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Wilhelm didn’t start his career at age 26.

Wilhelm played in 1942 at age 19 in Class D North Carolina State League. That league shut down during the war years and resumed in 1946 and Wilhelm pitched for the same club in that league at age 23. Ditto the next season at age 24.

He was a starting pitcher almost exclusively each season, in his twenties, during his entire minor league career—until he reached the majors at age 29.

Obviously, he was a Hall of Fame reliever as a major leaguer.