Willie Kamm

William Edward Kamm (February 2, 1900 – December 21, 1988) was an American professional baseball player who played third base in Major League Baseball from 1923 to 1935. Born in San Francisco, California, Kamm spent most of his career with the Chicago White Sox before finishing with the Cleveland Indians, and was the dominant defensive third baseman in the American League for most of his career.

Kamm was the first player in major league history to be purchased from the minor leagues for $100,000. He made his major league debut at age 23 with the Chicago White Sox in 1923, hitting 39 doubles with 89 runs batted in. He raised his RBI total to 93 in 1924, when he led American League third basemen in putouts, assists, and fielding percentage. His best season at the plate came in 1928, when he posted a .308 batting average with 84 runs batted in and finished fifth in the American League Most Valuable Player Award voting, despite the White Sox finishing the season in fifth place. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians in the middle of the 1931 season, where he continued to perform well.