Joe Doerr

Joe Doerr

Joe Doerr

(Class of 1964)

 Joe Doerr was a three-year starter in basketball and baseball and was one of the key players on Wheeling Central Catholic High School’s only undefeated hardwood team in school history. The play-making point guard averaged 9.8 points per game while helping lead the Maroon Knights to a 23-0 record in 1963, culminated with a victory over Huntington St. Joseph in the championship game of the West Virginia Catholic Tournament. In addition, he was the assist leader and a determined defender on that powerhouse team coached by another Wheeling Central Catholic Hall of Fame honoree Earl Haberfield. One other member of that talented squad, Ed “Butch” Erb was previously enshrined individually along with entire roster of players on the 1963 club.

  The Maroon Knights were crowned as City and all-Ohio Valley Athletic Conference champions that year and were voted the No. 1 team (all classes) in the entire state by UPI. Another highlight of that season were two wins over Weir High School the only defeats handed to  the Ron “Fritz” Williams-led Red Rider powerhouse which finished the season with a 25-2 record and captured the West Virginia Class AAA championship.

  Doerr’s standout play earned him multiple all-WV Catholic first team berths in both basketball and baseball. He also was a first-team selection on the all-City and all-OVAC teams in both sports.

  In baseball where Doerr would achieve future stardom on the collegiate level, he played shortstop on yet another state Catholic championship team.

  As a freshman at West Liberty State College (now University), Doerr played third base and was the leading hitter with a .468 average in the 1964 NAIA World Series while sparking the Hilltoppers to their only national championship in baseball. He drove home the winning run in two of the games and scored the winning tally in the championship game of the NAIA Series. Doerr returned to play his sophomore season but then was drafted by the Chicago Cubs. He played two seasons in the Cubs’ farm system where he was managed by Wheeling native George “Bud” Freese.

2018-07-17T08:58:45-04:00
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