KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Former University of Missouri pitcher Keith Weber, a native of Jefferson City, remains the NCAA leader in career ERA and also participated in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
Baseball was still a demonstration at the time, but Weber played for the U.S. team that beat a team of Japanese amateur all-stars 6-2 on Oct. 11, 1964, at Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium.
The U.S. squad’s post-Olympic tour included several other exhibition games.
As a collegiate star, Weber won 11 games in 1964, which is tied for the second most victories in a season by a pitcher in Mizzou history behind only Aaron Crow’s 13 in 2008.
Weber’s mark included a Tigers single-season record five shutouts, while his 0.50 ERA in 1963 is the second-lowest mark in MU history and his 0.61 ERA in 1964 remains fourth-lowest in a single season.
Weber’s career ERA (0.56) is a Mizzou and NCAA record (minimum 100 innings). He allowed only nine runs in 144 career innings.
Weber led the Tigers to the College World Series in 1963 and 1964, when Missouri reached the final and lost to Minnesota.
That MU pitching staff set an NCAA record for lowest team ERA (0.65) in 1964, allowing only 19 earned runs in 264 innings, and Weber was a first-team All-American that season.
During his two seasons at the College World Series appearances, Weber didn’t allow any earned runs in 24 1/3 innings, which remains the record for the most innings pitched without allowing a run in CWS history.
Weber also played quarterback for the Mizzou football team, but never appeared in varsity game due to injury.
He signed with the Mets after college, appearing in 20 career minor-league games during two seasons.
Weber went 5-6 with a 3.76 ERA, appearing in 15 games with Class AA Williamsport during his final season with the Mets in 1965.
After that season, Weber returned to Columbia for law school and served as an assistant coach on football coach Dan Devine’s staff.
He had a lucrative career in real estate, including the founding of Midland Properties and Midland Loan Services in Kansas City.
Weber was inducted into the Mizzou Athletics Hall of Fame in 1998 and was inducted as part of the 1964 MU baseball team in 2009. He was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.
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