Freddie Fitzsimmons
| Freddie Fitzsimmons | |
|---|---|
 Fitzsimmons on a 1933 Goudey baseball card | |
| Pitcher / Manager | |
| Born: July 28, 1901 Mishawaka, Indiana, U.S. | |
| Died: November 18, 1979 (aged 78) Yucca Valley, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 12, 1925, for the New York Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 16, 1943, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 217–146 |
| Earned run average | 3.51 |
| Strikeouts | 870 |
| Teams | |
As player
As manager As coach
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Frederick Landis Fitzsimmons (July 28, 1901 – November 18, 1979) was an
Playing career
Born in
Fitzsimmons had another 18-win season in
Fitzsimmons made only 12 starts in 1941, going 6–1 as the Dodgers won their first pennant since 1920. He almost earned his long-elusive World Series victory against the Yankees, holding them to four hits through seven innings in Game 3. But he was forced to leave with a 0–0 score after being struck in the kneecap by a line drive hit by Marius Russo, which caromed into Pee Wee Reese's glove to end the inning. His replacement surrendered two runs in the eighth, and New York triumphed 2–1.
Fitzsimmons compiled a 217–146 (.598) record with an ERA of 3.51 and 870 strikeouts in 513 games and 3,2232⁄3 innings pitched. According to Durocher, Fitzsimmons would tell hitters in advance that he was going to throw a brushback pitch.[2] Offensively, he was a better than average hitting pitcher in his career. He compiled a .200 average (231–1155) with 112 runs, 103 RBI and 14 home runs. In 1930, 1931, and 1932 as a member of the New York Giants, he drove in 13, 18, and 10 runs respectively. In four World Series appearances, he batted .375 (3–8).
Manager and coach
Following his knee injury, Fitzsimmons made only one start in 1942 and served as a coach on player-manager Durocher's staff. He then returned to the active list and made nine appearances for the 1943 Dodgers before Brooklyn released him July 27. The following day, the tail-ending Philadelphia Phillies tabbed him as their manager, replacing Bucky Harris and ending Fitzsimmons' playing career.
He managed the Phillies through the middle of the
Bob Lemon broke the major league mark shared by Fitzsimmons by leading the American League in putouts five times between 1948 and 1954; Greg Maddux eventually broke the NL record.
Fitzsimmons died of a heart attack at age 78 in Yucca Valley, California.[3] He was buried at Montecito Memorial Park, in Colton, California.[4]
See also
References
- ^ Spink, J. G. Taylor; Rickart, Paul A.; Abramovich, Joe (1958). The Sporting News 1958 Official Baseball Register. St. Louis, Missouri: The Sporting News. p. 273.
- ISBN 0-525-23264-8.
- ^ "Fitzsimmons Dies Of Heart Attack". Sarasota (FL) Herald-Tribune. Associated Press (AP). December 16, 1979. p. 4-C. Retrieved February 18, 2019.
- ^ Wolf, Gregory H. "Freddie Fitzsimmons". sabr.org. Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Freddie Fitzsimmons managerial career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com
- Freddie Fitzsimmons at the SABR Baseball Biography Project
- Freddie Fitzsimmons at Baseball Biography
- Freddie Fitzsimmons at This Day in Baseball
- Freddie Fitzsimmons at The Deadball Era[dead link]
- Freddie Fitzsimmons at Find a Grave
- Freddie Fitzsimmons Interview (sound recording) by Eugene C. Murdock, Ph.D., on June 16, 1978, in Yucca Valley, California (1 hr.). Available on the Cleveland Public Library's Digital Gallery.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
