Eddie Lopat
Eddie Lopat | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born: June 21, 1918 New York City, New York | |
Died: June 15, 1992 Darien, Connecticut | (aged 73)|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
April 30, 1944, for the Chicago White Sox | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 23, 1955, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 166–112 |
Earned run average | 3.21 |
Strikeouts | 859 |
Teams | |
As player
As manager | |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Edmund Walter Lopat (originally Lopatynski) (June 21, 1918 – June 15, 1992) was a Major League Baseball pitcher, coach, manager, front office executive, and scout. He was sometimes known as "The Junk Man", but better known as "Steady Eddie", a nickname later given to Eddie Murray. He was born in New York City.
Playing career
A left-hander, Lopat made his Major League pitching debut on April 30, 1944, playing for the Chicago White Sox. He was traded to the New York Yankees on February 24, 1948 for Aaron Robinson, Bill Wight, and Fred Bradley. From 1948 to 1953 he was the third of the "Big Three" of the Yankees' pitching staff, together with Allie Reynolds and Vic Raschi. He pitched in the All-Star Game in 1951 for the American League. In 1953 he led the AL in both earned-run average and won/lost percentage.
On July 30, 1955, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Jim McDonald and cash, finishing out the season and retiring. Over his 12-year AL career, Lopat won 166 games, losing 112 (.597) with an ERA of 3.21.
Coaching career
Lopat managed the Triple-A Richmond Virginians for the Yankees in the late 1950s, and in 1960 served one season as the Yankees' pitching coach before holding the same post with the Minnesota Twins in 1961 and the Kansas City Athletics in 1962. In 1963 Lopat was tapped to manage the Athletics and continued in this role until June 11, 1964.[1] His Major League managerial record was 90-124 (.421). Lopat stayed on as a senior front office aide to team owner Charlie Finley until the club moved to Oakland after the 1967 season. He then scouted for the Montreal Expos during their early years in Major League Baseball.
Later life
In 1978, Eddie Lopat was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame [2] He died at his son's home in Darien, Connecticut, on June 15, 1992.[3] Lopat pitched for five victorious Yankees teams in the World Series during his career, in 1949–53.
References
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs
- Baseball Almanac
- Baseball Library
- The Baseball Page
- 1918 births
- 1992 deaths
- American League All-Stars
- American League ERA champions
- Baltimore Orioles players
- Baseball players from New York
- Cancer deaths in Connecticut
- Chicago White Sox players
- Deaths from pancreatic cancer
- Greensburg Green Sox players
- Jeanerette Blues players
- Kansas City Athletics coaches
- Kansas City Athletics executives
- Kansas City Athletics managers
- Little Rock Travelers players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Major League Baseball pitching coaches
- Minnesota Twins coaches
- Minor league baseball managers
- Montreal Expos scouts
- New York Yankees coaches
- New York Yankees players
- Oklahoma City Indians players
- People from Hillsdale, New Jersey
- Sportspeople from New York City
- Richmond Virginians (minor league) players
- Shreveport Sports players
- American people of Polish descent