Article: Bill Travers Dominated Early, but Injuries Limited His Career

[reillymcshane]

In 1976, 23-year old Bill Travers broke out with the Brewers with a 2.81 ERA over 240 innings (including 15 complete games) and an All-Star Game appearance. It made Travers one of the first successful home grown pitchers for the young Brewers organization.

William Edward Travers was born in Massachusetts in 1952. His father was a semi-pro baseball player. Travers was drafted by the Brewers in the 6th round of the 1970 draft when Bill was only 17 years old. After a rough first year (again, at age 17), Travers quickly rounded into form, showing promise as a  starter. However, in 1972, he developed arm troubles (requiring an early version of Tommy John surgery) and missed much of the next two years. 

But the Brewers loved Travers' fastball and control, thus earning him a call up to Milwaukee in 1974, where he (predictably) struggled in 53 innings of relief. Moving back into the rotation, Travers split 1975 between AAA and Milwaukee, ultimately solidifying himself in the rotation - where he remained for six years.

Travers had his breakout 1976 season - winning 15 games and leading the team with 4.5 bWAR and earning his only All-Star appearance. Sadly, this was Travers' high point, with various injuries (including another Tommy John operation) limiting his effectiveness and production.

From 1977 through 1980, Travers was a mainstay in the rotation, with some bad years (1977-78) and some solid ones (1979-1980).   

After the 1980 campaign, the Brewers let the 27-year old Travers walk in free agency. He signed a four-year deal (worth $4 million) with the Angels, but injuries limited him to only 52 ineffective innings over the length of the contract. His career was done at age 30.

Travers had one of those 'what if' careers. An All-Star season at age 23 was the pinnacle, but injuries would dim his star. Perhaps the heavy workload of that season contributed to his subsequent elbow issues, but you never know. A tall, lanky guy, Travers played in 191 games for Milwaukee (157 starts - completing 46 of those games and tossing 10 shutouts) and threw more than 1,000 innings. He won 65 games (against 71 losses) and produced a 3.99 ERA and a 1.366 WHIP. He was part of the rise of the big hitting Brewer teams of the late 70s/early 80s. In addition to his work on the field, Travers was known for his boundless sense of humor.

After baseball, Travers invested his earnings into real estate, and has enjoyed his life after the game. He coached youth baseball for years in Foxboro, MA, and was lauded as one of the architects of the community's youth baseball league. He also became heavily involved in candlepin bowling, and has been recognized as one of the best in the world. He was part of the U.S. team that won the 1998 World Championship.

Travers was inducted into the Brewer Wall of Fame in 2014.

Please share your memories of former Brewer pitcher Bill Travers.

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[Mass Haas]

I was 13 years old in that Bicentennial 1976 year and trying to build my budding Brewer fandom any way I could. Having Travers as a Massachusetts kid added to the fun. The '76 Brewers lost 95 games, but they were in the AL East and would make their Fenway visits, thrilling for Travers no doubt. Thanks for the article!

[Mass Haas]

I was 13 years old in that Bicentennial 1976 year and trying to build my budding Brewer fandom any way I could. Having Travers as a Massachusetts kid added to the fun. The '76 Brewers lost 95 games, but they were in the AL East and would make their Fenway visits, thrilling for Travers no doubt. Thanks for the article!

[Jim French Stepstool]

Not a pleasant memory, but I remember him being left out on the mound by Alex Grammas to give up some monstrous run total. Double digit IIRC. Grammas claimed the bullpen was overworked & needed to be saved but there was speculation that he just didn't like the guy.

[Jim French Stepstool]

Not a pleasant memory, but I remember him being left out on the mound by Alex Grammas to give up some monstrous run total. Double digit IIRC. Grammas claimed the bullpen was overworked & needed to be saved but there was speculation that he just didn't like the guy.

[Austin Tatious]

Travers pitched when I was a kid.  He was definitely a guy I would always hope on but injuries derailed him.  I didn’t give up on him for years.  Must have been 79 or 80, I remember him getting on a role and winning at a good clip.  He was still young and I thought there was a lot more potential.  If turned out that those years constituted his last hurrah.  

He might have had a different career today, the way pitching is handled more delicately.  

[Austin Tatious]

Travers pitched when I was a kid.  He was definitely a guy I would always hope on but injuries derailed him.  I didn’t give up on him for years.  Must have been 79 or 80, I remember him getting on a role and winning at a good clip.  He was still young and I thought there was a lot more potential.  If turned out that those years constituted his last hurrah.  

He might have had a different career today, the way pitching is handled more delicately.  

[reillymcshane]

On 9/4/2022 at 5:21 PM, Jim French Stepstool said:

Not a pleasant memory, but I remember him being left out on the mound by Alex Grammas to give up some monstrous run total. Double digit IIRC. Grammas claimed the bullpen was overworked & needed to be saved but there was speculation that he just didn't like the guy.

You are not wrong. In 1977. Grammas left Travers in for 8 innings and 155 pitches. He gave up 14 runs. He had elbow surgery again the off season. 

Really a travesty to waste players like that. I'm sure it was an old school 'make him gut it out' kind of thing. But screwing up a guy's arm was just stupid.

[reillymcshane]

On 9/4/2022 at 5:21 PM, Jim French Stepstool said:

Not a pleasant memory, but I remember him being left out on the mound by Alex Grammas to give up some monstrous run total. Double digit IIRC. Grammas claimed the bullpen was overworked & needed to be saved but there was speculation that he just didn't like the guy.

You are not wrong. In 1977. Grammas left Travers in for 8 innings and 155 pitches. He gave up 14 runs. He had elbow surgery again the off season. 

Really a travesty to waste players like that. I'm sure it was an old school 'make him gut it out' kind of thing. But screwing up a guy's arm was just stupid.