Wes Westrum was a professional baseball player who played as a catcher for the New York Giants and the New York Mets. He was born on November 28, 1922, in Clearbrook, Minnesota, and began his baseball career in 1942 when he signed with the Giants. However, his career was interrupted by World War II, and he served in the United States Navy from 1943 to 1945.
After the war, Westrum returned to baseball and played for the Giants' minor league teams before making his major league debut in 1947. He quickly established himself as a solid defensive catcher and a power hitter, hitting 23 home runs in 1950 and earning his first All-Star selection. He was also known for his ability to handle the Giants' pitching staff, which included future Hall of Famers like Warren Spahn and Hoyt Wilhelm.
Westrum played for the Giants for 11 seasons, from 1947 to 1957, and was a key member of the team that won the National League pennant in 1951 and 1954. In the 1951 World Series, he hit two home runs and drove in six runs to help the Giants win their first championship since 1933.
After the 1957 season, Westrum was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he played for one season before retiring as a player. He then became a coach for the Giants and later the Mets, where he served as a bench coach and then as a manager from 1965 to 1967. In 1969, he was a coach for the Mets team that won the World Series.
Westrum's managerial career was short-lived, as he resigned from the Mets in 1967 due to health issues. However, he remained involved in baseball as a scout and a coach for several years. He was inducted into the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
Wes Westrum passed away on May 28, 2002, at the age of 79. He is remembered as a talented catcher and a respected coach who played a key role in the success of the Giants and the Mets during his career.
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