HOYT (JAMES) WILHELM - BOOK SIGNED CO-SIGNED BY: TONY "CHICK" CUCCINELLO, J. C. MARTIN, PETE WARD, CURT GOWDY - HFSID 9090

HOYT "SNACKS" WILHELM, CO-SIGNED BY: TONY "CHICK" CUCCINELLO, Curt Gowdy, J. C. MARTIN, PETE WARD
Copy of Operation: White Sox, the team's 1963 paperback yearbook, signed by Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm, All-Star Tony Cuccinello, sportscaster Curt Gowdy, J. C. Martin and Pete Ward. Wilhelm, Martin and Ward were all White Sox between 1963 and 1967, while Cuccinello was with the team from 1943 to 1945.
Book signed "Hoyt Wilhelm" on title page and "Tony Cuccinello", "Hoyt Wilhelm", "J. C. Martin" and "Pete Ward" on bio pages, all in blue ink. Also signed twice by "Curt/Howdy" in blue ink and lead pencil. Color cover with b/w pages, 159 pages, 4x7x¼. Paperback. Copy of Operation: White Sox. Published by Talman Savings and Loan in 1964. 1963 Chicago White Sox yearbook. Martin and Ward were all White Sox between 1963 and 1967, while Cuccinello was with the team from 1943 to 1945. At the time of his retirement in 1972, knuckle balling master reliever WILHELM (1922-2002, born James Hoyt Wilhelm) had appeared in more games (1,070) than any pitcher in major league history, with a late-starting career that still spanned 21 years. He established records for relief wins (123), games pitched in relief (1,018), games finished by a pitcher (651), and innings pitched in relief (1,870). His 227 saves place him among the all-time leaders. Fittingly, he was the first relief pitcher elected to the Hall of Fame, and the first pitcher inducted with fewer than 150 career wins. Wilhelm was the only rookie to win an E.R.A. title. CUCINELLO (1907-1995, born Anthony Francis Cuccinello in Long Island City, New York) played mostly second base for five Major League teams (1930-1945). An All-Star in 1933 and 1938, he hit over .300 four times while leading the National League in assists and double plays three times each. With younger players returning from World War II, he was cut after a season in which he hit .308 in 112 games! The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame, established as a nonprofit corporation in 1977, has a museum in Chicago's "little Italy." Cuccinello was enshrined in 1990, joining Joe DiMaggio, Rocky Marciano and over 200 other sports heroes of Italian heritage. MARTIN, born Joseph Clifton Martin in Axton, Virginia in 1936, was a major league infielder and catcher for the Chicago White Sox, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs from 1959 to 1969. Most notably, he was part of the 1969 Miracle Mets. He had a career batting average of .222 with 32 home runs and 230 RBIs. After leaving the majors, he worked as a coach for the Cubs in 1974 and joined Harry Caray in the broadcasters' booth at 1975 White Sox games. WARD, born Peter Thomas Ward in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in 1937, was a major league in and outfielder between 1962 and 1970, mostly with the Chicago White Sox. He had some power at bat, with a .405 career slugging percentage and placing in the American League top 10 for slugging percentage in 1963 and 1964, for hits, total bases, extra base hits and triples in 1963 and for doubles in 1963 through 1965. Ward left the majors with a .254 career batting average, 98 home runs and 427 RBIs. Legendary sportscaster GOWDY (1919-2006, born Curtis Edward Gowdy in Green River, Wyoming), who began his broadcasting career in 1944, called the first Super Bowl (1967), the famous Heidi game in 1968, 13 World Series and 16 All-Star Games. After broadcasting for the New York Yankees from1949-1951, Gowdy became a longtime broadcaster for the Boston Red Sox (1951-1966) before leaving to host the "Game of the Week" (1967-1976). Gowdy, who was also a writer for and a host of The American Sportsman TV series, received a number of awards, including the Ford Frick Award (1984) and the Pete Rozelle Award (1993). He was inducted into the broadcast wing of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984 and the American Sportscasters' Hall of Fame in 1985. Lightly toned. Title/publisher's page is lightly stained and has its lower half torn off. Cover is lightly scuffed and creased and has light impressions (not visible head-on). Light tear in cover on right edge. Otherwise in fine condition.