Major League Baseball Player. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound right-hander was a 18-year-old phenom for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1957. He signed a $50,000 bonus out of high school to join his brother Lindy on the Redbirds' staff. In his debut, on June 13, he worked in relief and held the Philadelphia Phillies to one hit in four innings. He picked up his first win three days later when he limited the Brooklyn Dodgers to one hit in four innings, again in relief. On June 21 in his first big-league start, he held the Dodgers hitless until singles by Junior Gilliam and Duke Snider in the sixth inning as he posted a two-hit, 2-0 victory. Then on July 28 against Pittsburgh, Gene Baker's second-inning double prevented him from pitching a perfect game. He finished the season with a 7-5 record and a 3.22 earned run average. He gave up 71 hits in 86 2/3 innings with four complete games in 13 starts. The magic was gone the following season, however, as he pitched in only two games with no decisions. His big-league career was over at the age of 19. While some blamed it on an arm injury, he and his brother maintained that was not the case, that he simply lost all the feel and coordination on the mound.
Major League Baseball Player. The 6-foot-3, 180-pound right-hander was a 18-year-old phenom for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1957. He signed a $50,000 bonus out of high school to join his brother Lindy on the Redbirds' staff. In his debut, on June 13, he worked in relief and held the Philadelphia Phillies to one hit in four innings. He picked up his first win three days later when he limited the Brooklyn Dodgers to one hit in four innings, again in relief. On June 21 in his first big-league start, he held the Dodgers hitless until singles by Junior Gilliam and Duke Snider in the sixth inning as he posted a two-hit, 2-0 victory. Then on July 28 against Pittsburgh, Gene Baker's second-inning double prevented him from pitching a perfect game. He finished the season with a 7-5 record and a 3.22 earned run average. He gave up 71 hits in 86 2/3 innings with four complete games in 13 starts. The magic was gone the following season, however, as he pitched in only two games with no decisions. His big-league career was over at the age of 19. While some blamed it on an arm injury, he and his brother maintained that was not the case, that he simply lost all the feel and coordination on the mound.
Bio by: Ron Coons
Gravesite Details
Veteran - Viet Nam War
Family Members
Siblings
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