Who Is Moe Berg? Age, Biography and Wiki
Moe Berg would have celebrated his 123rd birthday in 2025 if he were still alive. Born in New York City to Jewish immigrant parents, Berg quickly showcased remarkable intelligence alongside his athletic abilities. He attended Princeton University, where he graduated with a degree in modern languages. Known for his articulate nature and keen interest in languages, Berg gained prominence in Major League Baseball, playing as a catcher for teams like the Chicago White Sox and the Boston Red Sox. His unique double life as an athlete and a spy during World War II adds a layer of intrigue to his legacy.
| Occupation | Baseball Players |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | March 2, 1902 |
| Age | 70 Years |
| Birth Place | New York City, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Pisces |
| Country | Jersey |
| Date of death | 29 May, 1972 |
| Died Place | Belleville, New Jersey, U.S. |
Popularity
Moe Berg's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
Moe Berg stood approximately 6 feet tall and weighed around 180 pounds during his playing career. His athletic build afforded him agility on the field, a quality that many baseball players admire. Despite his physical prowess, it was Berg's sharp intellect that truly set him apart from his peers.
During his freshman year, Berg played first base on an undefeated team. Beginning in his sophomore year, he was the starting shortstop. He was not a great hitter and was a slow baserunner, but he had a strong, accurate throwing arm and sound baseball instincts.
In his senior season, he was captain of the team and had a .337 batting average, batting .611 against Princeton's arch-rivals, Harvard and Yale. Berg and Crossan Cooper, Princeton's second baseman, communicated plays in Latin when there was an opposing player on second base.
Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Berg never married, nor is there strong evidence suggesting he pursued any serious romantic relationships during his lifetime. His dedication to baseball and later, his intelligence work, occupied much of his time. There have been anecdotal claims regarding various non-serious relationships, but none have been substantiated enough to indicate a boyfriend or partner.
Berg was the third and youngest child of Bernard Berg, a pharmacist who emigrated from Ukraine, and his wife Rose (née Tashker), a homemaker, both Jewish, who lived in the Harlem section of New York City, a few blocks from the Polo Grounds. When Berg was three and a half, he begged his mother to let him start school.
Net Worth and Salary
While Moe Berg's financial records are not thoroughly documented, it is known that he earned a modest salary as a professional baseball player during the early to mid-20th century. His net worth, at the time of his passing in 1972, was estimated to be around $200,000, a considerable sum for the period. Adjusted for inflation, this would be roughly equivalent to about $1.4 million today.
During spring training at the Robins facility in Clearwater, Florida, manager Wilbert Robinson could see that Berg's hitting had not improved, and optioned him to the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association. Berg did not take the demotion well and threatened to quit baseball, but by mid-April he reported to the Millers.
Berg did very well once he became the Millers' regular third baseman, hitting close to .330, but in July his average plummeted and he was back on the bench. On August 19, 1924, Berg was lent to the Toledo Mud Hens, a poor team ravaged by injuries.
Berg was inserted into the lineup at shortstop when Rabbit Helgeth refused to pay a $10 ($0 today) fine for poor play and was suspended. Major league scout Mike González sent a telegram to the Dodgers evaluating Berg with the curt, but now famous, line, "Good field, no hit." Berg finished the season with a .264 average.
Career, Business and Investments
Moe Berg enjoyed an impressive career in Major League Baseball from 1923 to 1939. After his baseball career, he took on a role in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II, where he conducted espionage activities in Europe—most notably, he was involved in gathering scientific intelligence regarding the German atomic bomb project. Post-war, Berg spoke publicly about his experiences, further solidifying his legacy as both an athlete and a spy. He never ventured strongly into business or investment, preferring instead to lead a more understated life after his retirement.
As a spy working for the government of the United States, Berg traveled to Yugoslavia to gather intelligence on resistance groups which the U.S. government was considering supporting. He was sent on a mission to Italy, where he interviewed various physicists concerning the German nuclear weapons program.
After the war, Berg was occasionally employed by the Central Intelligence Agency, successor to the Office of Strategic Services.
Social Network
Moe Berg was not a product of the social media age as we know it today, but his life and career have been brought to light through various documentaries, books, and films. His story has resonated with many, leading to a resurgence of interest. To keep up with information about Moe Berg, one may look into fan pages or historical archives dedicated to baseball and espionage.
After his playing career ended, Berg worked as a Red Sox coach in 1940 and 1941. Berg punctuated his career in baseball with "Pitchers and Catchers," a widely admired valedictory essay on the meaning and playing of the game, published in the September 1941 issue of The Atlantic Monthly.
A 2018 profile of Berg in The New York Times described the essay as "still one of the most insightful works ever penned about the game."
Education
Berg was a highly educated individual. He graduated from Princeton University, where he majored in modern languages. His education not only contributed to his exceptional baseball career but also equipped him with the skills needed for his later work in intelligence.
Berg was a graduate of Princeton University and Columbia Law School, spoke several languages, and regularly read ten newspapers a day.
His reputation as an intellectual was fueled by his successful appearances as a contestant on the radio quiz show Information Please, in which he answered questions about the etymology of words and names from Greek and Latin, historical events in Europe and the Far East, and ongoing international conferences.
