He also appeared in Games 2 and 6 of the 1917 World Series as a pinch-hitter and went 0-for-1 with a walk.

After the war, Wilhoit and his wife eventually settling in Santa Barbara, California. They opened up a luggage store on State Street, called Wilhoit's Luggage. It was later sold to Lindy Lindhorst, the top salesman at the store, who renamed it Lindy's.

Personal life

Wilhoit married Zulekiah Katherine Hicks, who worked as the personal secretary to one of the top Generals during World War I at the Department of War.

Wilhoit died on September 25, 1930, in Santa Barbara.^[2] He was buried in Calvary Cemetery in Santa Barbara.^[4]

Statistics

Wilhoit posted the longest hitting streak in baseball history with 69 games while playing for the Wichita Jobbers of the Western League.^[2]^[3] From June 14 to August 19, 1919, he went 153-for-297 for a .515 batting average to set the record streak. His hits included four home runs, nine triples and 24 doubles.

References

^ ^a ^b Lowry, Paul (September 26, 1930). "Rabbit Punches". Los Angeles Times. p. 27. Retrieved May 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Joe Wilhoit Dies at Santa Barbara". The Daily Facts. September 26, 1930. p. 8. Retrieved May 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ ^a ^b "Old Ball Star is Called Out". Los Angeles Times. September 26, 1930. p. 27. Retrieved May 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Last Rites for Joseph Wilhoit". The Morning Press. September 28, 1930. p. 3. Retrieved May 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

External links

Career statistics from Baseball Reference · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet
SABR Biography
The Baseball Research Journal^{[permanent dead link]}

This biographical article relating to an American baseball outfielder born in the 1880s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[obit2-1] Lowry, Paul (September 26, 1930). "Rabbit Punches". Los Angeles Times. p. 27. Retrieved May 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[obit-2] "Joe Wilhoit Dies at Santa Barbara". The Daily Facts. September 26, 1930. p. 8. Retrieved May 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[obit3-3] "Old Ball Star is Called Out". Los Angeles Times. September 26, 1930. p. 27. Retrieved May 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

[4] "Last Rites for Joseph Wilhoit". The Morning Press. September 28, 1930. p. 3. Retrieved May 12, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.

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