Título: Hoyt Wilhelm
Seção: Early years
Background: Wilhelm was one of eleven children born to poor tenant farmers John and Ethel (nee Stanley) Wilhelm in Huntersville, North Carolina. He played baseball at Cornelius High School in Cornelius, North Carolina. There, he began experimenting with a knuckleball after reading about pitcher Dutch Leonard.

Conteúdo: Though Wilhelm was primarily a starting pitcher in the minor leagues, he had been called up to a Giants team whose strong starting pitchers had led them to a National League (NL) pennant the year before. Giants manager Leo Durocher did not think that Wilhelm's knuckleball approach would be effective for more than a few innings at a time. He assigned Wilhelm to the team's bullpen.  Wilhelm made his MLB debut with the Giants on April 18, 1952 at age 29, giving up a hit and two walks while only recording one out. On April 23, 1952, in his third game with the New York Giants, Wilhelm batted for the first time in the majors. Facing rookie Dick Hoover of the Boston Braves, Wilhelm hit a home run over the short right-field fence at the Polo Grounds. Although he went to bat a total of 432 times in his career, he never hit another home run.  Pitching exclusively in relief, Wilhelm led the NL with a 2.43 ERA in his rookie year. He won 15 games and lost three. Wilhelm finished in the top ten in Most Valuable Player Award voting that season, becoming the first relief pitcher to finish that high. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year Award voting. Wilhelm made 69 relief appearances in 1953, his win-loss record decreased to 7-8 and he issued 77 walks against 71 strikeouts. Wilhelm was named to the NL All-Star team that year, but he did not play in the game because team manager Charlie Dressen did not think that any of the catchers could handle his knuckleball. The Giants renewed Wil

user: When was Wilhelm born?

assistant: In 1954, Wilhelm was a key piece of the pitching staff that led the 1954 Giants to a world championship.

user: Who were Wilhelm's parents ?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: When did Wilhelm first start playing baseball?

assistant: Though Wilhelm was primarily a starting pitcher in the minor leagues,

user: Are there any notable teams he played for or against?

assistant: Wilhelm made his MLB debut with the Giants on April 18, 1952 at age 29, giving up a hit and two walks while only recording one out.

user: What were some of his wins?

assistant: Pitching exclusively in relief, Wilhelm led the NL with a 2.43 ERA in his rookie year. He won 15 games and lost three.

user: Did he win any other games ?

assistant: Wilhelm finished in the top ten in Most Valuable Player Award voting that season, becoming the first relief pitcher to finish that high.

user: Did he win any awards?

assistant: The team won the World Series in a four-game sweep.

user: Which team was this that won the World Series ?

assistant: The 1954 World Series represented Wilhelm's only career postseason play. He pitched  2 1/3 innings over two games,

user: What did he do after this ?

assistant: Sportswriter Bob Driscoll later attributed Wilhelm's difficulties in the mid-1950s to the decline in the career of Giants catcher Wes Westrum,

user: Were there any other significant things in his life ?

assistant: writing that baseball was "a game of inches, and for Hoyt, Wes had been that inch in the right direction."