Erv Palica

Erv Palica
Pitcher
Born: (1928-02-09)February 9, 1928 Lomita, California, U.S.
Died: May 29, 1982(1982-05-29) (aged 54) Huntington Beach, California, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 21, 1945, for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Last MLB appearance
September 24, 1956, for the Baltimore Orioles
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	41–55
Earned run average	4.22
Strikeouts	423
Teams
Brooklyn Dodgers (1945, 1947–1951, 1953–1954) Baltimore Orioles (1955–1956)

Ervin Martin Palica (born Pavliecevich; February 9, 1928 – May 29, 1982) was an

At 17, Palica was the youngest player in the

But 1951 was a terrible season on the field for Palica. On July 18, brought in to face the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates with the Dodgers behind 10–6 in the fifth inning,^[2] Palica held the fort, allowing one run over three innings while the Dodgers overcame the deficit and went ahead, 12–11, in their half of the sixth. But in the eighth frame, Palica could not hold the lead, allowing a solo home run to slugger Ralph Kiner and an RBI single to former Dodger star Pete Reiser. Pittsburgh went on to a 13–12 triumph, and, after the game—which had featured angry battles between the Dodgers and the umpiring crew^[2]—Brooklyn manager Chuck Dressen lost his temper and witheringly questioned Palica's courage in "on the record" remarks to the assembled media.^[3] Having lost confidence in Palica, Dressen used him in only four more games and 41⁄3 innings pitched in August 1951. Palica did not pitch after August 27, as the archrival Giants roared back from a 131⁄2-game mid-August deficit to tie the Dodgers and force a playoff, which they won on Bobby Thomson's famous walk-off homer.

By that point, Palica was in the

Palica spent the final seven seasons of his pro career (1957–63) back in the minors, winning 15 games three different times in the top-level Pacific Coast League.

In retirement, Palica worked as a