Former All-Star third baseman Don Wert passed away at age 86, the Tigers announced this afternoon. Wert played all but 20 games of his MLB career with Detroit.
Wert signed with the Tigers at age 19 out of Pennsylvania’s Franklin & Marshall College. The right-handed hitting infielder spent five years in the minors, including two full seasons at Triple-A. He earned his first big league call in 1963 and established himself as Detroit’s starting third baseman the next year.
After playing in 148 games during his first full MLB season, Wert started all 162 contests in 1965. He hit .261 with 12 homers and more walks than strikeouts in nearly 700 plate appearances. Wert was charged with only 12 errors despite logging more than 1400 innings at the hot corner. Award voters rewarded his durability and solid all-around game with a 10th-place finish in AL MVP balloting.
Wert was a reliable and consistent presence in the Detroit infield for the remainder of the decade. He made an All-Star team in 1968, although his .200/.258/.299 slash line that year was one of his least productive showings. A June hit-by-pitch that broke his helmet and required a stint in the hospital surely contributed to his offensive downturn. Wert remained a valuable defensive player and appeared in 150 games on a Tigers team that won 103 games to claim the AL pennant.
Detroit knocked off the Cardinals in a seven-game World Series. Wert played in six of those contests. He went 2-17 but drew six walks and drove in a pair of runs. The latter RBI came with two outs in the top of the ninth in the deciding game. He singled off Bob Gibson to push Detroit’s lead to 4-0; they held on to win by a 4-1 margin.
After the 1970 season, the Tigers traded Wert to the Washington Senators as part of an eight-player deal that also shipped out two-time Cy Young winner Denny McLain. Wert spent a couple months with Washington before being released in June, ending his playing career. He retired with a .242/.314/.343 line in more than 1100 games over parts of nine seasons. Wert played nearly 9000 innings at third base, where he had a .968 fielding percentage. MLBTR sends our condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.
RIP
Sad.
Condolences.
I didn’t remember him until the 68 WS was mentioned as it’s the first I truly remember (I was six). I thank everyone from that WS. While it’s easy to remember Gibson and Mike Shannon, it usually takes a full roster to build a team of memories and that WS along with the next (my dad went to a game at Shea against the Orioles and I had even as a young Sox fan, a Mets NL Championship pennant on my wall. Those memories is why I started to imitate Yaz with my 28 ounce little league bat as I listened to Ned Martin on the radio for each at bat. RIP.
Condolences to the family would have been plenty. Not sure how your batting stance fits here.
I never heard of him, but it looks like he had a great career.
Solid career. Played for a championship team and even doubled off Tom Seaver in his only ASG at-bat. Then got traded to the Senators with Denny McLain. RIP, Mr. Wert. And thanks for the great memories.
I had some of his old baseball cards but he was a bit before my time.
RIP.
Nice tribute at his local tv station WGAL Lancaster PA from a card collector for those interested
When I first started following The Tigers in 1965, he batted leadoff….in 1966, he batted 4th sometimes. In his day, he was probably the best-fielding 3rd baseman in baseball next to Brooks Robinson. Much love to you, Don, R.I.P…..
I met him on one of the Wertz Warrior trips.
Sorry, that was another Tiger, Vic Wertz.
RIP and condolences, but gotta say that all-star season of his has to be close to the all-time worst/least-deserving. Sub-.570 OPS??
Hitting was way down in the 60’s. I believe they moved the mound.
Need more info like what other options were there, what were his splits and did he play through a bad injury?
Not a lot of options. Brooks was starting every year. Max Alvis backed him up a couple times… Killebrew one year but he moved to first. Bando was just starting out. Bando began the year hitting under .200. Alvis was hurt early in the year. Wert had a really good March and April, hitting .273. Back then they had mail in ballots and they probably needed to be turned in by a certain date to get them counted in time.
Getting a knock off Bob Gibson in a WS G7 is an elite club.
He got 1 of the three its in that all star game. Off Tom Seaver.
“Where you are, I once stood. Where I am, you soon will be.”
Dang that’s depressing
Have a sweet PSA graded 9 card of his 1971 Topps issue.
He and his brother Fred are in their High School HOF.
RIP, Don.
Not too many left from that 1968 team.
R.I.P . When your childhood stars pass on, it’s always sad. They were some fun years when he played. 67’s tough loss doubleheader, and then 68’s winning it all. Great stuff !
He played in an era of one player one club. I remember him as a little kid against the Cardinals. Best wish to a classic journeyman!
RIP
Thanks for the memories.
another player from my youth gone and too early
Condolence to his family
For whatever reason he was a very hyped hitting prospect when coming up. He was not that type of player. His fielding at third made him an everyday regular. The Coyote was a good guy and popular teammate.
Lots of kids imitated his hands-spread grip, perhaps a leading cause as to why so many Detroit-area kids at that time couldn’t hit.
Great biography from SABR:
sabr.org/bioproj/person/don-wert/
Got the last hit Whitey Ford ever gave up. Cool.
Thanks for the link.
Ol time baseball. RIP
In 1965, he played in 162 games. I wonder how many current players will play in every game this season? Any?
Nick Castellanos has a shot at playing in all 162 for the Phillies. He’s played in all 132 of their games so far this season.
And maybe it’s because you are overemphasizing Hinch’s “whining”, which I actually never noticed….and I watch almost every Tiger game, follow the team relentlessly online and podcasts etc. etc. etc.
I think Hinch was giving Tork every possible chance to excel.
Interesting how I noticed another #1 overall pick, Mickey Moniak, struggling with the Halos this week.
Wert’s playing in all 162 games in 1965 was even more extraordinary when one considers that the Tigers played 24 doubleheaders that season.
He, Paul Schaal of the California Angels and Wes Parker of the Dodgers were my first three favorite players. This was back before 69 when the Padres joined the majors. No idea why, likely a baseball card thing. RIP Mr. Wert.
I delivered the Grand Rapids Press door-door during that ’68 season. As my buddy and I folded the papers before setting out we’d eagerly scan the sports section to read about our Tigers and dig into every box score. Don Wert was one of my favorites as I was third basemen in Little League. I remember that beaning. He got a hit in that All Star game too. He was never the same….but he did get that WS ring. RIP Mr. Wert.
And who could ever forget Wert’s teammate Denny McLain’s 31 wins in 1968? Thirty-one wins!! No one will ever equal that again. Those were the glory days of baseball.
I remember Don Wert! I had his baseball card.
The 60s’ Tigers are always a bunch of great, kind men.
It is so sad.
My condolences to his family and many fans.