Perry Werden Explained

Perry Werden
Position:First baseman
Width:125
Birth Date:21 July 1865
Birth Place:St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Death Place:Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Debutleague:MLB
Debutdate:April 24
Debutyear:1884
Debutteam:St. Louis Maroons
Finalleague:MLB
Finaldate:October 3
Finalyear:1897
Finalteam:Louisville Colonels
Statleague:MLB
Stat1label:Batting average
Stat2label:Hits
Stat3label:Runs batted in
Stat1value:.282
Stat2value:773
Stat3value:439
Teams:
Highlights:
  • Led NL in triples in 1893

Percival Wheritt "Perry" Werden (July 21, 1865 – January 9, 1934) was an American baseball player. He was a first baseman for the St. Louis Maroons (1884), Washington Nationals (1888), Toledo Maumees (1890), Baltimore Orioles (1891), St. Louis Browns (1892–1893) and Louisville Colonels (1897).

Career

Werden played as a pitcher in 1884 where he had a 12–1 win–loss record (leading the Union Association in winning percentage at .923), 16 games, 16 games started, 12 complete games, 1 shutout, innings pitched, 113 hits allowed, 61 runs allowed, 31 earned runs allowed, 1 home run allowed, 22 walks allowed, 51 strikeouts and a 1.97 ERA. During this season, he helped the Maroons win the first and only Union Association pennant.

An arm injury moved Werden to first base and in 7 seasons he played in 693 games, 2,740 at bats, 444 runs, 773 hits, 109 doubles, 87 triples, 26 home runs, 439 RBI, 150 stolen bases, 281 walks, .282 batting average, .359 on-base percentage, .414 slugging percentage, 1,134 total bases and 5 sacrifice hits.

Werden had a remarkable minor league career. For the Minneapolis Millers of the Western League in 1894, he hit .417 with 42 home runs. The next season, he improved in both categories, hitting .428 with 45 home runs. These were astounding home run totals for the time (helped by the short outfield fence distance at their home field): for example, Sam Thompson led the National League in home runs with 18 in 1895. No one would hit more than 29 until Babe Ruth hit 54 in 1920. Werden retired with a career .341 batting average with five home run titles in the minor leagues.

He died in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the age of 68, and was buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis.

See also