A first baseman, he appeared in the Major Leagues from 1962 to 1970, primarily for the Cleveland Indians and also for with the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos.

[2] Nicknamed "Wingy" for his unique throwing motion,[3] he threw and batted left-handed, stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg).

He was born in Vandiver, Alabama, one of four children of William Theodore and Inez Clarice (Brasher) Whitfield.

[4] At age 19, he married Helen Leverton of Gadsden, Alabama on February 9, 1957 and their household eventually numbered six children.

Two days later he made his first start, going 1-for-4 at Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field, with his first hit a fourth inning RBI single off Al McBean that scored Red Schoendienst.