Bill Burwell

Who was Bill Burwell?

William Edwin Burwell was an American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Browns and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Born in Jarbalo, Kansas, Burwell won 239 minor league games during a 22-year playing career. He pitched for all or parts of 12 straight seasons for the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association. He also fashioned a lengthy post-pitching career as a minor league manager and Major League pitching coach. He worked in the latter role for the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Burwell was acting manager of the Pirates for the final game of the 1947 season, after player-manager Billy Herman resigned as manager with one game remaining. Under Burwell, the Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 7-0. He also was a longtime scout for the Pirates.

While working as pitching coach for the Class B Davenport Pirates of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in 1949, Burwell was instrumental to the development of pitcher Vern Law, teaching him how to change speeds and throw the change-up. Law later cited Burwell as the coach who most helped him during his time in the minor leagues.