But ever the team player, the southpaw didnt care about that. I matured a lot in three years, and I think I was better equipped to handle major league hitters at 25 than I was at 22. Warren Edward Spahn (April 23, 1921 November 24, 2003) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for 21 seasons, all in the National League. The World Series began October 24 and Game 7 was played on November 1, in which the Houston Astros defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games . In 15 innings, the team recorded only four hits. Dark admits that Marichal passed any conceivable pitch count, but he wasnt worried. 1. His 1968 club won the Pacific Coast League championship. Another pinch-hitter, Bobby Del Greco, fanned on three pitches for Spahn's fourth straight strikeout. Maybe I wouldn't have been able to do that otherwise. In 21 big league seasons, Spahn, a 17-time All-Star, compiled a 363-245 record, started 665 games, completed 382, struck out 2,583 batters and finished with a 3.09 ERA leading the league in ERA three times. Warren Spahn "vertically body rolling, put snap on a ball slowly" Pitching Mechanics Slow Motion - YouTube 0:00 / 1:01 Warren Spahn "vertically body rolling, put snap on a ball slowly". One-Time Pet Fee: $600 (per pet) Pet Limit: 2. us, Died: He was awarded a Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for bravery. Spahn won four and lost 12 at which point the Mets put Spahn on waivers. Warren Spahn (No Hitter No. Spahn also won two more ERA titles, in 1953 and 1961. Pitching is upsetting timing."[6]. Spahn struck out the side in the second, getting Pancho Herrera, Gonzalez and Cal Neeman to miss third strikes. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Duke Snider hit 19 against Robin Roberts. As his fastball waned, Spahn adapted, and relied more on location, changing speeds and a good screwball. Pinch hitter Randy Jackson had an opportunity to seize the day for the Cubs, but Spahn got the next two outs, the last one coming as his ninth strikeout. Having Willie behind me made my position easier. He had no idea at the time how prophetic those words would be on July 2, 1963. In 1970, when Hoyt Wilhelm was 47, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for first baseman Hal Breeden. His career-low walk total of 49 in 259 innings decreased for the fourth year in a row, and his 17th consecutive 200-inning season was a modern record. But all emotions aside, even Spahn himself had to admit that his pinpoint control that day held promise for the future. Prior to Warren Spahn's 18-strikeout game, Bob Feller had held the record for most strikeouts in a game. Warren Spahn of the Milwaukee Braves in his windup - BL-284-61 (National Baseball Hall of Fame Library), Posed photograph of Milwaukee Braves Warren Spahn pitching, circa 1954. But on the mound, the future Hall of Famer was a wonder to behold. 49, Warren Spahn By Joe Posnanski Feb 7, 2020 Starting in December and ending on Opening Day, Joe Posnanski will count down the 100 greatest baseball players by publishing. 1) (Box Score: 09-16-1960). All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. The trio, who were Milwaukee-area natives, included Spahn in the closing credits once, with the disclaimer, "He's not in the film, but he's still our all-time favorite left-hand pitcher.". But tonight was beautiful., After answering reporters questions, Spahn spent several hours in the clubhouse drinking beer, with his son and several teammates in attendance, everyone telling him what a splendid job he did in a gallant defeat. Bases loaded, two outs: the games most dramatic moment. Do you have a blog? His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and . Exceeded rookie limits during 1946 season, View Player Bio On July 2, 1963, Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn faced off in what may be the greatest game ever pitched. [10][2][9] He saw action in the Battle of the Bulge and at the Ludendorff Bridge as a combat engineer, and was awarded a battlefield commission.[2][9]. After his no-hitter, Marichal had gone to a Spanish language movie house and watched a lousy western. Though he won more than anyone in the 1960s, someone else was always chosen for the Cy Young Award. But would have been just as tough going righthanded. By the time their epic standoff ended with a single run at 12:31 a.m, they had completed a battle of the ages for any species. When McCovey launched one of his patented moon shots, the ball flew somewhere over the right-field foul pole. The next batter, the swift Matty Alou, dropped a textbook drag bunt down the first base line. Warren Edward Spahn Born: 4/23/1921 in Buffalo, NY High School: South Park, Buffalo, NY Debut: 4/19/1942 Hall of Fame: 1973 Died: 11/24/2003 Follow mlb Batting Pitching Stats Career Game Logs Splits Batter vs. Pitcher MLB Minors Pitching Batting Fielding Regular Season Career Stats Advanced Career Stats News 4/23/2022 at 12:00 AM When Spahn was pitching, Maglie observed that batters had to try to hit balls to the opposite field against Spahn, as he was more likely to get them out if they tried to pull the ball. An admiring Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell, who attended the game as director of player development for the Giants, said, Here is a guy 42 years old who still has a fastball, he marveled. He just kept busting them in on the hands of our guys and kept getting them out. Hubbell added, He ought to will his body to medical science., Of Marichal, who retired 16 straight late in the game, Dark said, He didnt throw many breaking pitches, thus tiring his arm, but just kept slipping across the fastball with a loose and fluid motion. The ball bounced off the pitcher's glove and skipped toward shortstop where Johnny Logan raced across the grass, swept up the ball and fired to first. The wind had died down. Entering the season, the strike zone had been expanded from knees to armpits all the way to knees to top of shoulder level. The Giants and Braves were playing night ball at San Franciscos typically breezy, chilly Candlestick Park, a pitchers paradise because balls dont carry as far in cold weather as they do when its humid. In SportsIllustrated, Ron Fimrite described a high arc to left field, where, after hanging in the night sky for what seemed like an eternity, it landed beyond the fence.. Braves' mainstay Warren Spahn was sold to the Mets on Nov. 23, 1964. He lost this distinction for a single day: September 25, 1965, when 58-year-old Satchel Paige pitched three innings. Greg was born on the eve of the 1948 World Series and hit .524 as a high school senior but had to give up baseball when shoulder problems sidelined him at the University of Oklahoma. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. His confidence boosted, his knowledge of hitters and pitching expanded, Marichal pitched 10 of his 18 complete games and got 12 of his 25 wins after July 2. Every inning after the ninth, Marichal said he told manager Alvin Dark, Alvin, do you see that man pitching on the other side? update=copyright.getFullYear(); More than anything, acquiring the screwball after he was supposedly washed up 10 years earlier had crossed up righties and extended Spahns career. The cocky southpaw breezed through the early innings, striking out six of the first nine hitters he faced. San Francisco Giants (1965). Because of an old separated shoulder from high school football, Spahn couldnt raise his right hand higher than his shoulder. In a 22-season major league career, Spahn posted a 363245 winloss record with 2,583 strikeouts and a 3.09 ERA in 5,243+23 innings pitched, including 63 shutouts and 382 complete games. Spahn yielded a single bunt hit. [18], Spahn maintained that "A pitcher needs two pitches one they're looking for, and one to cross 'em up." His baseball career was interrupted by his military service in the United States Army during World War II.[2]. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Marichal and Spahn sailed through the first three innings, Marichal yielding one hit, Spahn one, Marichal getting the most mileage out of his fastball, Spahn learning quickly that his screwball was getting right-handed hitters while his curve curbed lefties. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. A batter has less than half a second to make a decision of whether he will swing at a pitch, and when he does, he has to generate a motion that will meet the ball within a very small window of time. When Warren Spahn took the mound on June 14, 1952 against the Chicago Cubs, only one man had recorded 18 strikeouts in a single MLB game: Bob Feller. Marichal, who had won 13 games as a rookie and 18 in his second year, was already 12-3, with eight straight wins. [5] Regarded as a "thinking man's" pitcher who liked to outwit batters, Spahn once described his approach on the mound: "Hitting is timing. He won 20 games in 13 different seasons, and compiled a 23-7 record when he was aged 42. Given a reprieve, Bailey fouled off four more pitches before finally striking out. Warren Spahn tossed a no-hitter at the age of 39 against the Philadelphia Phillies. Spahn produced the only Braves run of the game in the sixth inning a solo blast into the right field bullpen. Spahn retired the next six Giants before walking Chuck Hiller on four straight pitches leading off the fourth. Warren Spahn served in the United States Army (from 1943 through 1945) during World War II, participated in the battle for the bridge at Remagen (and many other battles), was awarded a purple heart. Spahn walked his duck walk slowly to the mound, head down, taking his good old time, in the words of another Braves pitcher, Bob Sadowski. then we'll use Sain Marichal getting the most mileage out of his fastball, Spahn learning . Spahn pitched in the World Series for the Braves in 1948, 1957, and 1958. A true war hero, he was awarded a Purple Heart for shrapnel wound and a battlefield commission. Contact Warren Averett today, or call (850) 837-0398 for more information about our accounting services in Miramar Beach, FL. The Baseball 100: No. followed by rain After the season he was sold to the Mets who would release him in July of 1965 after a 4-12 record. In the 14th, Kuenn doubled to lead off, and Spahn intentionally passed the dangerous Mays, ending his consecutive walkless streak at 31 innings. If you didnt have tears in your eyes, you werent nothing, Sadowski says. Warren Spahn pitched for half a season with the Mets in 1965 after he was sold to New York by the Milwaukee Braves in Nov. 1964. Warren Spahn was paid $250 a month when he first came up to the big leagues, if the 1942 Boston Braves could be called the big leagues. Marichal got through the top half surrendering only a two-out single to Menke. Menke replaced the sore-legged Mathews in the fourth and got two hits and a stolen base before the game played out. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. Phone: 602.496.1460 Hed finish his career with 2,583 strikeouts, eighth on the all-time list for left-handed pitchers. All rights reserved. [9], In 1947, Spahn led the National League in ERA (2.33), shutouts (7), and innings pitched (289+23) while posting a 2110 record. Spahn had little trouble the rest of the way. I took great pride in mooning people, he said. He hadnt lost much stuff, and he hadnt lost much spirit either, because he was fined $50 for buzzing Bob Gibson. In addition to his fastball, Spahn also developed a number of off-speed pitches, all thrown with the same high-kicking motion. and Pitching . followed by Sain When the Braves vacated Turner Field to move into their current home of Truist Park, the statue was moved, and now stands outside that ballpark. With Berra and him, we are conducting a university this spring, said Casey Stengel, who had managed Spahn with the Braves and would now oversee him as a Met. Did players turn to teammates and say, Im going to tell my grandchildren about this one? In truth, they were just trying to get through the night, says Frank Bolling, who played all 16 innings at second for the Braves, going 2-for-7 at the plate and handling seven chances without an error. The toughest pitcher of all for me to run against was Warren Spahn, a left hander. As Spahn grew older, his pitching seemed to improve. He won at least 20 games every year from 1956 to 1961, led the league in complete games every year from 1957 to 1963, and in 1963 at age 42 posted a 23-7 record and compiled a 2.60 earned run average. 14 *morris win: allowed 5+ er but still got the win. Baseball retired me. When Spahn pitched three games for the Mexico City Tigers in 1966 and three games for the Tulsa Oilers in 1967, people got the mistaken impression that he was staging a comeback. (Age 20-361d, ", Spahn threw his first no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies on September 16, 1960, when he was 39. He had just shut out the Dodgers and hadnt allowed a walk in 18 innings. 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