How to Pronounce Willard Hershberger
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May 28, 1910 Lemon Cove, California, United States Died on 03 Aug 1940 (aged 30)
American baseball player
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About Willard Hershberger
- Willard McKee Hershberger (May 28, 1910 – August 3, 1940) was an American baseball catcher for the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1938 to 1940.
- In 160 career games, Hershberger recorded a batting average of .316 and accumulated 5 triples and 41 runs.
- He is the only major league player to date to commit suicide during the season. Born and raised in California, Hershberger attended Fullerton Union High School where he was a baseball standout.
- He was signed by the New York Yankees and was part of their minor league system for eight years.
- He was traded after the 1937 season to the Cincinnati Reds, where he found a place on the major league roster as a backup behind Ernie Lombardi.
- For three seasons, Hershberger played in relief of Lombardi, stepping in if he needed a day off or was injured.
- After a slump in late July and early August, Hershberger committed suicide on August 3, 1940 in his hotel room; the Reds went on to win the 1940 World Series in his honor.
