He played for the Chicago Orphans, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Senators, Boston Beaneaters, and New York Highlanders, primarily as a third baseman.

In addition to playing in MLB, Wolverton managed several minor league baseball teams.

Wolverton then enrolled at Kenyon College, where he played American football as a halfback, and baseball as a catcher.

Wolverton played semi-professional baseball for a Paulding, Ohio team for the summer of 1895, earning $60 a month ($2,197 in current dollar terms) as a pitcher and first baseman.

Manager Tom Burns named Wolverton his starting third baseman in 1899, and batted him third in the lineup.

[3] Wolverton tied a major league record in 1900 by hitting three triples in one game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Late in the 1900 season, he was struck in the head by a pole beside the Philadelphia streetcar tracks, fracturing his skull.

Wolverton batted .309 in 93 games in 1901, but broke his collarbone in a collision with Fred Tenney of the Boston Beaneaters.

[5] Wolverton batted .266 in 102 games during the 1904 season, once again leading NL third basemen in fielding percentage (.925).

[6] After the season, the Phillies traded Wolverton to the Beaneaters with Chick Fraser for Togie Pittinger.

[2][3] Though his .934 fielding percentage was second best among NL third basemen, trailing only Doc Casey,[7] the Beaneaters released Wolverton after the season.

[8] In 1912, Wolverton was named manager of the New York Highlanders of the AL, replacing Hal Chase.

He argued with the team's owners about the amount of money spent to acquire new players, and resigned on July 8, 1923.

[3] Wolverton purchased a farm in San Mateo, California in July 1917, after he was fired from the Seals.