| Rube Walberg | |
|---|---|
 Goudey baseball card, 1933 Series, #183 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1896-07-27)July 27, 1896 Pine City, Minnesota, U.S. | |
| Died: October 27, 1978(1978-10-27) (aged 82) Tempe, Arizona, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 29, 1923, for the New York Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 2, 1937, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 155–141 |
| Earned run average | 4.16 |
| Strikeouts | 1,085 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
George Elvin Walberg (July 27, 1896 – October 27, 1978) was an American professionalbaseball player. He played inMajor League Baseball as a left-handedpitcher from1923 through1937, most notably as a member of thePhiladelphia Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive American League pennants from 1929 to 1931, along with theWorld Series in 1929 and 1930. Walberg also pitched for theNew York Giants and theBoston Red Sox.
Walberg was born inPine City, Minnesota. In 1923, Walberg was purchased by theNew York Giants for $15,000.[1][2] After a short stint with the Giants, Walberg was sent back to thePortland Beavers of thePacific Coast League to the Philadelphia Athletics in 1923 for the wavier price ($4,500).[3][4][5] A consistent and durable pitcher, Walberg averaged 16wins for the Philadelphia Athletics ofConnie Mack from 1926 to 1932, with career-highs of 20 wins in 1931. He also had a 1–1 mark with a 1.93 ERA for the Athletics in fiveWorld Series appearances. During the clinching Game 5 of the1929 World Series, Walberg entered the game during the fourth inning to replaceHoward Ehmke.[6] Walberg would pitch the rest of game, allowing only two hits and even retiring the side on three pitches during the seventh inning.[6] The Athletics would win the game and the World Series on a walk-off hit fromBing Miller, with Walberg being credited as the winning pitcher.[6]
A good-hitting pitcher, Walberg collected a .179batting average with fourhome runs and 84runs batted in. When Mack dismantled the Athletics in 1933, he was sent along withLefty Grove andMax Bishop to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for two players and $150.000. He was a spot starter andreliever with Boston during three seasons and pitched his last game at the age of 41.
In a fifteen-season major league career, Walberg posted a 155–141 record with 1085strikeouts and a 4.16ERA in 2,644innings, including 15shutouts and 140complete games. Walberg received 0.4% of the vote in both the1958 and1960 Baseball Hall of Fame elections.[7][8]
Walberg surrendered 17 home runs toBabe Ruth, more than any other pitcher.[9] Ruth himself claimed to have hit 23 home runs off of Walberg, although this is not backed by the statistical record.[10]
Walberg died inTempe, Arizona at age 82. In2002, he was inducted into thePhiladelphia Baseball Wall of Fame.
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