WSC Vintage: Ralph Weigel

Card #37 - Ralph Weigel

Ralph is one of many backstops to grace the White Sox uniform. In fact, he was one of three for the Pale Hose in 1948. Aaron Robinson got the most playing time, followed by Weigel and Mike Tresh. Mike was in his second to last year in the majors and was relegated to backup duties.

The Sox acquired both Aaron Robinson and Ralph Weigel before the 1948 season. Both would be gone after the season. Ralph was most likely picked up because of his age. At 26, Weigel was seven years younger than Robinson and eight years junior to Tresh.

Ralph made appearances in sixty-six games for the White Sox in 1948, but only forty-one as a position player. He played his natural position of catcher for thirty-nine games and like Carlton Fisk many years later, was stuck in the outfield. Weigel played two games there.

The Sox traded Thurman Tucker to the Indians to get Ralph. He was purchased by the Washington Senators on April 15, 1949. He only had six games of MLB experience when the White Sox acquired Weigel. After being sold to the Senators, he appeared in only thirty-four more games before he was sent down to the AAA Chattanooga Lookouts. After 1949, Ralph Weigel fell off the baseball radar.