 GO TO YOU KNOW YOU'RE FROM PARSONS, KS. WHEN Darrell Dut Whetzel says, "1957, the year my brother, Hut Whetzel, played in the Dodger's farm system. He tore his rotator cuff the next year and his baseball career was over. I believe he would have made it to the major leagues if not for the injury. I have watched, in person, over 140 minor league baseball games, over half of them in Triple A, and I have only seen about a half dozen pitchers that I thought were as good as Hut. All of those guys are in or have been in the major leagues. But who am I to say, I was his biggest fan". Harold G. “Hut” Whetzel, 83, native Parsonian, died at 1:21 a.m., Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, where he was taken following a one car accident Tuesday evening in Parsons. He was born June 19, 1938, on a farm southwest of Parsons to Earl L. and Marie (Kirk) Whetzel. The family moved to the Chicago area in 1942 and he started grade school there. In 1946 they returned to Parsons and he attended Washington School, West Junior High School, and Parsons High School, where he graduated in 1956. He graduated from Parsons Junior College in 1958 and attended Kansas State College at Pittsburg. Hut was a gifted athlete, particularly in baseball and basketball. In high school, he played basketball on two state tournament qualifying teams. He also played basketball at Parsons Junior College and was recognized as Honorable Mention Junior College All Ameican. His baseball career began with playing in the PeeWee leagues in Parsons and American Legion baseball and Ban Johnson baseball and he was named All-State American Legion baseball pitcher in 1954. Hut signed a bonus contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1958 and played one year of minor league ball in Shawnee, OK (Sooner State League) until a shoulder injury ended his career. Always the supporter of baseball, Hut coached Babe Ruth and American Legion baseball in Parsons for 15 years. In 1957 he began working for Ankortite/Dayton Superior and remained there until his retirement in February of 2010. He was active in the Machinists Union and was the long-time treasurer of the organization. He was an ardent K.U. basketball fan and was a lifelong Brooklyn and L.A. Dodger fan. In retirement, he enjoyed playing cards at the Parsons Senior Center. He attended the Faith United Methodist Church and the Western Way Cowboy Church. On September 30, 1960, he and Bette Ray Sterling were married in Parsons. She survives and is currently a patient at Freeman Hospital in Joplin. Other survivors include a daughter, Terri Whetzel, and grandsons Brock and Brice Willard; brothers Leon Whetzel (Cecilia) and Darold “Dut” Whetzel (Nancy) a sister-in-law, Sue Ann (Sterling) Boerding; niece, Roxanne (Whetzel) Walker; nephews, Lloyd, Marty, Josh and Aaron Whetzel, Lee Alan and Noel Salyers and Mike, Keith and Greg Boerding. Among those preceding him in death were his parents, and a daughter, Lori Rae. A memorial service will be planned at a future date. Memorials are suggested to assist the family will expenses. They may be left at or sent to the Carson-Wall Funeral Home at Box 942, Parsons, KS 67357. Online messages may be left at www.wallfuneralservices.com. GO BACK | ||