Harvey Haddix

Harvey Haddix
Haddix in 1953
Pitcher
Born: (1925-09-18)September 18, 1925
Medway, Ohio, U.S.
Died: January 8, 1994(1994-01-08) (aged 68)
Springfield, Ohio, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
August 20, 1952, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
August 28, 1965, for the Baltimore Orioles
MLB statistics
Win–loss record136–113
Earned run average3.63
Strikeouts1,575
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Harvey Haddix Jr. (September 18, 1925 – January 8, 1994) was an American professional baseball pitcher and pitching coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1952–1956), Philadelphia Phillies (1956–57), Cincinnati Redlegs (1958), Pittsburgh Pirates (1959–1963), and Baltimore Orioles (1964–65).[1] The three-time All-Star and one-time World Series champion is most notable for pitching 12 perfect innings against the Milwaukee Braves on May 26, 1959, arguably the greatest game ever pitched in major league history. The Pirates left-hander retired a record 36 batters in a row before he allowed a base-runner, only to lose the game on an unearned run in the 13th inning. [2][3]

In 1991, Major League Baseball changed the definition of a no-hitter to "a game in which a pitcher or pitchers complete a game of nine innings or more without allowing a hit." The revised requirement retroactively disqualified Haddix's gem, which many considered to be a perfect game because he had retired the first 27 batters in order. Even though Haddix had recorded more consecutive perfect innings than anyone in major league history, the feat was removed from the official list of no-hitters and perfect games. The pitcher was matter of fact in his response. "It's O.K.," he shrugged. "I know what I did."[4]

Haddix experienced his best season with the 1953 in the 1953 season, when he compiled a 20–9 record, 163 strikeouts, 3.06 earned run average (ERA), 19 complete games and six shutouts.[1] After five-plus seasons with the Cardinals, he was traded to the Phillies. Haddix also pitched for the Reds and Pirates before he concluded his career with the Orioles as a reliever.[1][4]

Haddix was credited with the dramatic Game Seven victory out of the bullpen in the 1960 World Series, which saw the Pirates become champions on Bill Mazeroski's walk-off home run in the ninth inning.[5]

Haddix was commonly referred to as "The Kitten", a nickname that was afforded him while with Triple A Columbus early in his minor league career. General manager George Sisler Jr. likened the young pitcher to St. Louis Cardinals veteran pitcher Harry Brecheen, another undersized left-hander who was known as "Harry The Cat" in baseball circles. Sisler wondered what it would be like to have The Cat and The Kitten paired in a doubleheader.[4]

Early life

Haddix was born on September 18, 1925 in Medway, Ohio, located just outside Springfield. He was the third son of Nellie Mae Greider-Haddix and Harvey Haddix Sr.. His parents were farmers near Westville in west central Ohio, 20 miles from Medway.

Near-perfect game

Haddix took a perfect game into the 13th inning against the Milwaukee Braves on May 26, 1959. He retired 36 consecutive batters in 12 innings, essentially relying on two pitches: fastball and slider.[2][6] However, Braves pitcher Lew Burdette was also pitching a shutout,[4] which was seriously jeopardized on only three occasions: the 3rd inning, when a Pittsburgh base-running blunder negated three consecutive singles; the 9th, when Pittsburgh finally advanced a runner as far as third base;[3] and the 10th, when Pirates pinch hitter Dick Stuart came within a few feet of a two-run homer.[7]

What made Haddix's performance even more impressive was the fact that it came against a star-studded Braves team on its home field. He faced a line-up that featured future Hall of Famers Hank Aaron and Eddie Mathews as well as All-Star Del Crandall and slugger Joe Adcock. The Braves represented the NL in the previous two World Series.[4][8] Mazeroski later said of Haddix's dominance in the game, "Usually you have one or two great or spectacular defensive plays in these no-hitters. Not that night. It was the easiest game I ever played in."[4]

Burdette was at the plate in the ninth inning when Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince reported the historic 27th consecutive out on KDKA Radio back to Pittsburgh. "Anything that (partner) Jim Woods and I have witnessed in this season absolutely at this moment pales into insignificance, and we have had some thumpers. Here's the wind-up and the 1-2 pitch to Burdette . . . Fouled off to the right out of play. And Burdette has shortened the grip on that bat and is trying to really hang in there. And don't forget, he's also quite a threat at the long ball. Two men down, last half of the ninth inning, no score. I can't repeat it enough . . . The 1-2 pitch . . . Struck him out swinging! Haddix pitches a perfect nine-inning, no-hit, no-run game . . . A standing ovation! . . . Ladies and gentlemen, Harvey Haddix has just become the (eighth) pitcher in the history in all baseball to pitch a perfect no-hit, no-run, nine-inning ballgame."

A fielding error by third baseman Don Hoak ended the perfect game in the bottom of the 13th, with the leadoff batter for Milwaukee, Félix Mantilla, reaching first base. Mantilla then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Mathews, which was followed by an intentional walk to Aaron. Then Adcock hit an apparent home run to end the no-hitter and game.

As Prince called it: "Counting the final two outs he had against Cardinals in his last victory at Forbes Field, (Haddix) retired 38 men in order before a man got aboard, and then only on an error. One out, batter Adcock, takes high, ball one . . . One ball, no strikes . . . There isn't anybody sicker (about the error) at this moment than Don Hoak, I guarantee you that. He's crushed over this. Here's the pitch. There's a fly ball, deep right-center . . . That ball might be on through and over everything . . . It's gone -- home run . . . Absolutely fantastic."

However, in the confusion of the moment, Aaron left the basepaths prematurely and was passed by Adcock for the second out. The hit was changed from a home run to a double as National League (NL) president Warren Giles would rule later. Because only Mantilla's run counted, the final score was 1–0, but Haddix and the Pirates lost a heart-breaker just the same.[4][9][10]

I could have put a cup on either corner of the plate and hit it.

— Harvey Haddix[4]

After the game, Haddix received numerous letters of congratulations and support as well as one from a Texas A&M fraternity. It read in its entirety on university stationery, "Dear Harvey, Tough shit." "It made me mad until I realized they were right," Haddix recounted. "That's exactly what it was."[4][11][12][13]

In May 1989, Milwaukee's Bob Buhl revealed that the Braves pitchers had been stealing signs from Pittsburgh catcher Smokey Burgess, who was exposing his hand signals due to a high crouch.[14][15] From their bullpen, Braves pitchers repeatedly repositioned a towel to signal for a fastball or a breaking ball, the only two pitches Haddix used in the game. Despite this assistance, the Milwaukee offense managed just one hit.[4][16] All but one Milwaukee hitter, Aaron, took the signals.[4]

Career overview

Over his 14-year career, Haddix had a 136–113 record with 1,575 strikeouts, a 3.63 ERA, 99 complete games, 21 shutouts, 21 saves, and 2,235 innings pitched in 453 games (285 as a starter).[1] He was in the spotlight in the 1960 World Series against the Yankees. After winning Game 5 as a starter, Haddix relieved late in Game 7 and was credited with the win when Bill Mazeroski hit his famous Series-ending walk-off home run.[4] Haddix went 2–0 in the 1960 Series, with a 2.45 ERA.[1]

In 1964, Haddix served solely as a relief pitcher for the Orioles, pitching 89+2⁄3 innings, with five wins, ten saves, and a 2.31 ERA. He was the runner-up for the Gold Glove Award.[17]

As a hitter, Haddix was better than average, posting a .212 batting average (169-for-798) with 95 runs, 37 doubles, 9 triples, 4 home runs, 64 RBI, 4 stolen bases and 46 bases on balls. Defensively, he recorded a .957 fielding percentage, which was the league average at his position.[1]

Jim Palmer said he learned a lot about pitching from Haddix during the veteran's time with the Orioles.[18]

Haddix later followed his former teammate Harry Brecheen into the ranks of major league pitching coaches, working with the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, and Pirates for 14 years spanning 1966 to 1984.[19]

Death

A heavy smoker in his playing days, Haddix died from emphysema in 1994 in Springfield, Ohio, at age 68.[4][20]

Career highlights

  • 3-time All-Star (1953–1955)[1]
  • 3-time Gold Glove Award (1958–1960)[21]
  • Co-Player of the Month for May 1959
  • Major League record, Most consecutive batters retired in one game (36) achieved on May 26, 1959[22]

Legacy

Haddix Field, the Little League baseball park in New Carlisle, Ohio, is named for Haddix.

Haddix's near-perfect game is memorialized by The Baseball Project, whose song, "Harvey Haddix", appears on their debut album, Volume 1: Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails (2008).

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Harvey Haddix Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Milwaukee Braves 1, Pittsburgh Pirates 0 Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. May 26, 1959. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  3. ^ a b Biederman, Lester J. (May 27, 1959). "Haddix Loses 'Greatest Game'; Pirate Lefty Hurls 12 Perfect Innings Before Bowing, 1-0; Bucs' 12 Hits to No Avail". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 32. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Chen, Albert (June 1, 2009). "The Greatest Game Ever Pitched". SI.com. Sports Illustrated. pp. 62–67. Retrieved October 22, 2015.
  5. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates 10, New York Yankees 9 Box Score". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. October 13, 1960. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  6. ^ "Harvey Haddix Perfect Game Box Score". baseball-almanac.com. Baseball Almanac. May 26, 1959. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
  7. ^ Biederman, Lester J. (May 27, 1959). "The Scoreboard: Pirates Tried Hard to Win for Haddix; Loss Hard to Take; Haddix Had Terrific Control". The Pittsburgh Press. p. 33. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  8. ^ Dvorchak, Bob (May 27, 2009). "In 1959 Harvey Haddix pitched perhaps the best game ever — and lost". post-gazette.com. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  9. ^ Eskenazi, Gerald (May 23, 2009). "Linked to Haddix's Perfection by Western Union Ticker Tape". The New York Times. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
  10. ^ Lew Freedman (2009). Hard-Luck Harvey Haddix and the Greatest Game Ever Lost. McFarland. ISBN 9780786441242.
  11. ^ Tales from the dugout: the greatest true baseball stories ever told, Mike Shannon, McGraw-Hill Professional, 1997 ISBN 0-8092-3107-7 ISBN 978-0-8092-3107-2
  12. ^ Barbieri, Richard (January 8, 2005). "The Annotated This Day in Baseball History - January 8th, 1994: Harvey Haddix Dies". thisdaybaseball.blogspot.com. Blogger. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  13. ^ Tales From The Pirates Dugout, John McCollister, Sports Publishing LLC, 2003 ISBN 1-58261-630-2 ISBN 978-1-58261-630-8
  14. ^ Bouchette, Ed (May 24, 1989). "Flashback: Some perfect — and imperfect — memories of Haddix's game". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 21. Retrieved January 13, 2020.
  15. ^ Bouchette, op. cit., p. 23.
  16. ^ "Harvey Haddix". baseballbiography.com. 2015. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  17. ^ Miller, Mark. "Harvey Haddix – Society for American Baseball Research". sabr.org. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  18. ^ Palmer, Jim; Dale, Jim (1996). Palmer and Weaver: Together We Were Eleven Foot Nine. Kansas City: Andrews and McMeel. p. 87. ISBN 0-8362-0781-5.
  19. ^ "Harvey Haddix". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet. 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
  20. ^ "Harvey Haddix, 68; Known for Pitching 12 Perfect Innings". The New York Times. Associated Press. January 10, 1994. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  21. ^ "MLB National League Gold Glove Award Winners". Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com. 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2020.
  22. ^ Banks, Kerry (2010). Baseball's Top 100: The Game's Greatest Records. Vancouver: Greystone Books. p. 29. ISBN 978-1-55365-507-7. Retrieved January 12, 2020.
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