[1] Wera began playing sandlot baseball, and joined Winona's top amateur team in 1921, when he was 19 years old.

[1] Wera made his professional baseball debut for the St. Paul Saints of the American Association in September.

[1] During a game on July 22, Wera collided with Ray Schalk of the Chicago White Sox at home plate.

[9][10] The Yankees recalled Wera after the PCL season ended in August and traded him to St. Paul with Al Shealy and Archie Campbell for Fred Heimach.

[11] The Yankees brought Wera to spring training in 1929, but optioned him to the Jersey City Skeeters of the International League.

[15] After the 1930 season, the Yankees purchased Wera from Jersey City,[16] so that they could send him to the San Francisco Seals of the PCL as part of the payment for Frankie Crosetti.

[1] Toronto released him before the 1937 season,[23] and he served as player-manager of the Crookston Pirates of the Northern League that year.

[32] The imposter was identified as William J. Wera through his fingerprints from his attempt to gain employment in a casino in Reno, Nevada, in July 1947.

[35] Graham contacted Jerry Donovan, a former teammate of Wera's with San Francisco who was president of the Far West League, who did not question the story and found that the imposter had enough knowledge of baseball to offer him the job with Oroville.