Herb White was named New York City’s top high school player in 1935, after hitting .365, .420 and .553 at Tottenville High School. An outstanding defensive catcher, he hit for a .310 average over five seasons in the Yankee organization, but spent the next five years in military service during World War II.
With his best baseball behind him, White found a career on the Fire Department, coached the Wagner College baseball team, and was named to the Staten Island Advance All-Century Team.
Did You Know?
Herb White, a cousin of Hall of Famer Matty White, was days from finishing his Army enlistment and getting back to baseball when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The next time – and the last time – he played pro ball was in 1946, when he hit .500, drove in three runs and scored two in five games with the Kansas City Blues, the Yankees’ Triple-A farm team.