1987 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR TEAM CAPTAIN
"Voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the BBWAA on January 14, 1987, Catfish Hunter became a household name in December of 1974 when virtually every baseball club jumped at the chance to sign the year's Cy Young Award winner. The Yankees were his choice, and his signing was announced on New Year's Eve.
His 25 wins in 1974 and 23 in 1975 led the American League, and culminated a string of five consecutive seasons of 20+ wins. Catfish became a former member of the Oakland A's after an arbitration panel ruled that the club had failed to live up to its contractual obligations to Hunter.
With his election to the Hall of Fame, there is little no doubt that he was one of the premier pitchers in baseball history. In 1976 he became only the fourth pitcher in this century to record his 200th victory prior to his 31st birthday, joining Cy Young, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson. In 1975 he joined Johnson and Lefty Grove as the only A.L. pitchers to win 20+ in five straight seasons. An eight-time All-Star, Jim was a big leaguer for all or part of 15 seasons, and was a regular starting pitcher since the age of 19. On the all-time lists he is 27th with a 3.26 ERA, 37th with 2,012 strikeouts and 38th with 42 shutouts.
Jim was runner-up for the 1975 Cy Young Award. In '75, his first season as a Yankee, he pitched more complete games than any American Leaguer since Bob Feller in 1946, and pitched more innings than any Yankee since Carl Mays in 1921.
He first achieved fame at the 1967 All-Star Game in Anaheim, the first to air on prime time TV, when he threw five innings of relief and finally lost on a Tony Perez home run in the 15th. In 1968 he pitched a 4-0 perfect game against Minnesota, in only the 12th home game played in Oakland.
By 1971 Hunter had mastered his game as a control artist and led Oakland to four straight division titles, and World Championships from 1972-74. He suffered a broken right thumb in the 1973 All-Star Game when Billy Williams hit him with a line drive through the box. Jim finished sixth in the 1974 MVP voting.
Jim was an outstanding fielder and an accomplished hitter (149-658, .227 BA with six homers and 51 RBIs). His longest win streak was 13 in 1973. In addition to his perfect game, he has a 1-hitter and five 2-hitters, the 1-hitter coming as a Yankee on May 31, 1975 in a 6-0 win at Texas- 88 pitches, no walks and four strikeouts. His career high in strikeouts is 12 (twice) and his longest outing was 13 innings, was accomplished August 27, 1976 at California (no runs, 11 hits).
He was 23-14 in his first year with the Yankees, the most wins at that point by a Yankee since Whitey Ford's 24 in 1963. 1976 was an off-year for Cat, going 17-15 with a 3.52 ERA, but he disclosed at the season's end he was suffering some arm trouble. He split two decisions in the '76 ALCS.
Jim's 1977 was plagued by injury; he suffered a bruised left instep on Opening Day, spending almost a month on the D.L., then was bothered by a sore shoulder. Jim was on the disabled list twice in 1978, with a sore right shoulder. He had the shoulder manipulated by Dr. Maurice Cowen on June 26. He returned from the D.L. on July 17, and was 10-3 from that point on.
He came back in 1978 to win 12 of 18 decisions, including a 6-0 mark August when New York forged that tremendous comeback over Boston. He finished 1978 winning nine of his last 11 decisions. In his 6-0 August he had a 1.64 ERA. Over his last 12 regular season starts, he was 9-2 with a 2.23 ERA, lowering his season ERA from 6.51 to 3.58. He finished second to Mike Caldwell for the AL's Comeback Player of the Year. Cat was the winning pitcher in the World Series clinching victory over the Dodgers.
Hunter announced his retirement during the 1979 season and was honored with Catfish Hunter Day at Yankee Stadium on September 16. He retired at the tender age of 33. Of his tenure with the Yankees, owner George Steinbrenner said, 'He was the first to teach us how to win- what it means to be a winner.'
He was the youngest of eight children. His father was a tenant farmer in Hertford, North Carolina. Jim was a great athlete at Perquimans High School, making All-State in baseball, football and track. He also played Little League and Babe Ruth ball in his native Hertford, American Legion ball in nearby Ahoskie, and semi-pro ball in Wanchese. He rooted for the Indians as a youngster, with Jimmy Piersall his favorite player.
His four brothers helped his development as a player (Jim had four brothers and three sisters). A brother accidentally shot him in the foot while hunting in 1964, causing the loss of the small toe on his right foot. The accident caused most clubs to lose interest in him, but Kansas City scout Clyde Kluttz stayed with him and signed him, although Jim was unable to play in 1964; [hence], he's never played in the minor leagues. A's owner Charlie Finley, feeling the need for a colorful nickname, invented 'Catfish.'
Jim still lives in Hertord, owning and running a farm of his own, and enjoys hunting and fishing. He coaches his son's Little League team and joins the Yankees at spring training to lend his expertise to the instruction of younger pitchers. Jim is diabetic, and does much charitable work for various diabetes organizations."
-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide
No comments:
Post a Comment