Mickey Lolich

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Mickey Lolich

Lolich in 2009
Pitcher
Born: September 12, 1940 (1940-09-12) (age 71)
Portland, Oregon
Batted: Switch Threw: Left 
MLB debut
May 12, 1963 for the Detroit Tigers
Last MLB appearance
September 23, 1979 for the San Diego Padres
Career statistics
Win–Loss record     217–191
Earned run average     3.44
Strikeouts     2,832
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Michael Stephen Lolich (born September 12, 1940 in Portland, Oregon) is an American former professional baseball player.[1] He played in Major League Baseball as a pitcher from 1962 until 1979, most notably for the Detroit Tigers.[1] Lolich is best known for his performance in the 1968 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals when he won three victories, including a victory over Bob Gibson in the climactic Game 7.[2]

Contents

[edit] Baseball career

Lolich was signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 1958.[1] After spending five seasons in the minor leagues, he made his major league debut with the Tigers on May 12, 1963 at the age of 22.[1] Lolich blossomed in 1964, winning 18 games and 192 strikeouts in his first full season in the major leagues.[1] In 1965, he posted a 14-14 won-loss record, but improved to 226 strikeouts, second best in the American League behind Sam McDowell.[3]

In 1967, the Tigers hired former major league pitcher, Johnny Sain, as their pitching coach.[4] Sain helped develop Lolich's pitching skills and taught him the psychology of pitching.[2][4] The 1967 season was a memorable one due to the tight four-way pennant race between the Tigers, the Boston Red Sox, the Minnesota Twins and the Chicago White Sox.[5] The Tigers remained in the pennant race until the final day of the season, finishing one game behind the Red Sox.[6] Lolich finished the season with a 14-14 record, but led the league with 6 shutouts.[1][7]

The Tigers began the 1968 season in first place, winning nine consecutive games after losing the season opening game.[8] Lolich was overshadowed by teammate Denny McLain's 31-game win season, and was sent to the bull pen in August for poor performance.[2] He made six appearances as a relief pitcher before returning to the starting rotation.[2] Lolich had a 17-9 record with 197 strikeouts, as the Tigers led from start to finish to win the American League pennant by 12 games over the second-place Baltimore Orioles.[1][9]

After Bob Gibson had defeated McLain in Game 1 of the 1968 World Series, Lolich helped the Tigers recover by allowing only one run to win Game 2 by a score of 8-1.[10] He also helped himself at the plate, when he hit the first and only home run of his 16-year career.[10] The Tigers lost the next two series games to fall behind the Cardinals three games to one and were facing elimination when Lolich returned to pitch in Game 5. Despite a unsettled start, when he surrendered a two-run home run to Orlando Cepeda in a three-run first inning, Lolich remained calm and proceeded to pitch eight scoreless innings, as the Tigers scored two runs in the fourth inning, then went ahead in the seventh inning, when Al Kaline hit a bases loaded single to drive in two runs.[11] The Tigers went on to win by a score of 5 to 3 to stave off elimination.[10] The Tigers then won Game 6 aided by a good performance by McLain and a grand slam home run from Jim Northrup to force a crucial Game 7.[12] With just two days of rest, Lolich would face Gibson in the final game of the series with both pitchers having won their previous two starts.[10] Lolich and Gibson pitched six scoreless innings before the Tigers broke through to score three runs in the seventh inning.[10] Lolich picked off Lou Brock and Curt Flood in the bottom of the sixth inning to extinguish a Cardinals threat and went on to pitch a 4 to 1 Tigers victory.[2][13] Detroit became only the third team in World Series history to rally from a 3-1 deficit to win in Game 7.[10] Lolich became the 12th pitcher to win three games in a World Series, and the last to win three complete games in one series.[2] He was the last pitcher to win three World Series games until Randy Johnson won three games in the 2001 World Series. Lolich's performance earned him the World Series Most Valuable Player Award.[14]

Lolich was a picture of consistency, winning 14 or more games for ten consecutive seasons, including 1971 when he led the American League with 25 victories (a total no subsequent Tiger pitcher has reached) and 22 in 1972. He struck out a career-high 308 batters in 1972, helping the Tigers to the American League East Championship that season while personally finishing runner-up in the Cy Young Award balloting.[1] The 308 strikeouts is still the Tigers record for a single season. He also struck out 200 or more batters seven times during his career, and ranks third among left-handers (behind Steve Carlton and Randy Johnson) in career strikeouts with 2,832.

After suffering through the 1975 season, in which he lost 18 games for a declining Tigers team, the Tigers traded him to the New York Mets with outfielder Billy Baldwin in exchange for star outfielder Rusty Staub and pitcher Bill Laxton.[1] In 1976, Lolich's slump continued with the Mets, as he won just 8 games while losing 13, leading him to retire.[1] He returned to his home in suburban Detroit, opened a doughnut shop, and skipped the 1977 season. He eventually re-entered the free agent market, signed a contract with the San Diego Padres, and pitched for them during the 1978 and 1979 seasons before permanently retiring. At the time of his retirement, he held the Major League Baseball record for most career strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher. Lolich still holds the American League record for the most career strikeouts by a left-handed pitcher.

Lolich was deemed to be right-handed, but a tricycle accident that occurred while Lolich was young forced him to adapt to using his left hand. This would come to include baseball, once he began to play it. Although he became a left-handed pitcher, Lolich batted right-handed and still writes right-handed.

After Lolich's career ended, he continued to run his doughnut shop in Lake Orion, Michigan (a small suburb roughly 40 miles north of Detroit) for several years before he sold the business and retired. Today, he is active in charitable work and serves as a coach at the Detroit Tigers' fantasy camp in Lakeland, Florida. Because of his humble, "average man" qualities, he is still known to many long-time Tiger fans as one of the most popular sports figures in a working man's city. As the Detroit News put it, "He didn't act like a big shot superstar, he was one of us."[15]

In 2003, Lolich was one of the 26 players selected to the final ballot by the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Veterans Committee. He received only 13 votes, placing him far below the 75% required for election. Lolich has often said the fact that he never won the Cy Young Award was a factor in not receiving sufficient votes to be elected to the Hall of Fame.

[edit] Detroit Tigers records

Lolich ranks among the Tigers' all time leaders in many categories, including the following:

  • 2,679 strikeouts is #1 on the Tigers all time list
  • 39 shutouts is #1 on the Tigers all time list
  • 459 games started is #1 on the Tigers all time list
  • 329 home runs allowed is #1 on the Tigers all time list
  • 109 wild pitches is #2 on the Tigers all time list (behind Jack Morris)
  • 207 wins is #3 on the Tigers all time list (behind Hooks Dauss and George Mullin)
  • 508 games is #3 on the Tigers all time list (behind John Hiller and Hooks Dauss)
  • 3,361 innings pitched is #3 on Tigers all time list (behind George Mullin and Hooks Dauss)

[edit] Other records and accomplishments

  • Lolich's career total of 2,679 strikeouts in the American League is the most in league history by a left-handed pitcher. His career total of 2,832 strikeouts in both leagues ranked in the top 10 in Major League history when he retired in 1979.
  • Lolich's total of 1,538 batters faced in 1971 is the most in Major League Baseball since George Uhle faced 1,548 batters in 1923. Only two other pitchers have faced at least 1,500 batters since 1923: Wilbur Wood with 1,531 in 1973 and Bob Feller with 1,512 in 1946.
  • Lolich's total of 376 innings pitched in 1971 is the second highest in Major League Baseball since 1917. Wilbur Wood holds the modern record with 376-2/3 innings pitched in 1972. Only four pitchers have reached the 350 innings mark since the 1920s: Wilbur Wood (1972 and 1973), Lolich (1971), Bob Feller (1946), and Dizzy Trout (1944).
  • During the decade from 1965 to 1974, Lolich had more strikeouts (2,245) than any other pitcher in Major League Baseball. Bob Gibson was second with 2,117 during the same period.
  • During the decade from 1965 to 1974, Lolich ranked second in Major League Baseball in innings pitched (2,744-2/3). Gaylord Perry was first with 2,978 innings pitched.
  • During the decade from 1965 to 1974, Lolich had more wins (172) than any other pitcher in the American League. Gaylord Perry led the majors with 182 wins during that period.
  • During the decade from 1965 to 1974, Lolich had more complete games (155) than any other pitcher in the American League. Gaylord Perry led the majors with 205 complete games during that period.
  • Lolich is the only lefthander to start, finish and win three complete World Series games.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Mickey Lolich statistics". Baseball-Reference. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lolicmi01.shtml. Retrieved 25 December 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c d e f Holmes, Dan. "The Baseball Biography Project: Mickey Lolich". Society for American Baseball Research. http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1287&pid=8374. Retrieved 29 December 2011. 
  3. ^ "1965 American League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1965-pitching-leaders.shtml. Retrieved 25 December 2011. 
  4. ^ a b Sargent, Jim (February 2004). Jim Northrup Recalls His Playing Days With Tigers. http://books.google.com.sa/books?id=_isDAAAAMBAJ&lpg=PA64&dq=baseball%20digest%20johnny%20sain%20denny%20mclain&pg=PA64#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 24 December 2011. 
  5. ^ "1967: The Impossible Dream". thisgreatgame.com. http://www.thisgreatgame.com/1967.html. Retrieved 25 December 2011. 
  6. ^ "1967 American League Team Statistics and Standings". Baseball-reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1967.shtml. Retrieved 22 December 2011. 
  7. ^ "1967 American League Pitching Leaders". Baseball-reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1967-pitching-leaders.shtml. Retrieved 25 December 2011. 
  8. ^ "1968 Detroit Tigers Schedule, Box Scores and Splits". Baseball-reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/DET/1968-schedule-scores.shtml. Retrieved 23 December 2011. 
  9. ^ "1968 American League Team Statistics and Standings". Baseball-reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/AL/1968.shtml. Retrieved 25 December 2011. 
  10. ^ a b c d e f "1968 World Series". Baseball-almanac.com. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr1968ws.shtml. Retrieved 25 December 2011. 
  11. ^ "1968 World Series Game 5 box score". Baseball-reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/DET/DET196810070.shtml. Retrieved 29 December 2011. 
  12. ^ "1968 World Series Game 6 box score". Baseball-reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196810090.shtml. Retrieved 22 December 2011. 
  13. ^ "1968 World Series Game 7 box score". Baseball-reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN196810100.shtml. Retrieved 29 December 2011. 
  14. ^ "1968 World Series". Baseball-reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1968_WS.shtml. Retrieved 25 December 2011. 
  15. ^ detnews.com | Michigan History

[edit] External links

Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Bob Gibson		 World Series MVP
1968		 Succeeded by
Donn Clendenon
Preceded by
Lou Brock		 Babe Ruth Award
1968		 Succeeded by
Al Weis
Preceded by
Sam McDowell		 American League Strikeout Champion
1971		 Succeeded by
Nolan Ryan
Preceded by
Cuellar, McNally & J. Perry		 American League Wins Champion
1971		 Succeeded by
G. Perry & Wood
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