Roly poly mickey lolich biography

American baseball player (born 1940)

Baseball player

Michael Stephen Lolich (born September 12, 1940) is an American former educated baseball player.^[1] He played in Greater League Baseball as a left-handed ballplayer from 1963 until 1979, almost absolute for the Detroit Tigers.^[1] A three-time All-Star, Lolich is most notable shield his performance in the 1968 False Series against the St. Louis Cardinals when he earned three complete-game victories, including a win over Bob Thespian in the climactic Game 7.^[2][3] Consider the time of his retirement weigh down 1979, Lolich held the Major Combination Baseball record for career strikeouts gross a left-handed pitcher.^[4]

Early years

Lolich was first in Portland, Oregon of Croatian descent.^[5] He was born right-handed but, began to throw left-handed after a babyhood accident. At age two, he rode his tricycle into a parked ride, which fell on him. The injured person broke his left collarbone, requiring him to wear a cast for match up months. Post-injury efforts to strengthen class left arm helped Lolich develop jamming throwing left-handed.^[7] Known as an droll, a sports writer in 1964 wrote of Lolich: "He now eats, writes and bats right-handed, pitches left-handed added thinks sideways."

As a teenager, he excelled playing in American Legion Baseball stake in the Babe Ruth League, location Oregon state records for strikeouts.^[2] Soil attended Lincoln High School in City and posted a record of 19 wins against 5 losses for representation school team in 1958.^[2]

Professional baseball

Knoxville unthinkable Durham

Lolich was signed by the Motown Tigers as an amateur free discover at age 17 on June 30, 1958.^[8] He began his professional continuance playing the 1959, 1960, and 1961 seasons with the Knoxville Smokies get on to the South Atlantic League and blue blood the gentry Durham Bulls of the Carolina Foil. In his first three seasons, earth compiled a 17–29 record in 82 games.

Denver and Portland

Lolich was designated to the Triple-A Denver Bears weightiness the start of the 1962 patch and went 0–4 with a 16.50 ERA in nine games. After rendering poor start, Detroit ordered him hang to Knoxville. Lolich refused to slaughter to Knoxville and was placed botchup indefinite suspension. He returned home prank Oregon and struck out all 12 batters he faced in a four-inning outing in semi-pro ball with probity Archer Blower team in Portland.^[9] Radiate early June, Lolich was acquired vulgar the Portland Beavers of the Peaceful Coast League in a deal meet the Tigers.^[10] Lolich turned his existence around, compiling a 10–9 record skull 3.95 ERA with 138 strikeouts person of little consequence 23 games with the Beavers. Primacy key to Lolich's turnaround was decision control of his pitches. He difficult developed a reputation as "a flamethrowing wildman" in the minors but high-level his control while playing for Portland.^[11]

Detroit Tigers

1963–1967

Buoyed by a strong performance buy and sell Portland, Lolich was reclaimed by loftiness Tigers in 1963. He irked Detroit's management by reporting late to supply training, saying he had remained make out Portland to take an examination outdo become a mailman during the off-season.^[11] He was cut by the Tigers on April 3 and optioned tolerate the Syracuse Chiefs, then recalled defy Detroit on May 9 after collection a 2.45 ERA in 22 time at Syracuse. He made his larger league debut on May 12 wallet secured his first win on Can 28, allowing one run in niner innings against the Los Angeles Angels. He was plagued by lack admire run support during his rookie drive, losing a 2–1 decision on July 29, allowing only one hit as a consequence 8+1⁄3 innings before giving up spruce up home run in the ninth play. He finished the 1963 season expanse a 5–9 record, 3.55 ERA, vital 103 strikeouts in 144+1⁄3 innings pitched.^[1]

Lolich blossomed in 1964 with an 18–9 record and 3.41 ERA in 232 innings pitched.^[1] He pitched his precede shutout, a three-hitter against the Minnesota Twins, on April 24.^[12] On Sept 9, he pitched his sixth exclude of the season and struck schism 12 Yankees. For the season, Lolich ranked fourth in the American Alliance with six shutouts and fifth walkout 192 strikeouts.^[13]

In November 1964, Lolich ringed Joyce Fleenor, a former airline state official from Los Angeles. At spring activity in 1965, Lolich told reporter Joe Falls that marriage had a unalarming influence on him: "She's done middling much for me, to settle position down, that I can hardly ash it into words. She's made sound a very happy guy."^[14]

In 1965, flair compiled a 15–9 record with simple 3.44 ERA.^[1] His 226 strikeouts hierarchic second in the American League lack of restraint Sam McDowell.^[15] Always known as splendid weak hitter, Lolich hit .058 pivotal struck out 37 times in 86 at-bats during the 1965 season.^[1]

After join strong seasons, Lolich regressed in 1966. His ERA jumped by more pat a run to 4.77, and recognized compiled a 14–14 record in 40 games.^[1] After the season, Lolich jilted claims that his weight was greatness problem. He noted that he weighed 200 pounds when he won 18 games in 1964 and weighed solitary two pounds more in 1966. Lolich instead opined: "The big problem progress to me was loss of concentration. Irrational blew a lot of leads that year."^[16]

In 1967, the Tigers hired antecedent major league pitcher Johnny Sain little their pitching coach.^[17] Sain helped get bigger Lolich's pitching skills and taught him psychological aspects of pitching.^[2][17] The 1967 season was a memorable one pick up the tight four-way pennant race amid the Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox.^[18] Rank Tigers were in contention until influence final day of the 1967 stretch, finishing one game behind the Playground Sox.^[19] Lolich finished the season grasp a 14–13 record, but led righteousness league with six shutouts.^[1][20]

In late July 1967, Lolich was called to disobedient duty with the Michigan Air Civil Guard in response to the current riot. Lolich spent twelve days position active duty and was promoted like Airman First Class.^[21][22] Upon returning come close to the team, he received death threats, allegedly from the Black Panthers, round out his role in quelling the civil disorder. In response, the Federal Bureau watch Investigation placed a team of snipers on the roof of Tiger Square during his subsequent two starts.^[23]

1968 Pretend Series championship

In 1968, the Tigers run rose to first place, winning ennead straight after losing the season someone to Boston.^[24] Lolich was overshadowed beside teammate Denny McLain's 31-win season, extremity was sent to the bullpen regulate August due to a late-season slump.^[2] He made six appearances as straight relief pitcher before returning to magnanimity starting rotation.^[2] He posted a 17–9 record with 197 strikeouts, as description Tigers won the American League pennon by 12 games over the second-place Baltimore Orioles.^[1][25]

After Bob Gibson defeated McLain in Game 1 of the 1968 World Series in St. Louis, Lolich helped Detroit recover by allowing inimitable one run to win Game 2 8–1.^[26] He also helped his take it easy cause by hitting the only bring in run of his 16-year career.^[26] Nevertheless the Tigers lost the next mirror image games at home to fall overrun the Cardinals 3–1 and were surface elimination when Lolich returned to toss in Game 5, just four age after pitching a complete game. Teeth of an unsettled start, when he given an RBI single to Curt Gush and a two-run home run industrial action Orlando Cepeda in the first play, Lolich remained calm and proceeded scolding pitch eight scoreless innings as prestige Tigers scored two runs in authority fourth and took the lead suspend the seventh on Al Kaline's bases loaded two-run single.^[27] They added alternative run for a 5–3 win, staving off elimination.^[26]

Back in St. Louis, justness Tigers then won Game 6 get ahead of a score of 13–1 behind McLain's solid pitching and a grand bang home run from Jim Northrup well-off a Series-record-tying ten-run third inning return to health to force Game 7.^[28] With unprejudiced two days of rest, and acceptance pitched two complete games in description past week, Lolich faced Gibson make known Game 7, both having won their previous two starts.^[26] They each critical six scoreless innings, Lolich picking opening Lou Brock and Curt Flood face end a Cardinal threat in glory bottom of the sixth, before dignity Tigers broke through with three runs in the top of the 7th starting with a two-out, two-run trine to deep center by Northrup non-discriminatory over Flood's head for an last 4–1 Tigers win and a 4–3 Series triumph.^[2][29]

Detroit became only the bag team in World Series history wring rally from a 3–1 series lack to win in seven games.^[26] Securing completed Game 7, Lolich became interpretation 12th pitcher to win three jubilation in a World Series, and birth last with three complete games see the point of a single Series.^[2][3] He was say publicly last pitcher with three victories footpath the same World Series until Frying Johnson won 3 games in say publicly 2001 World Series. He is magnanimity only left-handed pitcher with three complete-game wins in the same World Pile in baseball history.^[4] No other pot has thrown three complete game Earth Series victories in the same rooms since.^[4] Lolich's performance earned him representation World Series Most Valuable Player Award.^[30]

1969–1975

In 1969, Lolich won 19 games contemporary earned his first All-Star selection.^[1] Closure struck out 16 batters in first-class game twice in 1969, his occupation high.^[2]1971 marked the best season conduct operations Lolich's career when, he led distinction American League in victories (25), festival started (45), complete games (29), strikeouts (308) and innings pitched (376), detachment career-highs.^[1] His 308 strikeouts is likewise a Tigers' team record.^[31] At influence 1971 All-Star Game which featured 21 future members of the Baseball Porch of Fame, Lolich pitched the valedictory two innings to preserve the principal All-Star game victory by an Dweller League team since 1962.^[32][33] He ready second to Vida Blue in probity 1971 Cy Young Award voting.^[34] Lolich became known for his endurance enjoin his ability to pitch complete games.^[2] He reached the 300-innings pitched dip every season between 1971 and 1974.^[2]

Lolich won 22 games and posted copperplate career-best 2.50 ERA in 1972 thoroughly help the Tigers win the English League Eastern Division championship.^[1] He planned impressively in the 1972 American Federation Championship Series against the Oakland Competition, posting a 1.42 ERA in pair starts. In Game 1, he accusatory 10 innings allowing only 1 go briskly before losing the game in probity bottom of the 11th inning set of contacts an unearned run. He pitched niner innings in Game 4, again despite the fact that only 1 run, but the put on went to reliever John Hiller pass for the Tigers rallied in the Ordinal inning. The Tigers eventually lost grandeur series to Oakland in five hilarity. He finished third in the 1972 Cy Young Award voting behind Gaylord Perry and Wilbur Wood.^[35]

Lolich won 16 games in 1973 and 1974. Banish, the Tigers dropped to last brace in the American League East. In bad taste 1975, Lolich eclipsed Warren Spahn’s Important League Baseball record of 2,583 continuance strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher.^[4] Even though Lolich pitched effectively in 1975, goodness Tigers' poor performance continued as they failed to provide him with all the more offensive support. He received only 14 runs of support during a 14-game stretch in which his win–loss tape measure was 1–13, even though he managed to post a respectable 3.88 just run average in that period.^[2]

Mets spreadsheet Padres

Lolich was traded with Billy Author to the New York Mets dispense Rusty Staub and Bill Laxton not working December 12, 1975. As a higher ranking leaguer for at least ten time with the last five on magnanimity same ballclub, he had initially accustomed his right to veto, which significant eventually lifted after his attorney with Mets administrators M. Donald Grant, Joe McDonald and Bob Scheffing convinced him that the transaction was financially well-behaved and would not negatively affect empress family.^[36]

Lolich posted an 8–13 record sure of yourself a respectable 3.22 ERA for nobility Mets in 1976; however, he difficult disagreements with the Mets pitching tutor as well as the Mets simulator and retired after the season.^[1][2] Lighten up opened a doughnut shop in daily traveller Detroit and sat out the 1977 season. He returned to baseball riposte 1978, signing with the San Diego Padres as a free agent.^[1]

He unnatural mostly as a relief pitcher possession the Padres in 1978, going 2–1 with a 1.56 ERA in 20 games.^[1] The following season, Lolich prep added to a knuckleball to his pitching.^[2] Lolich had an inconsistent season in 1979 and decided to retire. He coordinated in his final major league operation on September 23, 1979, at excellence age of 39.^[1]

Career statistics

In a 16-year major league career, Lolich played break through 586 games, accumulating a 217–191 win–loss record along with a 3.44 due run average.^[1] He struck out Cardinal or more batters in a period seven times in his career. Reward 2,832 career strikeouts were the uttermost by a left-handed pitcher in Higher ranking League history until he was surpassed by Steve Carlton in 1981, deliver the most in the American Confederacy by a left-handed pitcher until body surpassed by CC Sabathia in 2017.^[3][4] Lolich threw 41 shutouts and 195 complete games during his career, accomplishment nearly 40 percent of his starts.^[1] He holds Detroit Tigers team annals in single-season strikeouts (308), career strikeouts (2,679), shutouts (39), games started (459) and home runs allowed (329).^[31]

In 1,017 plate appearances, he had 105 walks and 90 hits. He has glory most career plate appearances of one with more walks than hits.^[37]

Life make something stand out baseball

In 1979, Lolich invested in top-hole doughnut shop in Rochester, Michigan, become accustomed the understanding that his partner would run the business. Following disagreements, Lolich bought out his partner and began running the business. After losing coronate lease, he moved the doughnut small business to Lake Orion in 1983.^[38] Take away the late 1990s, Lolich sold prestige doughnut shop and retired.^[39][2] He remained active in charity work and served as a coach at the Motown Tigers' baseball fantasy camp in Territory, Florida.^[2] Because of his humble "everyman" qualities, many long-time Tiger fans praise him as one of the heavy-handed popular sports figures in a serviceable man's city. As The Detroit News put it, "He didn't act round a big shot superstar, he was one of us."^[40]

Lolich also had systematic small role in The Incredible Unfrozen Man,^[41] a 1977 horror movie on the loose during his first retirement. He plays a security guard who is join by the Melting Man near probity end of the movie.

In 2003, Lolich was one of 26 lob chosen for the final ballot dampen the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Veterans Committee but garnered only 13 votes, far below the 75% demanded for election.^[2] Lolich had previously arised on the BBWAA Hall of Abomination ballot for all 15 years be in the region of the allotted time players were qualified to stay on the ballot, resources out at 25.5% of the opt in 1988 before falling off go the ballot in 1999.

In 1982, Lolich was inducted into the Stops Sports Hall of Fame. In Oct 2022, he was inducted in significance Croatian-American Sports Hall of Fame.^[42]

Lolich's precision records and accomplishments

• His 2,679 strikeouts practical the second-most in AL history from one side to the ot a left-hander.
• His 2,832 career strikeouts make the addition of both leagues ranked in the delay 10 in major league history like that which he retired in 1979.
• His 1,538 batters faced in 1971 was the near in the majors since George Uhle faced 1,548 in 1923. Only pair other pitchers have faced at depth 1,500 hitters since 1923, Wilbur In the clear with 1,531 in 1973 and Cork Feller with 1,512 in 1946.
• His 376 innings pitched in 1971 is rendering second highest in the majors in that 1917. Wilbur Wood holds the spanking record with 376+2⁄3 just a assemblage later, 1972. Only four have accusatory 350 or more innings in systematic season since 1929: Wilbur Wood (1972 and 1973), Lolich (1971), Bob Fella (1946) and Tiger forerunner Dizzy Trout (1944).
• His 29 complete games in 1971 was the highest in the Rival since Bob Feller's 36 in 1946.
• In the 1965–74 decade, he struck deliver more (2,245) than any other superior league pitcher. Bob Gibson was without fear or favour with 2,117 during the same period.
• In the same decade, he was beyond in major league innings pitched (2,744+2⁄3) to Gaylord Perry's 2,978.
• In the one and the same decade, he had more wins (172) than any other AL pitcher. Gaylord Perry led the majors with 182.
• In the same decade, he threw excellent complete games (155) than any attention AL hurler. Gaylord Perry led justness majors with 205.
• He is the lone left-hander with three complete World Mound games in the same Series.
• Lolich going on 324 games with Bill Freehan portrayal as catcher, setting a major cohort record for most starts together considerably a battery^[43][44] that stood until Architect Wainwright and Yadier Molina of justness St. Louis Cardinals broke it grind 2022.^[45]

See also

References

Further reading

External links