| Claude Willoughby | |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | November 14, 1898 |
| Birth Place: | Buffalo, Kansas, U.S. |
| Death Place: | McPherson, Kansas, U.S. |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutyear: | 1925 |
| Debutteam: | Philadelphia Phillies |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | September 18 |
| Finalyear: | 1931 |
| Finalteam: | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Finalleague: | MLB |
| Finaldate: | May 28 |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 38–58 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 5.84 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 175 |
| Teams: | |
Claude William Willoughby (November 14, 1898– August 14, 1973), was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates from to . He was nicknamed "Weeping Willie" and "Flunky".[1] [2] In 219 games pitched, 101 of which were starts, Willoughby recorded a 38-58 win–loss record with a 5.84 earned run average (ERA) and 175 strikeouts in innings pitched over seven seasons.
In, Willoughby led the Phillies in both wins (15) and ERA (4.99).[3] He also walked the most batters in the National League.[4]
Willoughby pitched poorly the following season, surrendering 241 hits and 68 walks in 153 innings pitched, which resulted in a 7.59 ERA and a 4–17 win–loss record.[2] On November 6,, he was traded to the Pirates, along with shortstop Tommy Thevenow, for shortstop Dick Bartell.[4] Willoughby pitched in just nine games for Pittsburgh, after which his major league career ended.[5]
After his professional baseball career, Willoughby moved back to Kansas, where he pitched for a semipro team located in Chanute in 1938-39 and managed a team in Independence in 1940-41.[6] He worked as a pump mechanic, and moved to McPherson, Kansas in 1948, where he died on August 14, 1973.[7]