I had the pleasure of interviewing former major leaguer John Werhas for my forthcoming book, Before They Wore Dodger Blue. The former Dodgers third baseman offered insights from his time with the Dodgers and Triple-A Hawaii Islanders and shared anecdotes about his longtime friend, Tommy Lasorda. During our conversation, I asked Werhas about the nickname listed on his Baseball Reference page: “Peaches.” Although it didn’t fit in the book, it’s a fun story.  

Werhas grew up in the Detroit suburb of Highland Park. Naturally, he became a Tigers fan. He spent his childhood cheering on the likes of Hal Newhouser, Harvey Keunn, George Kell, and Al Kaline at Briggs Stadium. The summer after Werhas’s ninth-grade year, his family moved to San Pedro, California.

Werhas sprouted to 6-foot-2 and possessed tremendous athleticism. After graduating from Rolling Hills Prep High School, he starred in both baseball and basketball at USC. He enrolled on a basketball scholarship but preferred baseball. “I desperately wanted to make it to the big leagues,” recalled Werhas. “That was everything that drove me as an individual.”

John Werhas played forward for the USC Trojans and was drafted by the Lakers.

Werhas, a third baseman, acquired the moniker “Peaches” during a baseball game between the Trojans and team of marines at Camp Pendleton. Earl Wilson, a member of the Camp Pendleton squad, attempted to advance from first to third on a single. When the outfielder’s throw landed in Werhas’s glove, Wilson was several strides from the base. Instead of sliding, the future 20-game winner jumped into Werhas spikes high, causing a large gash to his left knee. Werhas responded by throwing the ball at Wilson, and the two engaged in a brief scuffle. “The stadium was full of marines,” recalled Werhas, “and they started yelling at me and calling me peaches.” After the game, USC coach Rod Dedeaux had a little fun with Werhas and wrote “Peaches” on his warmup jacket.

John Werhas played third base under legendary coach Rod Dedeaux at USC.

The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Werhas in 1960, but he declined their modest offer and instead signed with the Dodgers for $20,000. In Vero Beach the following spring, clubhouse attendant Jim Muhe unpacked Werhas’s gym bag and saw the warmup jacket inscribed with “Peaches.” When a Baseball Digest reporter asked the rookie if he had any nicknames, Muhe piped up and said, “Yeah, his nickname is Peaches.” Werhas asked the sportswriter not to write it down. The scribe ignored the request. “Once it gets in here,” promised the reporter, “you can’t get it out.” 

Werhas went on to play 13 seasons of affiliated ball, including parts of three campaigns with the Dodgers and Angels. Although he managed a meager .173 batting average in 168 major-league at-bats, he accumulated 1,368 hits and 141 home runs in the minors, mostly at Triple A.

In retrospect, Werhas insisted no one ever really called him “Peaches.” However, the nickname Dedeaux and Muhe perpetuated did show up in a few newspaper stories early in his career.

It turns out the Baseball Digest reporter was right. The nickname stuck. More than a half-century later, “Peaches” remains etched into John Werhas’s story.

The post appeared first on Eric Vickrey.