"As Ruth stepped back, Willie shot another pitch through the strike zone. It was a 'quick pitch', then legal in the National League, but Umpire Charlie Pfirman refused to call the Big Bam out because the quick pitch was barred in the American League. A wild scene followed . . ." - from an article in the July 1960 Baseball Digest about Willie Sherdel pitching to Babe Ruth in the 1928 World Series.
"Probably the most efficient relief pitching job ever was performed by Wee Willie Sherdel of St. Louis July 30, 1924. . . three outs on a single pitch in relief!" - from an article in the June 1977 Baseball Digest about Sherdel getting George Harper to hit into a triple play
This is an excerpt from one of several web sites about William Sherdel (aka. Wee Willie Sherdel). So how did I learn about him? His wife was a Strasbaugh, and when I came across her file while adding Staubs into my database (22,000 records and growing), I needed to know more about her husband. And what a treasure I found.
He was born, raised, and returned to McSherrystown where he died. After retiring, he and his wife opened a restaurant in McSherrystown. The Fr. Lawrence Sherdel is a descendant of William Sherdel. Read this clip to get his stats and to learn more.
This is an image of a baseball card being sold on Amazon for a cool $200+. A chapter was written about Sherdel in the book, Hanover Raiders, written by Hanovarian John G. Coulson. You can find it at the Guthrie Memorial Library, but only after I return it next week.
How does Sherdel fit into the Staub family? His wife, Mary Ethel Strasbaugh, was the great, great, great granddaughter of the infamous German immigrant, Adam Staub. (FYI - open the Staub tab at the top of this blog to read about Adam's life.)
Another notable Staub ancestor, Louis R. Staub (aka Bull Durham) is a direct descendant to the Staubs. Adam Staub was his great, great, great grandfather. So both families are distantly related.
Please feel free to share with your cousins, uncles, and friends. The more the merrier who follows this blog, the better.
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