Denny McLain
From BR Bullpen
Dennis Dale McLain
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 185 lb.
- Debut September 21, 1963
- Final Game September 12, 1972
- Born March 29, 1944 in Chicago, IL USA
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[edit] Biographical Information
A chunky righthander who flew airplanes and sometimes played the organ during Tiger games, Denny McLain was arguably the A.L.'s best pitcher from 1965-1969. He went 31-6 in 1968 and followed up with 24-9 record the next year (1969). McLain is the last pitcher to win 30 games in a season—32 including a World Series victory. Coupled with 28 complete games and a 1.96 ERA despite logging an incredible 336 innings pitched, his 1968 season looks pretty impressive on the surface but his ERA+ doesn't come close to making the top 100 all-time season list.
He was originally signed by the Chicago White Sox organization, but they were unable to protect him in the minor league draft and the Tigers obtained him in 1963. The White Sox opted to protect Dave DeBusschere, another young pitcher, who went on to a great Hall of Fame career ... in basketball.
Coincidentally, his first major league start in September of 1963 was against the White Sox, and McLain not only got the win, but picked two men off base and hit an opposite field home run, the only one of his career.
He pitched 28 complete games in 1968 and 23 more in 1969—with over 300 innings pitched in each of those two seasons. Beset with chronic arm problems from constant over-use, this controversial pitcher was worn out and out of baseball at the tender age of 28.
McLain's brother Tim McLain pitched in the Chicago White Sox organization, and his father-in-law is Lou Boudreau and his brother-in-law Jim Boudreau. His wife was previously married to Cubs infielder Ken Hubbs, who died in a plane crash.
McLain had numerous personal problems after leaving baseball and has been in prison twice. In April of 2008, he went to jail again after missing a court appearance about a foreclosure and eviction case.
- First Baseball Card appearance 1965 Topps
[edit] Famous Last
Last pitcher to win 30 games in a season (1968)
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 3-time AL All-Star (1966, 1968 & 1969)
- AL MVP (1968)
- 2-time AL Cy Young Award Winner (1968 & 1969)
- 2-time AL Wins Leader (1968 & 1969)
- AL Winning Percentage Leader (1968)
- 2-time AL Innings Pitched Leader (1968 & 1969)
- AL Complete Games Leader (1968)
- AL Shutouts Leader (1969)
- 15 Wins Seasons: 5 (1965-1969)
- 20 Wins Seasons: 3 (1966, 1968 & 1969)
- 25 Wins Seasons: 1 (1968)
- 30 Wins Seasons: 1 (1968)
- 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 6 (1965-1969 & 1971)
- 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1968 & 1969)
- 200 Strikeouts Seasons: 1 (1968)
- Won a World Series with the Detroit Tigers in 1968
| AL MVP | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
| Carl Yastrzemski | Denny McLain | Harmon Killebrew |
| AL Cy Young Award | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
| Jim Lonborg | Denny McLain | Mike Cuellar & Denny McLain |
| 1968 | 1969 | 1970 |
| Denny McLain | Denny McLain & Mike Cuellar | Jim Perry |
[edit] Further Reading
- Thomas Boswell: "All of Us Bear the Marks of the Lash", in How Life Imitates the World Series, Penguin Books, New York, 1982, pp. 106-108.
- Denny McLain and Eli Zaret: I Told You I Wasn't Perfect, Triumph Books, Chicago, IL, 2007.
