Memorials › Robert William “Buzzer Bill” Whittaker
Robert William “Buzzer Bill” Whittaker
12 Sep 1888 – 7 Mar 1949
| Birth | 12 Sep 1888 |
| Death | 7 Mar 1949 |
| Cemetery | Forest Lawn Memorial Park Glendale , Los Angeles County , California , USA |
| Added by | Deborah Lukens Whittaker on 15 Oct 2013 |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/118746675 |
Bio
Second son and third child of Robert Moss Whittaker (1863-1903) and Mary "May" White (1864-1940), Bill was born 12 Sep 1888 at his parents' home, 1550 North 2nd, in St Louis City. He was baptized at Christ Church 12 Sep 1888 in a group ceremony with his sister Anna Lee Whittaker and two cousins, Sarah Ann Lockett and Julia Ann Lockett. He met and married Ruth M. Prue (1895-1977) of Fort Worth, Texas, between 1917 and 1918. There were no children born to this marriage. SHORT BIOGRAPHY: Despite being blinded in his left eye as a youth, Bill became an exceptional minor league baseball pitcher and played for 19 years with an overall ERA of 1.95. During his final year in baseball, he also managed the pitching staff of the Mesa Jewels in the Arizona League. His batting was not stellar as is the case for most pitchers, but he did garner 254 hits with 33 doubles, 7 triples, and 4 home runs contributing to his career batting average of 181. One of his most notable (and personal) baseball acquaintances during his Texas League playing days was Ty Cobb (Tyrus Raymond Cobb 'The Georgia Peach'). He began his career in 1910 stating that he was 19 when he was actually 21 and played for many fine teams. According to his wife and according to family lore, Bill was almost promoted from their farm team in Fort Worth to the American League's Detroit Tigers several times, but went on drinking sprees each time the offers were presented. It seemed as though he wanted to remain in the minor league for the duration of his career. TEAMS PLAYED FOR: 1910, La Crosse Outcats, Minnesota-Wisconsin League; 1911 Fort Wayne Brakies, Central League; 1912-1914, Keokuk Indians, Central Association; 1915, Lewiston Cupids, New England League; 1916, Hannibal Mules, Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League; 1916, Peoria Distillers, Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League; 1917, Galveston Pirates, Texas League; 1917-1922, Fort Worth Panthers, Texas League; 1923-1925, New Orleans Pelicans, Southern Association; 1926, Shreveport Sports, Texas League; 1929, Mesa Jewels, Arizona State League. After his baseball career had ended, he joined his brother in Los Angeles where he was employed as an electrician by the motion picture company RKO from 1930 until his death in 1949.
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Beloved Husband Robert Wm Whittaker 1888-1949
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