Highlighted Year: Ed Delahanty, 1902

Outfielder/First Baseman, Washington Senators

Age:  34

1^st season with Senators

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’1”    Weight: 170 

Prior to 1902:

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Delahanty played several sports, but primarily baseball, in his youth. Demonstrating clear talent as a hitter, he joined the semipro Cleveland Shamrocks. Successful with that team, he moved on to Mansfield of the Ohio State League in 1887 for $50 per month. He batted .351 and scored 90 runs. In 1888 with Wheeling of the Tri-state League, Delahanty was hitting .421 after 21 games when his contract was purchased by the NL’s Philadelphia Phillies. Lacking discipline at the plate at this time he batted only .228 in 74 games and also was a disappointment at second base during the remainder of 1888. His batting improved in 1889 to .293 with a .333 OBP. He also played 31 games in the outfield in addition to 24 at second base. In 1890 he made the jump to Cleveland of the rival Players League and hit .296 with 26 doubles, 13 triples, 3 home runs, and 64 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, and a .337 OBP. Following the demise of the Players League Delahanty returned to the Phillies as an outfielder/first baseman but batted only .243 in 1891. Having worked out in the offseason and reporting to the Phillies in excellent condition in 1892, he put together an impressive season, hitting .306 with a .360 OBP while leading the NL in triples (21) and slugging (.495). The key hitter in a highly productive Philadelphia lineup, Delahanty followed up in 1893 by pacing the league in home runs (19), RBIs (146), and slugging (.583) while hitting .368 with 35 doubles, 18 triples, and a .423 OBP. A pull-hitting power hitter, Delahanty was adept at frustrating defenses by sometimes hitting to the opposite field. When outfielders respecting his power played deep, he could poke hits just beyond the infield. “Big Ed” was also a disciplined hitter who drew many walks as his career progressed. In 1894 he batted .405 with a .477 OBP and .585 slugging percentage (which were not league-leading figures) along with 39 doubles and 19 triples, and 133 RBIs, although his home run total dropped to 4. He also went six-for-six batting in a game along the way (a feat he had already performed in the Players League in 1890). In 1895 he did led the league with a .500 OBP and 49 doubles while hitting .404 with 11 home runs and 106 RBIs. In 1896 he topped the circuit with 13 home runs, of which four came in one game (the second player to perform the feat which remains a single-game record). Additionally, he topped the NL with 44 doubles and a .631 slugging percentage. In addition to his prodigious hitting, Delahanty developed into a good defensive left fielder. Along with center fielder Billy Hamilton and right fielder Sam Thompson, Delahanty was part of one of the best outfields of his era. Despite the presence of Delahanty and his outfield mates, the Phillies failed to win a pennant during his time with the club. Delahanty remained a highly productive hitter in 1897 and ’98, when he also led the league with 58 stolen bases, a testament to his speed on the basepaths. In 1899 he won a batting title with his .410 average. After hitting .323 in 1900 and .354 with a league-leading 38 doubles in 1901, all while earning $3000 a year, Delahanty jumped to the Senators of the new rival American League in 1902 where he was named team captain.

1902 Season Summary

Appeared in 123 games

LF – 111, 1B – 13

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 541

At Bats – 473

Runs – 103 [5]

Hits – 178 [4]

Doubles – 43 [1, tied with Harry Davis]

Triples – 14 [3, tied with Hobe Ferris]

Home Runs – 10 [5]

RBI – 93 [5, tied with George Davis]

Bases on Balls – 62 [6, tied with Dave Fultz]

Int. BB – N/A

Strikeouts – 9

Stolen Bases – 16

Caught Stealing – N/A

Average - .376 [2]

OBP - .453 [1]

Slugging Pct. - .590 [1]

Total Bases – 279 [4]

GDP – N/A

Hit by Pitches – 4

Sac Hits – 0

Sac Flies – N/A

League-leading OBP was +.034 ahead of runner-up Nap Lajoie

League-leading slugging percentage was +.025 ahead of runner-up Nap Lajoie

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 19, 3B – 9, HR - 5, RBI – 52, AVG – .390, OBP - .461, SLG – .610

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 6 AB) at Detroit 8/31 – 10 innings

Longest hitting streak – 19 games

HR at home – 9

HR on road – 1

Most home runs, game – 1 on ten occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Phila. A’s 4/28, vs. Chi. White Sox 5/30

Pinch-hitting – No appearances

Fielding (OF)

Chances – 257

Put Outs – 236

Assists – 11

Errors – 10

DP – 0

Pct. - .961

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The Senators went 61-75 to finish sixth in the AL, 22 games behind the pennant-winning Philadelphia Athletics while leading the league in doubles (261), home runs (47), slugging (.395), and fewest stolen bases (121). The Senators were 14-21 by the end of May and remained mired deep in the second division. By Pennsylvania court order, Delahanty could not play for the Senators when they went to Philadelphia. He was originally awarded the AL batting championship although later research showed that Cleveland’s Nap Lajoie finished with a higher average of .378.

Aftermath of 1902:

Later in 1902 Delahanty’s wife suffered a serious illness and he lost considerable money due to gambling and heavy drinking. He signed a large three-year contract with the NL’s New York Giants that was invalidated by the peace agreement between the AL and NL, forcing Delahanty to have to return a $4000 cash advance to the Giants and return to the Senators in 1903. Sidelined by back and ankle injuries, he hit well when he returned to action in late May and had a .333 average after 42 games when he abruptly quit the team, still hoping to join the Giants. With his behavior becoming more erratic, he briefly returned to the Senators, who were on the road in Detroit. Traveling by train to New York, Delahanty’s violent and disruptive behavior caused the conductor to order him off the train on the Canadian side of the Niagara River across from Buffalo. Attempting to cross the International Railway Bridge on foot, he scuffled with the night watchman who later reported that Delahanty either jumped or fell from the bridge. He was swept over Niagara Falls and his body was found a week later 20 miles downriver from the Falls. Dead at 35, it was a sad end to Delahanty’s life and career. For his major league career, Delahanty batted .346 with 2597 hits that included 522 doubles, 186 triples, and 101 home runs. He scored 1600 runs and compiled 1466 RBIs, 456 stolen bases, a .411 OBP, and a .505 slugging percentage. With the Senators he batted .366 with 125 runs scored, 230 hits, 54 doubles, 15 triples, 11 home runs, 114 RBIs, 19 stolen bases, a .437 OBP, and a .552 slugging percentage. Delahanty was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945. Three of his brothers, Jim, Joe, and Tom also played major league baseball.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Tommy Harper, 1969

Second Baseman/Third Baseman/Outfielder, Seattle Pilots

Age:  28

1^st season with Pilots

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’9”    Weight: 165 

Prior to 1969:

Born in Louisiana, Harper moved with his family to Alameda, California at age 4. An excellent all-around athlete, in addition to baseball, he was a star quarterback at Encinal High School and also captained the basketball team and was a track & field sprinter. Following high school he enrolled at San Francisco State to pursue a physical education degree. After his first year, he signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 1960. Initially assigned to Topeka of the Class B Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League, the 19-year-old second baseman batted .254 with 22 extra-base hits, 26 stolen bases, and drew 76 walks to give him a .429 on-base percentage. Still with Topeka in 1961, Harper hit .324 with 27 doubles, 11 triples, 15 home runs, 65 RBIs, 31 stolen bases, and a .488 OBP thanks to his drawing 136 walks. In addition to being the league’s all-star second baseman, Harper was named MVP as well. He started the 1962 season with the Reds, but when his hitting slumped he was sent down to San Diego of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League where he batted .333 with 24 doubles, 8 triples, 26 home runs, and 84 RBIs. He also stole 22 bases, drew 105 walks, and produced a .450 OBP, and a .569 slugging percentage. Harper was back with the Reds in 1963 where he was shifted to the outfield. Appearing at all three outfield positions, he hit .260 with 10 home runs, 37 RBIs, 12 stolen bases in 13 tries, and a .335 OBP. He was named a Topps Rookie All-Star. Platooned primarily in left field in 1964, Harper had a disappointing season, batting .243 with 11 extra-base hits, 22 RBIs, 24 stolen bases, and a .326 OBP. In the offseason he did reserve duty at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Playing regularly in left field in 1965, where he proved to be a good fit defensively, Harper displayed more power by hitting 18 home runs with 64 RBIs while batting .257 and drawing 78 walks for a .340 OBP. He also scored a league-leading 126 runs and stole 35 bases, but his 127 strikeouts were a cause of concern. He performed a different sort of service in the offseason, teaching sports to boys in detention at the Montgomery County Family Court Center in Dayton. In 1966 Harper had hitting streaks of 17 and 24 games but a late-season slump combined with poor hitting on the road (he batted .231 on the road and .327 at home) left him at .278 with a .348 OBP. His home run total dropped to 5, along with 22 doubles and 5 triples and he stole 29 bases while drawing 57 walks and whiffing 85 times. In 1967 a broken right wrist cost Harper two months of action and, limited to 103 games. He ended up hitting .225 with 7 home runs, 22 RBIs, 23 stolen bases, and a .306 OBP. In the offseason he was traded to Cleveland for three players. Platooned once again with the Indians (much to his displeasure), he hit .217 in 1968 with 15 doubles, 6 home runs, 26 RBIs, 11 stolen bases, and a .295 OBP. Left unprotected in the AL expansion draft, Harper was chosen by the Pilots, who had him starting the 1969 season at second base, although he would end up playing an equal number of games at third.

1969 Season Summary

Appeared in 148 games

2B – 59, 3B – 59, CF – 22, PH – 8, LF – 4, RF – 1, PR – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 640

At Bats – 537

Runs – 78

Hits – 126

Doubles – 10

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 9

RBI – 41

Bases on Balls – 95 [9]

Int. BB – 2

Strikeouts – 90 [17]

Stolen Bases – 73 [1]

Caught Stealing – 18 [1, tied with Don Buford]

Average - .235

OBP - .349

Slugging Pct. - .311

Total Bases – 167

GDP – 8

Hit by Pitches – 1

Sac Hits – 4

Sac Flies – 3

League-leading stolen bases were +11 ahead of runner-up Bert Campaneris

Midseason snapshot: HR – 5, RBI – 20, SB – 44, AVG – .236, OBP – .359

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Most hits, game – 3 on eight occasions

Longest hitting streak – 12 games

HR at home – 7

HR on road – 2

Most home runs, game – 1 on nine occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 3 vs. Detroit 6/1, vs. Cleveland 8/24

Pinch-hitting/running – 1 for 5 (.200) with 1 R, 1 RBI & 2 BB

Fielding (2B)

Chances – 269

Put Outs – 113

Assists – 145

Errors – 11

DP – 33

Pct. - .959

Awards & Honors:

29^th in AL MVP voting, tied with five others (2 points, 1% share)

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In their inaugural season, the Pilots went 64-98 to finish sixth (last) in the AL Western Division, 33 games behind the division-winning Minnesota Twins while leading the league in stolen bases (167) and batting strikeouts (1015). Underfinanced and playing in decrepit Sicks Stadium, where they managed to draw 677,944 fans, the Pilots were surprisingly competitive until a 10-game August losing streak dropped the injury-riddled club into the AL West cellar. In the offseason they were bought by a Milwaukee group and relocated.

Aftermath of 1969:

The bankrupt Pilots were moved to Milwaukee and re-named the Brewers in 1970. Harper, now primarily playing at third base, had an outstanding season as he batted .296 with 31 home runs, 82 RBIs, 38 stolen bases, 77 walks drawn, and a .377 OBP, becoming the fifth NL/AL player to hit 30 home runs and steal 30 bases in a season. Along the way he was an All-Star for the only time in his career. He got off to a slow start in 1971 and his batting average bottomed out at .155 in May. His hitting improved when he was moved from third base to left field and he finished at .258 with 14 home runs, 52 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, 65 walks drawn, and a .333 OBP. Following the season, he was dealt as part of a major multi-player trade with the Boston Red Sox. Regularly playing in center field, in 1972 Harper hit .254 with 29 doubles, 14 home runs, 92 runs scored, 49 RBIs, 25 stolen bases, and a .341 OBP. With Carl Yastrzemski moving to first base in 1973, Harper was shifted to left field and, following a slow start, he went on a batting tear from July onward to finish at .281 with 17 home runs, 71 RBIs, a .351 OBP, and a league-leading 54 stolen bases. He placed 13^th in AL MVP voting. Despite his fine performance, Harper entered the 1974 season dealing with much uncertainty. Having made some major offseason trades, and with some talented outfielders making their way through the minors, the Red Sox had some questions regarding where the 33-year-old veteran fit in. Hindered by injuries, he made 61 appearances in left field and 51 as Designated Hitter to end up batting .237 with 15 doubles, 5 home runs, 24 RBIs, a .312 OBP, and 28 stolen bases. Dealt to the California Angels in the offseason, he was utilized primarily as a DH in 1975 and was hitting .239 when he was sold to the Oakland Athletics in August. He finished with a combined .254 average with 5 homers, 38 RBIs, a .337 OBP, and 26 stolen bases. Oakland topped the AL West and Harper saw his only taste of postseason action in the ALCS loss to the Red Sox, drawing a walk in his only plate appearance. Released by the A’s in the offseason, Harper spent one last major league season with the Baltimore Orioles in 1976, mostly appearing as a DH, pinch-hitter, or pinch-runner and batting .234. Waived by the Orioles and failing to make the A’s in 1977, Harper became a minor league instructor and scout with the New York Yankees. For his major league career he batted .257 with 1609 hits that included 256 doubles, 36 triples, and 146 home runs. He scored 972 runs and compiled 567 RBIs, 408 stolen bases, drawing 753 walks and posting a .338 OBP. With the Pilots/Brewers he batted .264 with 456 hits, 261 runs scored, 71 doubles, 9 triples, 54 home runs, 136 stolen bases, and a .354 OBP. A one-time All-Star, he received league MVP votes on four occasions, with his highest finish being sixth in 1970 with the Brewers. Following his time with the Yankees organization, Harper worked in several different capacities for the Red Sox, sometimes laced with controversy due to issues pertaining to racial discrimination. He also coached for the Montreal Expos. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2010.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20), pitching wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10), or have been participants in the annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category will also include Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.

Highlighted Year: Chuck Carr, 1993

Outfielder, Florida Marlins

Age:  26 (Aug. 10)

1^st season with Marlins

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 155 

Prior to 1993:

A California native and son of athlete parents, Carr starred in center field at Fontana High School. Selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1986 amateur draft he hit poorly in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, batting .171 in 44 games with 9 stolen bases. Released by the Reds, Carr signed with the Seattle Mariners in 1987. Assigned to Bellingham of the Class A Northwest League that year, he improved his batting average to .242 with a .298 on-base percentage and stole 20 bases in 21 attempts. Moving on to the Wausau Timbers of the Class A Midwest League in 1988, Carr improved to .299 with a .327 OBP, 14 doubles, 6 home runs, 30 RBIs, 58 runs scored, and 41 stolen bases in 52 attempts, earning promotion to Vermont of the Class AA Eastern League where he finished up the season by batting .245 with 21 steals in 41 games. Traded to the New York Mets in the offseason, Carr spent 1989 with Jackson of the Class AA Texas League where he hit .241 with 14 extra-base hits, 47 stolen bases, and a .285 OBP. Back with Jackson again in 1990, he started off well and received a call-up to the Mets to fill in for an injured outfielder. His major league stay was brief and uneventful, as he was returned to Jackson until another injury had him back, again briefly, with the Mets. For the year with Jackson and Class AAA Tidewater, where he was promoted to in August, Carr batted a combined .258 with a .329 OBP, 24 doubles, 10 triples, 3 home runs, and 32 RBIs with 54 stolen bases. Cocky and flamboyant, Carr had impressive speed and showed a tendency to make exciting plays in the field. With Tidewater in 1991 Carr’s batting average dropped to .195, but he again spent a little time with the Mets and recorded his first two major league hits. Dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals in the offseason, he started 1992 back in Class AA and Arkansas of the Texas League to work on his hitting. Minor league hitting instructor Johnny Lewis adjusted his swing and promoted to Louisville of the Class AAA American Association, Carr batted .308 with 11 doubles, 9 triples, 3 home runs, and 53 stolen bases in 96 games and received a September call-up to the Cardinals, where he impressed with his speed but not his hitting. In the offseason the Marlins chose him in the expansion draft. By mid-April of the 1993 season Carr, still officially a rookie, became the new club’s starting center fielder and leadoff hitter.

1993 Season Summary

Appeared in 142 games

CF – 139, PR – 2, PH – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 613

At Bats – 551

Runs – 75

Hits – 147

Doubles – 19

Triples – 2

Home Runs – 4

RBI – 41

Bases on Balls – 49

Int. BB – 0

Strikeouts – 74

Stolen Bases – 58 [1]

Caught Stealing – 22 [1]

Average - .267

OBP - .327

Slugging Pct. - .330

Total Bases – 182

GDP – 6

Hit by Pitches – 2

Sac Hits – 7

Sac Flies – 4 

League-leading stolen bases were +5 ahead of runner-up Marquis Grissom

League-leading times caught stealing were +3 ahead of runners-up Eric Young & Brett Butler

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 13, HR – 2, RBI – 30, SB – 28, AVG - .255, OBP - .322

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Most hits, game – 4 (in 5 AB) at Pittsburgh 5/27, (in 5 AB) vs. San Diego 9/2

Longest hitting streak – 15 games

HR at home – 3

HR on road – 1

Most home runs, game – 1 on four occasions

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 at Montreal 5/12

Pinch-hitting – 0 for 1 (.000)

Fielding

Chances - 406

Put Outs – 393

Assists – 7

Errors – 6

DP – 2

Pct. - .985

Awards & Honors:

4th in NL Rookie of the Year voting (18 points, 13% share)

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In their inaugural season, the Marlins went 64-98 to finish sixth in the NL Eastern Division, 33 games behind the division-winning Philadelphia Phillies, while leading the league in batting strikeouts (1054) and fewest runs scored (581), fewest doubles (197), lowest batting average (.248, tied with the New York Mets), fewest home runs (94), and fewest total bases (1897). The Marlins were nearly at .500 with a 30-31 record on June 13, after a four-game sweep of Pittsburgh. They then dropped 11 of 15 to close out the month. A 4-16 finish to the season solidified their hold on sixth place. They drew 3,064,847 fans to Joe Robbie Stadium. Carr not only led the NL in stolen bases, he also compiled 17 base hits among his 42 bunts.

Aftermath of 1993:

Popular with Marlins fans for his fan-friendly demeanor and colorful personality as well as his speed on the basepaths and exciting, and daring, play in the outfield, Carr was less esteemed by opposing players due to his taunting and “hot-dogging”. Following a holdout in the spring of 1994, Carr went on to have a lesser season, batting .263 with 32 stolen bases and a disappointing .305 OBP that caused him to be dropped lower in the batting order. Despite drawing criticism for behaving oddly and being a self-promoter, Carr performed good works off the field, participating in antidrug programs in schools and other youth-oriented service activities. With a players’ strike having curtailed the 1994 season, Carr worked with Florida’s new hitting coach Jose Morales and went on to post a.330 OBP in 1995 despite a drop in his average to .227 since he more than doubled his walks total to 46. In the offseason the Marlins signed veteran center fielder Devon White and Carr was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. He performed well with his new club in 1996 until injuries, in particular a gruesome knee injury, finished his season after just 27 games. Following knee surgery he returned to action in 1997 and was benched after managing only one hit in his first 16 at bats. Seeing limited action, he alienated manager Phil Garner and was released in May after refusing to accept a demotion to Class AAA. Signed by the Houston Astros, he spent time with New Orleans of the Class AAA American Association prior to joining the Astros. He appeared in 63 games and batted .276 with a .333 OBP and hit four home runs while stealing 11 bases. Carr saw his only taste of postseason action with the division-winning Astros who were swept by Atlanta in the NLDS. He went one-for-four with a home run. Not offered a contract by Houston for 1998, he signed a minor-league contract with the Montreal Expos but failed to make the club in the spring. Playing in Taiwan in ’98 he hit .308 with 15 stolen bases in 36 games before returning home to tend to family issues. In 1999 he joined the Atlantic City Surf of the independent Atlantic League and batted .263 with 8 home runs, 21 RBIs, and 14 stolen bases in 49 games. In 2000 he played for a new Atlantic League team, the Long Island Ducks, and hit .263 with 10 home runs, 48 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases. After a year with Rimini of the Italian Baseball League, Carr finished his playing career in the four-team Arizona-Mexico League. For his major league career, Carr batted .254 with 435 hits that included 81 doubles, 7 triples, and 13 home runs. He scored 254 runs and compiled 123 RBIs, 144 stolen bases, and a .316 OBP. With the Marlins he batted .256 with 190 runs scored, 331 hits, 58 doubles, 4 triples, 8 home runs, 91 RBIs, 115 stolen bases, and a .320 OBP. Carr died of cancer in 2022 at the age of 55. A colorful and exciting player, he made a favorable impression on Marlins fans in the franchise’s early days.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

 

Highlighted Year: Jim Gilliam, 1958

Outfielder, Los Angeles Dodgers

Age:  29

6^th season with Dodgers

Bats – Both, Throws – Right

Height: 5’10” Weight: 175 

Prior to 1958:

A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Gilliam began playing semipro baseball at 16, and the following year, he joined the Nashville Black Vols of the Negro Southern League. An intelligent student of the game, he advanced to the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League where he was a reserve infielder. Due to his difficulty with hitting curveballs by righthanded pitchers, the natural righthanded batter was converted to a switch-hitter. With impressive speed, Gilliam was a contact hitter with limited power who nevertheless to hit to all fields. The manager of the Elite Giants nicknamed him “Junior”, one that would prove long-lasting. A very determined player who, throughout his career, was very selective at the plate, Gilliam batted .253 in 1948 and .302 in ’49. In 1948, ’49, and ’50 he was selected to play for the East in the Negro League East-West Games. He also played winter ball in Puerto Rico. Failing in a bid to catch on with the Class AAA affiliate of the Chicago Cubs in 1950, Gilliam played one more season with the Elite Giants and hit .265. The Dodgers bought his contract in 1951 and assigned him to the Montreal Royals of the Class AAA International League. He batted a solid .287 with 22 doubles, 9 triples, 7 home runs, and 73 RBIs while scoring 117 runs. Back with Montreal in 1952 he had a bigger season, hitting .301 with 39 doubles, 9 triples, 9 home runs, and 112 RBIs while scoring 111 runs. He was named league MVP. The Dodgers were coming off a pennant-winning season and there was a feeling that there was a need for an upgrade in the leadoff spot in the lineup in 1953. Star second baseman Jackie Robinson was moved to left field to open a spot for Gilliam in the lineup. Gilliam responded with an outstanding rookie season, batting .278 with 31 doubles, a league-leading 17 triples, 6 home runs, 63 RBIs, 21 stolen bases (although he was caught stealing 14 times), and a .383 OBP thanks to his 100 walks drawn. His performance drew NL Rookie of the Year recognition. Gilliam followed up in 1954 by batting .282 with 28 doubles, 8 triples, 13 home runs, and 52 RBIs, while scoring 107 runs, but he was less steady defensively. Still usually at second base in 1955, he was occasionally utilized in the outfield. The Dodgers returned to the top of the National League and Gilliam contributed 110 runs, 20 doubles, 8 triples, 7 home runs, and a .249 average along with a .341 on-base percentage thanks to his 70 walks. In the seven-game World Series triumph over the Yankees he produced a .469 OBP thanks to seven hits and eight walks. The low-key and workmanlike Gilliam held off the challenge of young Charley Neal and was an All-Star for the first time in 1956 as he batted .300 with 23 doubles, 8 triples, 6 home runs, and 43 RBIs along with 102 runs scored and a .399 OBP. Brooklyn again won the pennant (but not the World Series) and Gilliam placed fifth in league MVP voting. In the final Brooklyn season for the Dodgers in 1957, “Junior” (who was also known by several other nicknames, such as “Junebug” and “Devil”) dropped to .250 with 89 runs scored and a .323 OBP while appearing almost exclusively at second base. Appreciated by manager Walt Alston for his reliability and versatility, he saw significant action at third base as well as second and the outfield in 1958.

1958 Season Summary

Appeared in 147 games

LF – 70, 3B – 44, 2B – 33, PH – 7, RF – 6, CF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Batting

Plate Appearances – 636 [9]

At Bats – 555 [11]

Runs – 81 [13]

Hits – 145

Doubles – 25 [14, tied with Frank Robinson & Willie Kirkland]

Triples – 5 [19, tied with nine others]

Home Runs – 2

RBI – 43

Bases on Balls – 78 [5, tied with Willie Mays]

Int. BB – 1

Strikeouts – 22

Stolen Bases – 18 [5]

Caught Stealing – 11 [3, tied with Orlando Cepeda]

Average - .261

OBP - .352 [12]

Slugging Pct. - .335

Total Bases – 186

GDP – 5

Hit By Pitches – 0

Sac Hits – 3

Sac Flies – 0

Midseason snapshot: 2B – 13, 3B – 5, HR – 1, RBI – 25, AVG - .260, OBP - .347

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Most hits, game – 3 on six occasions

Longest hitting streak – 11 games

Most HR, game – 1 (in 3 AB) at San Francisco 5/10, (in 4 AB) vs. Cincinnati 7/13

HR at home – 1

HR on road – 1

Multi-HR games – 0

Most RBIs, game – 4 vs. Philadelphia 5/4

Pinch-hitting – 1 for 5 (.200) with 2 BB

Fielding (OF)

Chances – 149

Put Outs – 142

Assists – 5

Errors – 2

DP – 2

Pct. - .987

Awards & Honors:

19^th in NL MVP voting, tied with Bob Purkey, Cin. & Frank Robinson, Cin. (4 points, 1% share)

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The relocated Dodgers went 71-83 to finish seventh in the NL, 21 games behind the pennant-winning Milwaukee Braves while leading the league in stolen bases (73), fewest hits (1297), lowest batting average (.251), and lowest OBP (.317). The Dodgers were in the NL basement by May 12 following a 9-16 start, rose as high as fourth during a 17-14 August but dropped in September to finish out of the first division for the first time since 1944. They still drew 1,845,556 fans to their ill-suited temporary home at the LA Memorial Coliseum, some 800,000 more than their last year in Brooklyn.  

Aftermath of 1958:

The regular third baseman in 1959, Gilliam led the NL with 96 walks while batting .282 for the pennant-winning Dodgers. He had a .296 OBP in the World Series victory over the White Sox. In 1960, his average dropped to .248 with a still-solid .359 OBP as well as 96 runs scored and 40 RBIs. Still drawing walks and rarely striking out in 1961, Gilliam’s average was .244 with a .358 on-base percentage. The Dodgers nearly won the NL pennant in 1962 and, typically batting second to base-stealing shortstop Maury Wills, Gilliam hit .270 while drawing 93 walks for a .370 OBP. LA won the pennant and World Series in 1963 and Gilliam contributed 6 home runs, 49 RBIs, 19 stolen bases, and a .354 OBP. He placed sixth in NL MVP voting. The Dodgers dropped to sixth in 1964 and Gilliam found himself on the bench and often used as a late-inning defensive replacement. He was made a coach in 1965 but was reactivated as a player in May and returned to third base. He batted .280 with a .374 OBP as the light-hitting Dodgers won the pennant. His outstanding defensive play in Game 7 of the World Series against Minnesota helped to nail down a 2-0 win in what was the fourth World Series title of Gilliam’s career. He spent one last year as a player/coach in 1966 and retired to serve exclusively as a coach for the Dodgers. For his NL career, spent entirely with the Dodgers, Gilliam batted .265 with 1889 hits that included 304 doubles, 71 triples, and 65 home runs. He further scored 1163 runs, 558 RBIs, 203 stolen bases, and 1036 bases on balls for a .360 on-base percentage. Appearing in 39 World Series games, he hit .211 with two home runs, 12 RBIs, and a .326 OBP. Gilliam served as a coach for the Dodgers until his death in 1978 at age 49. A two-time All-Star whose contributions to the team were much appreciated, the Dodgers retired his #19.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Highlighted Year: Joe McGinnity, 1900

Pitcher, Brooklyn Superbas

Age:  29

1^st season with Superbas

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 5’11” Weight: 206 

Prior to 1900:

The son of an Irish immigrant coal miner, McGinnity was an Illinois native. His family moved often and his father died in an accident when the boy was eight. McGinnity and two of his brothers began working in the mines. Following a move to Decatur, Illinois, McGinnity was introduced to baseball. In 1889, the family moved once again to McAlester in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma. There, he helped to create a town baseball team that traveled around the area. Following a mine explosion that killed several of his friends, he began to see baseball as a means to pursuing a less dangerous career. He made some money pitching for a team in Van Buren, Arkansas prior to signing with the Montgomery Colts of the Southern League in 1893 where he posted a 15-20 record. Playing for the Kansas City Cowboys of the Western League in 1894 he went 8-9 until he was released in midseason. Returning home to Illinois he began to develop what would become his signature pitch, a rising curveball thrown from an odd sidearm or underhand motion that had his fingers nearly scraping the ground as he completed the pitch which consistently confused hitters. Previously a fastball pitcher with a fair breaking pitch thrown from a standard overhand motion, McGinnity developed “Old Sal” while playing for amateur and semipro teams. With command of his new pitch, he joined the Peoria Distillers of the Western Association in 1898 and produced a 9-5 record which earned him a contract with the National League’s Baltimore Orioles in 1899. The 28-year-old major league rookie caught the eye of catcher Wilbert Robinson, who would become an accomplished developer of pitchers, and who encouraged player/manager John McGraw to utilize McGinnity as the club’s number one starter. He compiled a 28-16 tally and a 2.68 ERA with 74 strikeouts over 366.1 innings. Prior to the 1900 season the NL contracted from twelve to eight teams and the Orioles merged with Brooklyn. The nickname “Iron Man” took hold for McGinnity at this time. It originated from a newspaper interview where he mentioned his new profession working in his father-in-law’s iron foundry in Oklahoma but proved to be appropriate for his baseball profession as well.

1900 Season Summary

Appeared in 46 games

P – 44, CF – 1

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 44 [2]

Games Started – 37 [3, tied with Bill Dinneen, Noodles Hahn & Jack Powell]

Complete Games – 32 [3, tied with Bill Carrick, Cy Young & Jimmy Callahan]

Wins – 28 [1]

Losses – 8

PCT - .778 [1]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 343 [1]

Hits – 350 [4]

Runs – 179 [7]

Earned Runs – 112 [11]

Home Runs – 5 [18, tied with five others]

Bases on Balls – 113 [1]

Strikeouts – 93 [6]

ERA – 2.94 [7]

Hit Batters – 40 [1]

Balks – 1 [4, tied with nine others]

Wild Pitches – 4

League-leading wins were +8 ahead of five runners-up

League-leading win percentage was +.009 ahead of runner-up Jesse Tannehill

League-leading innings pitched were +1.1 ahead of runner-up Bill Carrick

League-leading bases on balls surrendered were +2 ahead of runner-up Bill Kennedy

League-leading batters hit were +18 ahead of runners-up Jimmy Callahan & Ed Doheny 

Batting

PA – 151, AB – 145, R – 18, H – 28, 2B – 4, 3B – 1, HR – 0, RBI – 16, BB – 1, SO – 17, SB – 4, CS – N/A, AVG - .193, GDP – N/A, HBP – 0, SH – 5, SF – N/A

Fielding

Chances – 102

Put Outs – 15

Assists – 75

Errors – 12

DP – 4

Pct. - .882

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The Superbas went 82-54 to win the NL pennant by 4.5 games over the Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in saves (4). Infused with young talent from the defunct Baltimore franchise (including McGinnity), the Superbas put up solid offensive numbers and moved into first place to stay with a 31-17 record during a 9-game winning streak on June 21. A brief late September dip was not enough to endanger their lead. A best-of-5 series was arranged between the Superbas and Pirates in Pittsburgh, won by Brooklyn in four games with McGinnity winning the first and deciding games. A silver punch bowl was awarded to the winner which was engraved and presented to McGinnity by his teammates. After holding on to the punch bowl for two decades, MGinnity presented it to the A.E. Staley Company of Decatur, Illinois which, sometime later, gave it to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

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Aftermath of 1900:

In 1901 McGinnity jumped to a new Baltimore Orioles club in the NL’s rival, the American League, following his friends John McGraw and Wilbert Robinson and receiving a $2800 contract to do so. He led the AL in games pitched (48), games started (43), complete games (39), and innings pitched (382) while posting a 26-20 record and a 3.56 ERA with 75 strikeouts. McGinnity got off to a 13-10 start for Baltimore in 1902 before following McGraw back to the NL and the New York Giants. McGraw had feuded with AL president Ban Johnson over his rowdiness and umpire-baiting and had engineered his release from the Orioles along with McGinnity and other players and a move to the Giants as the new manager (The Orioles franchise would soon be shifted to New York to compete with McGraw’s Giants). As for McGinnity, he went 8-8 with a 2.06 ERA the rest of the season with New York. He was a pioneer in the art of maintaining a ledger of the tendencies of opposing batters, and despite his lack of formal schooling, took a very intelligent approach to pitching. Stoical and easygoing off the field, he was aggressive on the mound and followed the example of his manager McGraw in needling opponents and occasionally giving vent to his temper. He was adroit at quick-pitching hitters and brushing them back, leading to many hit batters (179 throughout his major league career). He sought to reduce strain on his arm by pacing himself and switching from overhand to sidearm (or underhand) deliveries. McGinnity was also an adroit fielder. In 1903 and now part of an outstanding pitching tandem with Christy Mathewson, he produced a 31-20 record with a 2.43 ERA while topping the league in games pitched (55), games started (a NL-record 48), complete games (44), and innings pitched (434) while striking out 171 batters. During the month of August “Iron Man” pitched and won both games of double headers on three occasions. The Giants won the NL pennant in 1904 and McGinnity contributed by topping the league in wins with his 35-8 tally and also led the circuit in ERA (1.61), games pitched (51), innings pitched (408), and shutouts (9). Along the way he started the season with a 14-game winning streak and won 12 of his last 13 decisions. Giants owner John T. Brush refused to participate in the World Series against the AL champion Boston Americans (now Red Sox) following the season depriving McGinnity and the rest of his team from potentially accruing additional glory in the postseason. The Giants again won the pennant in 1905, a somewhat lesser season for McGinnity who went 21-15 with a 2.87 ERA, a league-leading 46 games pitched, and 125 strikeouts over 320.1 innings. This time the Giants participated in the World Series against the AL’s Philadelphia Athletics. Mathewson was the hero for the Giants with his three wins in New York’s five-game triumph. McGinnity, in his only taste of World Series action, lost Game 2 due to Philadelphia’s three unearned runs but pitched a five-hit shutout to win Game 4. The Giants finished second to the Cubs in 1906 and “Iron Man” led the NL in wins with his 27-12 record and also by pitching in 45 games. He furthermore posted a 2.25 ERA and 105 strikeouts across 339.2 innings. He also was briefly jailed and suspended for 10 days for his role in an on-field fight in Pittsburgh, which drew the ire of the city’s mayor, who was in attendance. With his skills beginning to fade, he led the league one last time in games pitched in 1907 with 47 and finished with an 18-18 tally and 3.16 ERA. Although not an official statistic at the time, he also led the NL with 4 saves. He also went over 300 innings for the ninth time with 310.1 and compiled 120 strikeouts. His last year with the Giants was 1908 and as a part-time starter he recorded an 11-7 mark with a 2.27 ERA and was again the NL’s unofficial leader in saves with 5. Released in the offseason, he went on to become a minor league executive, manager, and pitcher. He made his last pitching appearance with Springfield of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa (or Three I) League in 1925 at the age of 54. Along the way, in 1919 he worked for the aforementioned A.E. Staley Company to develop company-afffiliated sports teams, one of which was a football team that was the forerunner of today’s Chicago Bears of the NFL. His friend and former mentor Wilbert Robinson, now managing the Brooklyn Dodgers (aka Robins) hired McGinnity as a pitching coach in 1926 (he questioned why teams carried as many as 10 pitchers since to his mind four or five should have been sufficient – one wonders what he would say about modern pitching staffs and the limits placed on starters). For his major league career, he compiled a 246-142 record, with 465 games pitched, a 2.66 ERA, 314 complete games, 32 shutouts, 24 saves, and 1068 strikeouts in 3441.1 innings pitched. Smart and durable, he won 20 games on eight occasions, and 30 twice, while putting up league-leading totals in innings pitched on four occasions. McGinnity died of cancer in 1929 at the age of 58. “Iron Man” was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years. 

Cy Young Profile: Rick Porcello, 2016

Pitcher, Boston Red Sox

Age: 27

2^nd season with Red Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 205 

Prior to 2016:

A New Jersey native and grandson of major league infielder Sam Dente, Porcello starred at Seton Hall Prep, where he developed an impressive fastball as well as a curve, slider, and changeup. He went 10-0 as a senior in 2007 with a 0.18 ERA and 112 strikeouts over the course of 71 innings pitched and hurled a perfect game against Newark Academy. The team won the Non-Public Class A state championship. Ready to attend the University of North Carolina after high school, he instead signed with the Detroit Tigers, who chose him in the first round of the ‘07 amateur draft for $7 million over four years with a $3.58 million bonus. Initially assigned to Lakeland of the high Class A Florida State League in 2008, he was a league All-Star with an 8-6 record, league-leading 2.66 ERA, and 72 strikeouts over 125 innings while developing a sinker. Moving up to the Tigers in 2009, he went on to a solid rookie season with a 14-9 tally, 3.96 ERA, and 89 strikeouts in 170.2 innings pitched. He placed third in AL Rookie of the Year voting. He was less impressive in 2010 and was briefly demoted to the Toledo Mud Hens of the Class AAA International League. Overall with Detroit he posted a 10-12 mark with a 4.92 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 162.2 innings. He returned to a 14-9 record in 2011 with a 4.75 ERA and 104 strikeouts over 182 innings. He also saw his first postseason action with the division-winning Tigers, appearing in four games (two of them starts) and going 0-1. The fifth starter for pennant-winning Detroit in 2012, Porcello was an uninspiring 10-12 with a 4.59 ERA and 107 strikeouts over 176.1 innings. He saw limited action out of the bullpen in the postseason. In 2013 he pitched his first career complete game on his way to a 13-8 tally and a 4.32 ERA with 142 strikeouts. Porcello got off to a 10-4 start in 2014 that included consecutive shutouts against Texas and Oakland on his way to a final tally of 15-13 with a 3.43 ERA and 129 strikeouts. In the offseason he was traded to the Red Sox as part of a four-player deal. He was signed to a four-year contract extension worth $82.5 million. Porcello had a rough first season with the Red Sox, posting a 9-15 tally with a 4.92 ERA and 149 strikeouts.

2016 Season Summary

Appeared in 33 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 33

Games Started – 33 [4, tied with seven others]

Complete Games – 3 [3, tied with Corey Kluber]

Wins – 22 [1]

Losses – 4

PCT - .846 [2]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 223 [4]

Hits – 193 [11]

Runs – 85

Earned Runs – 78

Home Runs – 23

Bases on Balls – 32

Strikeouts – 189 [8]

ERA – 3.15 [5]

Hit Batters – 13 [2, tied with Ian Kennedy]

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 3

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up J.A. Happ

Midseason Snapshot: 11-2, ERA - 3.66, SO - 97 in 113 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 7 IP) vs. Tampa Bay 4/20, (in 6.1 IP) at Tampa Bay 9/24

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 7 IP) vs. Arizona 8/14

Batting

PA – 5, AB – 5, R – 0, H – 1, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 0, BB – 0, SO – 1, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .200, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 0, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 22

Put Outs – 6

Assists – 15

Errors – 1

DP – 0

Pct. - .955

Postseason Pitching: G – 1 (ALDS vs. Cleveland)

GS – 1, CG – 0, Record – 0-1, PCT – .000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 4.1, H – 6, R – 5, ER – 5, HR – 3, BB – 0, SO – 6, ERA – 10.38, HB – 1, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Comeback Player of the Year: Sporting News

AL Cy Young voting (Top 5):

Rick Porcello, Bos.: 137 points – 8 of 30 first place votes, 65% share

Justin Verlander, Det.: 132 points – 14 first place votes, 63% share

Corey Kluber, Clev.: 98 points – 3 first place votes, 47% share

Zack Britton, Balt.: 72 points – 5 first place votes, 34% share

Chris Sale, ChiWS.: 40 points – 19% share

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The Red Sox went 93-69 to finish first in the AL Eastern Division by 4 games over the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (9) and fewest home runs surrendered (176). The Red Sox were at or near the top of the AL East throughout the season but rode an 11-game September winning streak to the division title. Porcello was dominant at Fenway Park, posting a 13-1 home record. Lost ALDS to the Cleveland Indians, 3 games to 0. Porcello lost Game 1, giving up 5 runs in 4.1 innings.

Aftermath of 2016:

Porcello had a rough season in 2017, posting an 11-17 record and a 4.65 ERA while striking out 181 batters and leading the league in hits and home runs surrendered (236 and 38 respectively). He rebounded in 2018 to 17-7 and a 4.28 ERA with 190 strikeouts as the Red Sox not only topped the AL East but went on to win the World Series. He relieved as well as started in the postseason and went 1-0 with a 3.58 ERA in five appearances. In 2019 Porcello dropped to 14-12 and a 5.52 ERA with 143 strikeouts in 174.1 innings. Departing Boston as a free agent in the offseason, he signed a one-year deal with the New York Mets and struggled through the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, going 1-7 with a 5.64 ERA. Once again a free agent, he didn’t pitch in 2021 or ’22 and retired at age 33. For his major league career, Porcello produced a 150-125 record with a 4.40 ERA, 10 complete games, and 1561 strikeouts over 2096.1 innings. With the Red Sox he was 73-55 with a 4.43 ERA, 6 complete games, and 852 strikeouts in 964 innings. Appearing in 16 postseason games, he went 1-3 with a 4.73 ERA and 34 strikeouts over 40 innings pitched. Typically a steady starting pitcher, his outstanding 2016 season proved to be the pinnacle of his career.

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Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league.   

Highlighted Year: Ryne Duren, 1961

Pitcher, New York Yankees/Los Angeles Angels

Age:  32

4^th season with Yankees

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190 

Prior to 1961:

A Wisconsin native, Duren grew up working on a family farm which caused him to develop strong arm muscles. He developed a passion for baseball while listening to Chicago Cubs games on the radio when bedridden for six months with a bad case of rheumatic fever. Unimpressive while playing baseball in high school, he began working in a factory in Beloit after graduation and played sandlot ball on weekends in his hometown of Cazenovia in 1948. The hard-throwing Duren led his team to the county championship and was signed by the St. Louis Browns for $300 per month and a $500 bonus. Nearsightedness combined with poor depth perception and light sensitivity had Duren wearing thick tinted glasses. He had difficulty with the lighting in minor league ballparks and walked 114 batters over 85 innings with the Wausau Lumberjacks of the Class D Wisconsin State League in 1949. He also recorded 145 strikeouts while posting a 4-5 record with a 3.81 ERA. In 1950 he moved on to Pine Bluff of the Class C Cotton States League where he had a 15-7 tally and 3.17 ERA while walking 157 batters over the course of 190 innings. Advancing to Dayton of the Class A Central League in 1951 he went 17-8 with a 2.73 ERA, while issuing 194 walks and 238 strikeouts over 198 innings. After playing winter ball in Venezuela, Duren started the 1952 season with the San Antonio Missions of the Class AA Texas League where he walked 19 batters in 22 innings pitched and was sent to the Anderson Rebels of the Class B Tri-State League. He appeared in 10 games with Anderson and produced a 4-4 record and a 3.17 ERA while walking 73 and striking out 100 over 71 innings. Along the way he no-hit Asheville over 11 innings before losing the no-hitter, and the game, in the twelfth. Returning to San Antonio in 1953 he was 12-12 with a 2.63 ERA and league-leading 212 strikeouts. The Browns moved to Baltimore in 1954 and Duren went to spring training with the rechristened Orioles but, wild and inconsistent, he was returned to San Antonio where he compiled a 14-14 tally and a 3.44 ERA along with 224 strikeouts and 144 walks. Called up to the Orioles in September, a hand injury sidelined him until the season finale, in which he pitched two innings in relief, gave up two earned runs, and recorded two strikeouts. In an effort to improve his control, Baltimore manager Paul Richards had him throw more breaking balls which led to a sore arm. He spent 1955 with San Antonio and Seattle of the Pacific Coast League and hindered by the sore arm, his combined record was 4-7 with a 3.87 ERA and 98 strikeouts with 53 walks over 86 innings. Optioned to Vancouver of the PCL in 1956, manager Lefty O’Doul significantly tutored Duren in pitching technique and he went 11-11 with a 4.13 ERA and 183 strikeouts while lowering his walks to 87 over 205 innings. The Orioles traded him to the Kansas City Athletics in September. Starting the season with the A’s in 1957, inconsistency and control issues continued to be a problem and he was 0-3 with a 5.27 ERA in 14 appearances (6 of them starts) when he was traded to the New York Yankees in June. Assigned to the Denver Bears of the Class AAA American Association, he pitched a seven-inning no-hitter in his first start and went on to post a 13-2 record and a 3.16 record with 116 strikeouts and just 33 walks in 114 innings. He also encountered problems with heavy drinking and rowdy behavior. Duren stuck with the Yankees in 1958 and excelled as a reliever (or “fireman”, as bullpen closers were called at the time) as he made 44 appearances and produced a 6-4 tally with a league-leading 19 saves and 2.02 ERA while striking out 87 and walking 43 over 75.2 innings. He was also an All-Star along the way and was involved in a much-publicized fight with coach Ralph Houk (who had been his manager in Denver) while drunk. In the World Series win against the Milwaukee Braves, Duren made three appearances and was 1-1 with a save and 14 strikeouts in 9.1 innings. He also was fined $250 by commissioner Ford Frick for a “choke” gesture he made at the home plate umpire in Game 6. Offseason knee surgery led to a slow start in 1959 before he put together a run of 17 consecutive appearances without surrendering a run. An All-Star once again, Duren went 3-6 with 14 saves, a 1.88 ERA, and 96 strikeouts in 76.2 innings pitched until a broken wrist ended his season in September. An intimidating mound presence with his thick and dark glasses and penchant for throwing hard and occasionally wild, his pitching performances would send him into severe mood swings spurred by his heavy drinking. In 1960 Duren started the season well until he was once again beset by problems with control and consistency. After losing his role as the bullpen closer to LHP Bobby Shantz in June he went on to appear in a total of 42 games, compiling a 3-4 record and a 4.96 ERA with 8 saves while recording 67 strikeouts and surrendering 49 walks over 49 innings pitched. The Yankees returned to the World Series, losing to Pittsburgh in seven games, and Duren made two appearances and struck out 5 batters in 4 innings of play. With Ralph Houk replacing Casey Stengel as manager in 1961, Duren was rendered irrelevant in the bullpen, and following just four appearances, he was dealt to the expansion Angels as part of a five-player trade in May.

1961 Season Summary

Appeared in 44 games (NY Yankees – 4, LA Angels – 40)

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 44 [20] (NYY – 4, LAA – 40)

Games Started – 14 (LAA)

Games Finished – 11 (NYY – 2, LAA – 9)

Complete Games – 1 (LAA)

Wins – 6 (LAA)

Losses – 13 [14, tied with four others] (NYY – 1, LAA – 12)

PCT - .316 (NYY – .000/LAA – .333)

Saves – 2 (LAA)

Shutouts – 1 (LAA)

Innings Pitched – 104 (NYY – 5, LAA – 99)

Hits – 89 (NYY – 2, LAA – 87)

Runs – 73 (NYY – 3, LAA – 70)

Earned Runs – 60 (NYY – 3, LAA – 57)

Home Runs – 15 (NYY – 2, LAA – 13)

Bases on Balls – 79 [19, tied with Pedro Ramos] (NYY – 4, LAA – 75)

Strikeouts – 115 [18] (NYY – 7, LAA – 108)

ERA – 5.19 (NYY – 5.40, LAA – 5.18)

Hit Batters – 3 (LAA)

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 7 [14, tied with Milt Pappas, Camilo Pascual & John Gabler] (LAA)

Midseason Snapshot: 3-9, ERA - 4.98, SV – 2, SO - 68 in 59.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 12 (in 8 IP) vs. NY Yankees 6/28

10+ strikeout games – 2

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 3 (in 9 IP) at Cleveland 8/12, (in 8 IP) vs. NY Yankees 6/28

Batting (Combined)

PA – 29, AB – 25, R – 2, H – 1, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 3, SO – 15, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .040, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 1, SF – 0

Fielding (Combined)

Chances – 14

Put Outs – 6

Assists – 6

Errors – 2

DP – 0

Pct. - .857

Awards & Honors:

All-Star 

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In their inaugural season, the Angels went 70-91 to finish eighth in the AL, 38.5 games behind the pennant-winning New York Yankees. The pitching staff led the league in walks (713), strikeouts (973), and fewest complete games (25). Opening the season on the road, the Angels lost 7 of their first 8 games but proved to be more competitive the rest of the way, especially at home at LA’s Wrigley Field, where they produced a 46-36 record and drew 603,510 fans. Duren provided highlights with his 3-hit shutout of the Yankees and another game against the Red Sox where he struck out 7 consecutive batters.

Aftermath of 1961:

Hospitalized for pneumonia, but more due to the effects of alcoholism, in the offseason, he returned to the Angels in 1962, who moved from Wrigley Field to the new, and more pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium. As part of a bullpen closer-by-committee, Duren appeared in 42 games and posted a 2-9 tally with a 4.42 ERA, 8 saves, and 74 strikeouts with 57 walks over 71.1 innings. The 34-year-old fireballer was waived during spring training in 1963 and joined the Philadelphia Phillies. Staying sober and utilizing more off-speed pitches, he put together a solid season, appearing in 33 games (7 of them starts) and going 6-2 with a 3.30 ERA, two saves, and 84 strikeouts while issuing 52 walks in 87.1 innings pitched. He started the 1964 season with the Phillies but was traded to Cincinnati in May. He made 26 appearances with the Reds, all in relief, and went 0-2 with a save, a 2.89 ERA, and 39 strikeouts over 43.2 innings. Released by the Reds in 1965 due to alcohol-related incidents, he was dealt back to the Phillies, where he lasted for only six games. Released again, Duren caught on with the Washington Senators. He performed poorly and threatened suicide before he was again released, thus ending his major league career. Less than six months later he was committed to a mental hospital in Texas. Later, he relocated to Wisconsin and received treatment that allowed him to overcome his dependance on alcohol and he became an addiction counselor until his death at age 81 in 2011. For his major league career, Duren posted a 27-44 record with a 3.83 ERA, 55 saves, and 630 strikeouts and 392 walks issued over 589.1 innings pitched. With the Angels he went 8-21 with a 4.86 ERA, 10 saves, and 182 strikeouts with 132 walks in 170.1 innings pitched. He appeared in five World Series games, all with the Yankees, and was 1-1 with a 2.03 ERA, 1 save, and 19 strikeouts over 13.1 innings. A talented but troubled pitcher due to his drinking, the four-time All-Star managed to meaningfully change his life following his baseball career. In 1983 he was presented with the Yankee Family Award for overcoming his problem drinking and his work as a counselor helping others.

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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc. players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.