Major League Baseball Player. At age 28, the right-hander got his break when the St. Louis Cardinals' pitching staff was depleted by World War II. The rookie immediately made an impact by winning 17 and losing four with a 2.65 earned run average. He allowed just 173 hits and walked 49 in 207 innings to help the Cardinals win the National League pennant. In the World Series against the St. Louis Browns, he was the loser in Game 3, but he saved the decisive Game 6 for Max Lanier with 3 2/3 innings of hitless relief. From 1946 to 1950 he went 30-9 as the right-handed complement to left-hander Al Brazle in the St. Louis bullpen. He used deliveries that varied from straight overhand to submarine. Wilks was 8-0 in 1946 and 4-0 in 1947. On April 29, 1948, he finally lost after 77 mound appearances when the Cincinnati Reds beat him 5-4 in the 14th inning on rookie Hank Sauer's RBI single. In 1949 his 59 appearances, 10 relief wins and nine saves led the NL as he went 10-3. He missed much of the 1950 season after having bone chips removed from his right elbow. The Cardinals traded him with catcher Joe Garagiola, pitcher Howie Pollet, infielder Dick Cole and outfielder Bill Howerton on June 15, 1951 to the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Cliff Chambers and outfielder Wally Westlake. The Pirates peddled him with infielder George Strickland to the Cleveland Indians on Aug. 18, 1952 for infielder Johnny Berardino, a minor leaguer and $50,000. In 1953 he was unclaimed after being placed on waivers, just two months short of the 10-year service goal that would have qualified for a full major-league pension. He pitched three more years in the minors. His lifetime record was 59-30, a 3.26 ERA with 46 saves. He had a 35-18 record in relief.
Major League Baseball Player. At age 28, the right-hander got his break when the St. Louis Cardinals' pitching staff was depleted by World War II. The rookie immediately made an impact by winning 17 and losing four with a 2.65 earned run average. He allowed just 173 hits and walked 49 in 207 innings to help the Cardinals win the National League pennant. In the World Series against the St. Louis Browns, he was the loser in Game 3, but he saved the decisive Game 6 for Max Lanier with 3 2/3 innings of hitless relief. From 1946 to 1950 he went 30-9 as the right-handed complement to left-hander Al Brazle in the St. Louis bullpen. He used deliveries that varied from straight overhand to submarine. Wilks was 8-0 in 1946 and 4-0 in 1947. On April 29, 1948, he finally lost after 77 mound appearances when the Cincinnati Reds beat him 5-4 in the 14th inning on rookie Hank Sauer's RBI single. In 1949 his 59 appearances, 10 relief wins and nine saves led the NL as he went 10-3. He missed much of the 1950 season after having bone chips removed from his right elbow. The Cardinals traded him with catcher Joe Garagiola, pitcher Howie Pollet, infielder Dick Cole and outfielder Bill Howerton on June 15, 1951 to the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Cliff Chambers and outfielder Wally Westlake. The Pirates peddled him with infielder George Strickland to the Cleveland Indians on Aug. 18, 1952 for infielder Johnny Berardino, a minor leaguer and $50,000. In 1953 he was unclaimed after being placed on waivers, just two months short of the 10-year service goal that would have qualified for a full major-league pension. He pitched three more years in the minors. His lifetime record was 59-30, a 3.26 ERA with 46 saves. He had a 35-18 record in relief.
Bio by: Ron Coons
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