Hoyt Wilhelm

James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge," was an American professional baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1952 to 1972. Wilhelm grew up in North Carolina and fought in World War II before spending several years in the minor leagues, beginning his major league career at the age of 29.

Over two decades he pitched for the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, California Angels, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was best known for his knuckleball, which enabled his great longevity. Though he appeared occasionally as a starting pitcher, he worked mainly in relief. Wilhelm won 124 games in relief, which remains the major league record as of 2026. He was the first pitcher to reach 200 saves and the first to appear in 1,000 games.

Wilhelm was nearly 30 when he entered the major leagues and pitched until he was nearly 50. He retired with a career earned run average of 2.52, among the lowest in baseball history. After retiring as a player in 1972, he held longtime coaching jobs with the New York Yankees. Wilhelm was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.