Bill Wambsganss

William Adolph Wambsganss

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 175 lb.
• School St. Louis Theological Seminary
• High School Concordia College (IN)
• Debut August 4, 1914
• Final Game September 27, 1926
• Born March 19, 1894 in Cleveland, OH USA
• Died December 8, 1985 in Lakewood, OH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Bill Wambsganss was also known as Wamby because his name was too long to fit into boxscores. He did not like the abbreviated form of his name. He is known primarily for turning an unassisted triple play in the 5th inning of Game 5 of the 1920 World Series. Clarence Mitchell of the Brooklyn Robins was the batter. Wambsganss was one of the players interviewed for The Glory of Their Times.

Bill played 13 years in the majors and 8 years in the minors. He also managed a couple of years in the minors. He twice led the American League in sacrifice hits and once in games played.

Wambsganss also managed for a while in the AAGPBL. He guided the Fort Wayne Daisies in 1945-1946 and Muskegon Lassies in 1947-1948.

"Wamby", as of 2006, is the only player in Major League history with a last name that starts with "Wam". There are currently no players in the minor leagues that have a chance of "threatening" this title any time soon. Retired minor leaguers who had surnames that began with "Wam" include: Trevor Wamback, Ken Wamble, Kenneth Wamble and Samuel Wampler.

Notable Achievements

• Won a World Series with the Cleveland Indians in 1920

Further Reading

• Lawrence Ritter: The Glory of Their Times, The Macmillan Company, New York, NY, 1966, pp. 215-224.

Related Sites

• Bill Wambsganss at the SABR Bio Project
• Play by Play of Game 5 of the 1920 World Series [1]