Vic Raschi

Vic Raschi
Vic Raschi
	Raschi in 1953
	Pitcher
	Born: March 28, 1919; West Springfield, Massachusetts
	Died: October 14, 1988 (aged 69); Groveland, New York
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
	September 23, 1946, for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
	September 13, 1955, for the Kansas City Athletics
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	132–66
Earned run average	3.72
Strikeouts	944
Teams
	New York Yankees (1946–1953); St. Louis Cardinals (1954–1955); Kansas City Athletics (1955);
Career highlights and awards
	4× All-Star (1948–1950, 1952); 6× World Series champion (1947, 1949–1953); AL strikeout leader (1951);

Victor John Angelo Raschi (March 28, 1919 – October 14, 1988) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He was one of the top pitchers for the New York Yankees in the late 1940s and early 1950s, forming (with Allie Reynolds and Eddie Lopat) the "Big Three" of the Yankees' pitching staff. He was nicknamed "The Springfield Rifle".

Later in his career, as a pitcher with the St. Louis Cardinals, he was responsible for allowing Hank Aaron's first career home run.^[1]

Early life

Raschi was born in West Springfield, Massachusetts one of four children born to Massimino and Eugizia Raschi. He then went on to graduate from the College of William and Mary. ^{[citation needed]}

Career

New York Yankees

Raschi's debut on the New York Yankees was on September 23, 1946, wearing uniform number 12. The next year he wore three different numbers (17, 19, and 43) but number 17 became his from then on during his Yankee career. From 1946 to 1953, Raschi won 120 games while losing 50, a .706 winning percentage. He led the American League in won/lost percentage at .724 (21-8) in 1950, and in strikeouts with 164 in 1951. Hall of Famer Monte Irvin, who faced Raschi in the 1951 World Series, thought that Raschi was one of the best pitchers he had ever seen.^[2]

Raschi had a .184 career batting average, with seven runs batted in (RBI) in one game, an American League record for pitchers, on August 3, 1953. While playing with the Yankees, he and his wife Sally lived in Hillsdale, New Jersey.^[3]

He was a better than average fielding pitcher, recording a .977 fielding percentage, committing only 8 errors in 351 total chances, which was 19 points higher than the league average at his position.

Post-Yankees career

On February 24, 1954, Yankee fans were surprised to see Raschi traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. In the remaining two years of his career, with the Cardinals and Kansas City Athletics (who signed him as a free agent on April 28, 1955 when the Cardinals released him), Raschi won only 12 games while losing 16.

On April 23, 1954, while with the Cardinals, Raschi gave up the first of Hank Aaron's 755 career home runs. Aaron, Major League Baseball's future home run king, had also notched his first career hit off Raschi eight days earlier.

He kept his uniform number 17 on the Cardinals, but on the A's took number 16.

Post-retirement

Raschi retired to Geneseo, New York, where he ran a liquor store and served as a baseball coach at Geneseo State College (now the State University of New York at Geneseo). In 1975, the college dedicated the Victor J. Raschi Baseball Field, which is now used as a softball field.^[4] Raschi died in Groveland, New York.

References

^ "Hank Aaron Career Home Runs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
^ Hirsch, James S. (2010). Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend. New York: Scribner. p. 139. ISBN 978-1-4165-4790-7.
^ Gittleman, Sol. Reynolds, Raschi and Lopat: New York's Big Three and Great Yankee Dynasty of 1949–1953, p. 44. McFarland, 2007. ISBN 0-7864-3055-9. Accessed February 5, 2011.
^ Gittleman, Sol. Reynolds, Raschi and Lopat: New York's Big Three and Great Yankee Dynasty of 1949–1953, p. 204. McFarland, 2007. ISBN 0-7864-3055-9. Accessed March 2, 2011.

External links

Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference
Baseball Almanac
Vic Raschi at Find a Grave

[1] "Hank Aaron Career Home Runs". Baseball-Reference. Retrieved 2012-04-11.

[2] Hirsch, James S. (2010). Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend. New York: Scribner. p. 139. ISBN 978-1-4165-4790-7.

[3] Gittleman, Sol. Reynolds, Raschi and Lopat: New York's Big Three and Great Yankee Dynasty of 1949–1953, p. 44. McFarland, 2007. ISBN 0-7864-3055-9. Accessed February 5, 2011.

[4] Gittleman, Sol. Reynolds, Raschi and Lopat: New York's Big Three and Great Yankee Dynasty of 1949–1953, p. 204. McFarland, 2007. ISBN 0-7864-3055-9. Accessed March 2, 2011.

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v t e New York Yankees 1947 World Series champions
1 Snuffy Stirnweiss 3 Allie Clark 5 Joe DiMaggio (AL MVP) 6 Bobby Brown 8 Aaron Robinson 9 George McQuinn 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Joe Page 12 Charlie Keller 14 Lonny Frey 15 Tommy Henrich 16 Bill Bevens 17 Vic Raschi 18 Randy Gumpert 19 Karl Drews 20 Spec Shea 21 Spud Chandler 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Billy Johnson 25 Charley Wensloff 26 Don Johnson 27 Johnny Lindell 29 Sherm Lollar 32 Ralph Houk 34 Bobo Newsom 35 Yogi Berra 36 Jack Phillips
Manager 37 Bucky Harris Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 7 Chuck Dressen 31 Red Corriden 33 Johnny Schulte
Regular season Dodgers–Yankees rivalry Subway Series

v t e New York Yankees 1949 World Series champions
1 Snuffy Stirnweiss 5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Bobby Brown 7 Cliff Mapes 8 Yogi Berra 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Joe Page 14 Gene Woodling 15 Tommy Henrich 17 Vic Raschi 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Billy Johnson 25 Hank Bauer 27 Johnny Lindell 28 Tommy Byrne 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 36 Johnny Mize 38 Gus Niarhos 42 Jerry Coleman
Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey
Regular season Dodgers–Yankees rivalry Subway Series

v t e New York Yankees 1950 World Series champions
5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Bobby Brown 7 Cliff Mapes 8 Yogi Berra 10 Phil Rizzuto (AL MVP) 11 Joe Page 12 Billy Martin 14 Gene Woodling 15 Tommy Henrich 17 Vic Raschi 19 Whitey Ford 21 Fred Sanford 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Billy Johnson 25 Hank Bauer 26 Tom Ferrick 28 Tommy Byrne 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 32 Ralph Houk 35 Joe Ostrowski 36 Johnny Mize 38 Johnny Hopp 40 Jackie Jensen 41 Joe Collins 42 Jerry Coleman
Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey
Regular season

v t e New York Yankees 1951 World Series champions
1 Billy Martin 5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Bobby Brown 7 Mickey Mantle 8 Yogi Berra (AL MVP) 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Johnny Sain 12 Gil McDougald (AL ROY) 14 Gene Woodling 17 Vic Raschi 19 Spec Shea 20 Art Schallock 21 Bob Kuzava 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Stubby Overmire 25 Hank Bauer 28 Tom Morgan 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 32 Ralph Houk 35 Joe Ostrowski 36 Johnny Mize 38 Johnny Hopp 40 Bobby Hogue 41 Joe Collins 42 Jerry Coleman
Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 15 Tommy Henrich 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey
Regular season Giants–Yankees rivalry Subway Series

v t e New York Yankees 1952 World Series champions
1 Billy Martin 7 Mickey Mantle 8 Yogi Berra 9 Hank Bauer 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Johnny Sain 12 Gil McDougald 14 Gene Woodling 17 Vic Raschi 18 Ray Scarborough 21 Bob Kuzava 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Tom Gorman 25 Irv Noren 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 32 Ralph Houk 36 Johnny Mize 40 Ewell Blackwell 41 Joe Collins
Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey
Regular season Dodgers–Yankees rivalry Subway Series