Mount Pulaski set to retire Dennis
Werth’s number ahead of alumni baseball game
[May 09, 2025]
This Saturday, May 10th, Dennis Werth will become the first
athlete from Mount Pulaski High School to have his uniform number
retired. The ceremony will take place at 12:45 p.m. at Veterans
Park, just ahead of the 1:00 p.m. first pitch of the Hilltoppers
alumni baseball game.
Werth graduated from MPHS in 1971 and during his years as a
Hilltopper, he wore no. 15 for the baseball team. Werth was a
catcher for Mount Pulaski who caught every inning of every game in
high school, except when he wasn’t on the mound pitching.
Werth was a tremendous athlete who went on to play in the major
leagues for the New York Yankees and the Kansas City Royals. Werth
also attended Lincoln College, where he is a member of the Athletic
Hall of Fame, and Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville,
where his uniform number is also retired.
Werth was drafted in the 19th round of the 1974 Major League
Baseball draft. He signed his first professional contract with a
scout from the New York Yankees at the old Holiday Inn in Lincoln,
Illinois.
Werth played professional baseball for eleven years, spending time
in the major leagues from 1979 to 1982. He was a member of the
Yankees 1981 American League Championship team.
Werth may have been drafted in baseball but he still listed
basketball as his favorite sport to play in high school. He sure
excelled at both sports while at MPHS.
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Following Saturday’s ceremony, alumni of the Mount Pulaski baseball
program will take the field for a seven inning game. Coach Troy
Burgard has managed to gather approximately 25 former players to
make up a purple and a gold squad.
Grilled pork chops and hotdogs will also be available with proceeds
going towards the students’ Washington D.C. trip. The concession
stand will also have additional drinks and snacks for sale.
The Hilltoppers will also be selling tickets to a baseball game at
Busch Stadium. The high school team needs to sell 700 tickets to get
the chance to play at Busch Stadium on June 29th. By purchasing a
ticket fans will also receive admission to a Cardinals/Braves game
on Sunday, July 13th.
The weather is looking sunny and hot for Saturday, a perfect day to
come out to the ballpark, chat with Dennis Werth and watch some of
your favorite ballplayers put on a uniform and step into the
batter’s box one more time.
[Teena Lowery]
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