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Wilmer Mizell
Wilmer David "Vinegar Bend" Mizell Sr. (August 13, 1930 – February 21, 1999) was an American baseball player and politician. From 1952 to 1962, he was a left-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Six years after retiring, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina's 5th congressional district. He served three terms as a Republican from 1969 to 1975.
Mizell was born in Leakesville, Mississippi, but started playing baseball in nearby Vinegar Bend, Alabama, the town from which he drew his nickname. Signed by the Cardinals in 1949, he debuted with them in 1952, ranking among the Top 10 in the National League (NL) in strikeouts for two years before spending 1954 and 1955 in military service. He returned to the Cardinals in 1956 and was named to two Major League Baseball All-Star Games in 1959, but St. Louis felt like he never attained his full potential. They traded him to Pittsburgh early in the 1960 season, and Mizell led the NL in winning percentage (.636) as the Pirates defeated the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series. He remained with the Pirates until early in the 1962 season, last pitching in the major leagues with the Mets.
While pitching for the Winston-Salem Cardinals in 1951, Mizell had settled in Midway, North Carolina. Six years after he threw his last major league pitch, he was elected to the House of Representatives, serving North Carolina's newly aligned 5th district. In three terms over the next six years, Mizell gained a reputation as a conservative. He opposed the Blue Ridge Power Project, introducing a House Bill in 1974 to add the New River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Though the bill was unsuccessful at the time, it became law in 1976. Mizell, however, lost his seat to Stephen L. Neal in 1974, also losing to the Democrat when he ran against him in 1976. Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush each appointed him to Assistant Secretary positions within their administrations. After suffering a heart attack in 1998, Mizell died in 1999.
On August 13, 1930, Walter David and Addie Turner Mizell welcomed their son Wilmer David into the world. Contrary to popular belief (caused by his nickname), Wilmer was actually born and raised in Leakesville, Mississippi, though the town of Vinegar Bend, Alabama was only a few miles away. His father died when he was two, and his grandmother and uncle brought him up, as his mother was sickly. He grew up laboring on the family farm, which produced fruit and vegetables. The Mizells also raised hogs and cattle. Additional income for Wilmer came from hauling wood, logging, and tapping turpentine from pine trees. "I walked behind more mules than I walked batters – and that's saying a lot," he later reflected, comparing his childhood with his career.
Growing up, Mizell was unable to play catch with his brother because he was such an erratic thrower. He practiced his control by throwing at a smokehouse knothole, eventually knocking the door in because of all his practice. At the age of 16, he started playing for baseball teams, pitching in Sunday leagues around Vinegar Bend.
The St. Louis Cardinals held a tryout camp in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1948, and Mizell recorded three strikeouts before a thunderstorm ended it early. Impressed with the youngster, scout Buddy Lewis visited him the following year in Lakeville. Mizell, returning from a local swimming spot, impressed Lewis again with his fastball, and the scout promised to sign him for $500 upon his graduation from Leakeville High School, which would occur later that evening. After receiving his diploma, Mizell signed his contract and went straight to the train station, off to begin his career.
Mizell's first team was the Albany Cardinals of the Class D Georgia–Florida League. His first pitch for the team sailed 20 feet over the backstop. Overcoming homesickness, he went on to help Albany win the pennant. He had a 12–3 record and a 1.95 earned run average (ERA) for Albany, recording 175 strikeouts in 141 innings pitched.
Promoted to the Class B Winston-Salem Cardinals of the Carolina League in 1950, Mizell got off to a 1–6 start. However, he went on to post a 17–7 record, finishing tied (with Wes Livengood) for fourth in the Carolina League in wins and second (behind Woody Rich) in ERA with a 2.48 mark. He struck out 227 batters in 207 innings, leading Winston-Salem to a championship. In the last game of the season, he hit a home run, the only professional one of his career, which he referred to as a $220 home run because fans passed a hat around and donated that sum in appreciation of his efforts. One night during the season, he sang country music over the public address system at South Side Park and rode around the field on a mule.
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Wilmer Mizell
Wilmer David "Vinegar Bend" Mizell Sr. (August 13, 1930 – February 21, 1999) was an American baseball player and politician. From 1952 to 1962, he was a left-handed pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Six years after retiring, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina's 5th congressional district. He served three terms as a Republican from 1969 to 1975.
Mizell was born in Leakesville, Mississippi, but started playing baseball in nearby Vinegar Bend, Alabama, the town from which he drew his nickname. Signed by the Cardinals in 1949, he debuted with them in 1952, ranking among the Top 10 in the National League (NL) in strikeouts for two years before spending 1954 and 1955 in military service. He returned to the Cardinals in 1956 and was named to two Major League Baseball All-Star Games in 1959, but St. Louis felt like he never attained his full potential. They traded him to Pittsburgh early in the 1960 season, and Mizell led the NL in winning percentage (.636) as the Pirates defeated the New York Yankees in the 1960 World Series. He remained with the Pirates until early in the 1962 season, last pitching in the major leagues with the Mets.
While pitching for the Winston-Salem Cardinals in 1951, Mizell had settled in Midway, North Carolina. Six years after he threw his last major league pitch, he was elected to the House of Representatives, serving North Carolina's newly aligned 5th district. In three terms over the next six years, Mizell gained a reputation as a conservative. He opposed the Blue Ridge Power Project, introducing a House Bill in 1974 to add the New River to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Though the bill was unsuccessful at the time, it became law in 1976. Mizell, however, lost his seat to Stephen L. Neal in 1974, also losing to the Democrat when he ran against him in 1976. Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, and George H. W. Bush each appointed him to Assistant Secretary positions within their administrations. After suffering a heart attack in 1998, Mizell died in 1999.
On August 13, 1930, Walter David and Addie Turner Mizell welcomed their son Wilmer David into the world. Contrary to popular belief (caused by his nickname), Wilmer was actually born and raised in Leakesville, Mississippi, though the town of Vinegar Bend, Alabama was only a few miles away. His father died when he was two, and his grandmother and uncle brought him up, as his mother was sickly. He grew up laboring on the family farm, which produced fruit and vegetables. The Mizells also raised hogs and cattle. Additional income for Wilmer came from hauling wood, logging, and tapping turpentine from pine trees. "I walked behind more mules than I walked batters – and that's saying a lot," he later reflected, comparing his childhood with his career.
Growing up, Mizell was unable to play catch with his brother because he was such an erratic thrower. He practiced his control by throwing at a smokehouse knothole, eventually knocking the door in because of all his practice. At the age of 16, he started playing for baseball teams, pitching in Sunday leagues around Vinegar Bend.
The St. Louis Cardinals held a tryout camp in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1948, and Mizell recorded three strikeouts before a thunderstorm ended it early. Impressed with the youngster, scout Buddy Lewis visited him the following year in Lakeville. Mizell, returning from a local swimming spot, impressed Lewis again with his fastball, and the scout promised to sign him for $500 upon his graduation from Leakeville High School, which would occur later that evening. After receiving his diploma, Mizell signed his contract and went straight to the train station, off to begin his career.
Mizell's first team was the Albany Cardinals of the Class D Georgia–Florida League. His first pitch for the team sailed 20 feet over the backstop. Overcoming homesickness, he went on to help Albany win the pennant. He had a 12–3 record and a 1.95 earned run average (ERA) for Albany, recording 175 strikeouts in 141 innings pitched.
Promoted to the Class B Winston-Salem Cardinals of the Carolina League in 1950, Mizell got off to a 1–6 start. However, he went on to post a 17–7 record, finishing tied (with Wes Livengood) for fourth in the Carolina League in wins and second (behind Woody Rich) in ERA with a 2.48 mark. He struck out 227 batters in 207 innings, leading Winston-Salem to a championship. In the last game of the season, he hit a home run, the only professional one of his career, which he referred to as a $220 home run because fans passed a hat around and donated that sum in appreciation of his efforts. One night during the season, he sang country music over the public address system at South Side Park and rode around the field on a mule.