56 Facts About Wilmer Mizell

Wilmer Mizell served three terms as a Republican from 1969 to 1975.

Wilmer Mizell 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.

Wilmer Mizell remained with the Pirates until early in the 1962 season, last pitching in the major leagues with the Mets.

In three terms over the next six years, Wilmer Mizell gained a reputation as a conservative.

Wilmer Mizell 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.

Contrary to popular belief, Wilmer Mizell was actually born and raised in Leakesville, Mississippi.

Wilmer Mizell's father died when he was two, and his grandmother and uncle brought him up, as his mother was sickly.

Wilmer Mizell grew up laboring on the family farm, which produced fruit and vegetables.

Additional income for Wilmer Mizell came from hauling wood, logging, and tapping turpentine from pine trees.

Wilmer Mizell practiced his control by throwing at a smokehouse knothole, eventually knocking the door in because of all his practice.

The St Louis Cardinals held a tryout camp in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1948, and Wilmer Mizell recorded three strikeouts before a thunderstorm ended it early.

Wilmer 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.

Wilmer Mizell struck out 227 batters in 207 innings, leading Winston-Salem to a championship.

In 1951, Wilmer Mizell pitched for the Houston Buffaloes of the Class AA Texas League.

Wilmer Mizell led the league in strikeouts with 257, finished second in ERA to Tom Gorman, and tied for seventh in the league with 16 wins.

That started a streak of six decisions won in a row, during which time Wilmer Mizell posted a 3.05 ERA.

Wilmer Mizell led the National League in strikeouts per 9 innings pitched with a 6.9 mark, and his 146 strikeouts ranked fourth in the league.

Wilmer Mizell had a 2.83 ERA before the All-Star Break, but he had a 4.14 ERA in the second half of the season.

Wilmer Mizell saw no combat, instead winning 36 games for the fort's baseball team.

Wilmer Mizell threw four no-hitters and 16 shutouts, helping the team reach the Army baseball championship tournament at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in 1955.

Wilmer Mizell set records for most strikeouts in a game and in a season.

Wilmer Mizell found out during one of the games and, according to one story, was so excited that he absentmindedly went to hit holding his glove instead of a baseball bat.

Wilmer Mizell ranked fifth in the NL with 153 strikeouts, and his mark of 6.6 strikeouts per nine innings pitched was good for third behind Jones's 8.4 and Harvey Haddix's 6.6.

Wilmer Mizell was giving up more home runs than he had before he joined the Army, and the Cardinals were worried about his weight and his windup motion.

Wilmer Mizell spent much of the early part of the season in the bullpen, and the Cardinals even attempted to send him to Houston, but they were unable to get him through waivers.

Wilmer Mizell retired Duke Snider on a groundout but then walked Gino Cimoli to bring up Gil Hodges, a right-handed hitter.

Wilmer Mizell arrived early to 1958 spring training, claiming to have lost 12 pounds from the previous spring.

Wilmer Mizell did not pitch at the beginning of spring training as he negotiated for a new contract, but he wound up settling for $17,000, his salary each of the previous two seasons.

Wilmer Mizell was named to both National League All-Star teams in 1959.

Wilmer Mizell had to leave the game after the seventh with a pulled back muscle, but he was back in action four days later.

Wilmer Mizell won just twice more all season, as he dealt with back problems.

Wilmer Mizell began the season with the Cardinals but only won one of his first nine games, posting a 4.55 ERA.

Wilmer Mizell started Game 3 of the 1960 World Series against the New York Yankees but was removed in the first inning, having given up three hits and a walk while only retiring one hitter.

Wilmer Mizell was slightly late for spring training due to the birth of his second son in 1962.

Wilmer Mizell's second appearance with the team was a start, though, in which he allowed four runs in six innings against the Cubs.

Wilmer Mizell participated in the Arizona Instructional League following the 1962 season, but when no teams signed him in 1963, he retired.

Wilmer Mizell won 14 of his first 17 decisions against the Cubs, but Chicago did better against him later in his career, winning 12 of their final 16 decisions against him.

Wilmer Mizell worked in sales and public relations for Pepsi-Cola until 1967.

Wilmer Mizell was elected to the Davidson County Board of Commissioners in 1966, an election that saw the Republicans gain control of all the local offices.

Wilmer Mizell served as the chairman of the board for two years.

In 1968, Wilmer Mizell was elected to represent the 5th District in the 91st United States Congress.

Wilmer Mizell was endorsed that year by Americans for Constitutional Action.

Wilmer Mizell opposed the Appalachian Power Company's Blue Ridge Power Project, a plan to build two dams on the New River.

Also in 1974, Wilmer Mizell proposed an amendment to the Legal Services Corporation Act, preventing the proposed government agency from handling desegregation suits.

The Watergate scandal affected Republican House members in 1974, and Mizell was upset by Democrat Stephen L Neal, 64,634 to 59,182.

Wilmer Mizell had been considering running for the Senate to replace Ervin, but he opted to run for the House again, considering this a safer election bet.

Wilmer Mizell criticized the Democrat for not owning a home in the district, calling him a "soft on defense" liberal that changed positions regularly on economic issues.

Wilmer Mizell enjoyed success in the annual Congressional Baseball Game, striking out seven Democrats in a row on one occasion.

Wilmer Mizell became the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Governmental and Public Affairs on August 23,1982.

Wilmer Mizell was the Agriculture Department's top lobbyist during the Reagan administration.

Wilmer Mizell helped start local physical fitness and sports councils around the country.

Nancy died in 1990, and Wilmer Mizell married Ruth Cox in 1991.

Wilmer Mizell had met Ruth at a Washington prayer breakfast, and the two spent the next several years "promoting prayer study," according to Mike Jaffe of the Society for American Baseball Research.

Smith and Wilmer Mizell stayed close friends after their careers had ended.

Wilmer Mizell was close friends with fellow Christian Don Demeter, whom Mizell struck out in his first MLB at bat.

Four months later, on February 21,1999, Wilmer Mizell died at the age of 68 in Kerrville, Texas, where he was visiting his wife's family.