Baseball in Wartime - Ed Weiland

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Ed Weiland

Date and Place of Birth: November 26, 1914 Evanston, Illinois

Died: July 12, 1971 Chicago, Illinois

Baseball Experience: Major League
Position: Pitcher
Rank: Unknown

Military Unit: US Navy

Area Served: Pacific Theater of Operations

Edwin N “Ed” Weiland was born on November 26, 1914 Evanston, Illinois. He was the younger brother of Bob Weiland who enjoyed a long major league career with the Chicago, Boston, St Louis and Cleveland between 1928 and 1940.

Ed Weiland had been signed by the Detroit Tigers and was in their farm system when, in January 1940, he found himself a free agent as baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis released 91 players from the Tigers’ organization. In the opinion of Landis, these players had been kept in “cold storage” on farm teams from Shreveport to Seattle. One team with which Detroit had a secret deal was Hot Springs in the Cotton States League, which found itself left with only one player after the commissioner’s ruling.

Following his release, Weiland was signed by the Chicago White Sox, the team his brother had played for from 1928 to 1931. The 25 year-old right-hander made his major league debut on May 1. He made five relief appearances for the White Sox and had an ERA of 8.79.

Weiland was back with the White Sox in 1942 for another five appearances, recording an ERA of 7.45. He played for St Paul in the American Association in 1943 and entered military service later in the year.

Weiland was the leading pitching with the Iowa Pre-Flight Seahawks baseball team, with a 9-1 record in 1944. He yielded 86 hits in 91 innings, struck out 54 and walked just seven. The lone defeat was a one-run, 10-inning game against the Fort Wayne General Electrics. He threw a two-hitter against Bunker Hill Naval Air Station on September 3, 1944.

He was sent to Hawaii in 1945 and pitched for the Aiea Barracks team.

Weiland was back in baseball in 1946 and spent the next two seasons with St Paul in the American Association.

Ed Weiland passed away on July 12, 1971 in Chicago, Illinois. He was only 56. His brother, Bob, who was nine years his senior survived until 1988.

Created June 9, 2007.