Dick Whitman (November 9, 1920 – February 12, 2003) earned a spot in Oregon’s sports legacy by reaching the Major Leagues for six seasons, and helped two teams win the National League pennant.
Born in Woodburn in 1920, Whitman played outfield from 1940-42 at the University of Oregon where he set a school record with his .397 career batting average. He committed only two errors in his entire career and the Ducks won back-to-back Northern Division titles in 1941 and ’42.
He signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers after the 1942 college season. He hit a combined .313 for two minor league teams that summer, then entered military service where he saw action at the Battle of the Bulge and rose to the rank of Master Sargent.
Whitman, at age 26, returned to the Dodgers following the war and hit .260. The team sent him to its Triple-A team in Montreal in 1947, where he hit .327 with 62 RBIs and helped the Royals to the International League championship. In ’48, the Dodgers brought him back in mid-season and he remained in the Majors until 1951. In Brooklyn, Whitman was a reserve outfielder and pinch hitter. He played for the 1949 National League champion team.
The Dodgers traded him to Philadelphia that winter and he helped the Phillies “Whiz Kids” win the NL title in 1950. In his six seasons in the big leagues, he had 165 hits, drove in 67 runs, hit two homers and finished with a .259 average.
After moving back to the minors, he played for four different teams, including the Portland Beavers in 1955. He hit .304 that season. In 1956 and ’57, he served as player/manager of the San Jose, Calif., JoSox of the Class C California League. He retired after the 1957 season at age 36.
In 10 seasons of minor league action, Whitman had 1,207 hits, hit 64 homers and averaged a combined .321 in 1,093 games.
Upon retiring, Whitman moved into the position of maintenance manager for the San Jose Water Company in California and remained in that post for 29 years. He is a member of the University of Oregon Hall of Fame.