#286 Bill Wight - Baltimore Orioles

William Robert Wight

Baltimore Orioles
Pitcher

Bats:  Left  Throws:  Left  Height:  6'1"  Weight:  180
Born:  April 12, 1922, Rio Vista, CA
Signed:  Signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before 1941 season
Major League Teams:  New York Yankees 1946-1947; Chicago White Sox 1948-1950; Boston Red Sox 1951-1952; Detroit Tigers 1952-1953; Cleveland Indians 1953, 1955; Baltimore Orioles 1955-1957; Cincinnati Redlegs 1958; St. Louis Cardinals 1958

Died:  May 17, 2007, Mount Shasta, CA (age 85)

Journeyman Bill Wight pitched in parts of 12 major league seasons with eight different clubs.  Originally signed by the Yankees, Wight's first real chance in the majors came after a February 1948 trade sent him to the White Sox.  He'd have the best seasons of his career in Chicago, winning a career-high 15 games in 1949 while also reaching a career high in innings pitched with 245.  Wight was a 10-game winner in 1950 for the White Sox but was on the move again following the season, dealt to the Red Sox.  He'd change teams frequently throughout the 1950s, serving as a swingman for the Red Sox, Tigers and Indians, before finding another steady home in Baltimore.  Wight enjoyed his last solid season in 1956 for the Orioles, going 9-12 with a 4.02 ERA in 35 games, including 26 starts.  He'd retire as a player following a brief comeback attempt in the Pacific Coast League with the Seattle Rainiers in 1959.

Wight owned a lifetime record of 77-99 with a 3.95 ERA in 347 games pitched.  He struck out 574 batters over 1,563 innings.  Wight enjoyed a second career as a scout for the Houston Colt .45s/Astros between 1962 and 1966, and for the Atlanta Braves between 1967 and 1994.  He was responsible for the Colt .45s signing Joe Morgan, and for the Braves signing Dusty Baker, Dale Murphy, Bob Horner and David Justice, among many others.

Building the Set

Summer of 1983 or 1984 in Millville, NJ - Card #39
This was one of the Original 44, and I re-told the story of how my Dad and I started collecting this set with the Walker Cooper (#273) post in January.  Seven of the Original 44 came from series one, with 11 coming from series two, and 16 from series three.   This is the fifth of ten cards to come from the final series four.

The Card / Orioles Team Set
Was the "action" shot taken at night, or did the photographer (or Topps) darken everything behind Wight?  Like quite a few cards in series four, this card marks Wight's return to Topps after a three-year absence as he had been exclusive to Bowman.  The cartoons on the back contain two things I've mentioned above, Wight's frequent moves and his 1949 season, and one new fun fact - Wight's hobby was drawing.

1956 Season

Wight was the opening day starter for the Orioles, and he'd make 26 starts throughout the season as one of the Orioles' three most reliable pitchers along with Ray Moore (#43) and Connie Johnson (#326).  He threw a six-hit shutout against the Athletics on July 12th.

1950 Bowman #38

1952 Topps #177

1953 Bowman Color #100

1957 Topps #340

1958 Topps #237

Other Notable Baseball Cards
First Mainstream Card:  1950 Bowman #38
Topps Flagship Set Appearances (4):  1952, 1956-1958
Most Recent Mainstream Card:  2007 Topps Heritage Real One Autographs #ROA-BW

26 - Wight non-parallel baseball cards in the Beckett online database as of 4/6/24.

Sources:  
Baseball Reference
Beckett Database

SABR
The Trading Card Database

Wikipedia

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Set Order: #285 Eddie Miksis - Chicago Cubs / #287 Bobby Adams - Baltimore Orioles

Order Collected: #277 Daryl Spencer - New York Giants / #293 Stu Miller - St. Louis Cardinals