Billy Werber
A fierce competitor and elite base-stealer, he was the gritty sparkplug at the heart of the Cincinnati Reds' first World Series championship in two decades.
1908–2009 (age 101)·American baseball player·Birthday: June 20·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Billy Werber played baseball with a ferocious intensity that made him one of the most dynamic and feared leadoff hitters of his generation. Breaking in with a legendary New York Yankees team, he quickly established himself not with power but with speed, savvy, and a sharp competitive edge. He led the American League in stolen bases three times, terrorizing pitchers and catchers with his aggressive leads and quick jumps. His career found its fullest expression with the Cincinnati Reds, where in 1939 he led the National League in runs scored as the table-setter for the 'Reds Machine' that won the pennant. The following year, his gritty play at third base and relentless pressure on the bases were instrumental as Cincinnati defeated the Detroit Tigers to win the 1940 World Series. Werber, known for his sharp wit and business acumen off the field, represented an old-school style of baseball where grit and speed were paramount.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Billy was born in 1908, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Billy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1908
Billy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1908Born
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1913Started school
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Became a teenager
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1924Could drive
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1926Could vote
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Turned 21
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1938Turned 30
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1948Turned 40
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 50
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 60
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 70
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 80
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
2009Died at 101
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
Key Achievements
- Won the 1940 World Series as the starting third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds.
- Led the American League in stolen bases three times (1934, 1935, 1937).
- Led the National League in runs scored (115) in 1939, helping the Reds win the pennant.
- Was the last living teammate of baseball icon Babe Ruth, having debuted with the 1930 Yankees.
Did You Know?
He was a Duke University graduate, rare for a ballplayer of his era, and was a star basketball player there.
Werber was the first major leaguer to ever appear on a television broadcast, in an experimental game in 1939.
After baseball, he became a highly successful insurance executive and real estate developer.
He lived to be 100 years old, becoming one of the oldest living former major leaguers.
“I played to win, and I made sure the other team knew it.”
