Jim Kern
Jim Kern | |
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Pitcher | |
Born: Gladwin, Michigan, U.S. | March 15, 1949|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 6, 1974, for the Cleveland Indians | |
Last MLB appearance | |
May 30, 1986, for the Cleveland Indians | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 53–57 |
Earned run average | 3.32 |
Strikeouts | 651 |
Saves | 88 |
Teams | |
| |
Career highlights and awards | |
James Lester Kern (born March 15, 1949) is an American former professional baseball
Career
Cleveland Indians
In
Kern had a 1.82 ERA as a
He returned to the Indians in
Texas Rangers
Kern and
Kern remained hot in the second half, going 3–3 with a 1.72 ERA and thirteen saves. His 29 saves for the season were second only to the
Working in the first year of a 5-year contract in 1980, he tried to pitch through a hyper extended elbow sustained in spring training and then a neck injury during the season, going 3–11 with two saves and a 4.83 ERA in 38 games before going on the disabled list for the rest of the season in July.[16]
Injuries sustained during the 1980 season limited Kern to just seven
Kern holds a number of all-time single season relief records for his 1979 season with the Texas Rangers including most wins out of the bullpen in a season with 13, the most inning pitched with 143 and the most strike outs with 136. He also holds the lowest earned run average in the history of the Texas Rangers for a pitcher with 100 or more innings in a season (1.57 ERA)[15] and the lowest career earned run average for a pitcher with 200 or more innings (2.59 ERA). Kern also owns the second longest consecutive scoreless innings streak in Ranger history with 242⁄3 innings. In three All-Star appearances, Kern pitched a total of 41⁄3 innings giving up two runs while striking out five.
Journeyman
Kern pitched respectably in Cincinnati, in 1982 going 3–5 with a 2.84 ERA and two saves, however, he was unhappy with the Reds' rule against facial hair, and asked to be traded. The Reds accommodated Kern's wish, and sent him to the
Decimated by injuries to their pitching staff, the Philadelphia Phillies signed Kern in June 1984 while he was rehabilitating. Facing the Pittsburgh Pirates in extra innings, Kern gave up seven runs (six earned) in just one inning of work to take the loss in his first appearance in 14 months with his new team.[22] He was released on July 27 to make room on the roster for Tug McGraw, who was returning from a shoulder injury. Kern signed a minor league deal with the Milwaukee Brewers shortly afterwards and was called up that September, appearing in six games without giving up a run.
He also appeared in five games with the Brewers early in the 1985 season. He pitched three hitless innings in his first game of the season,[23] but pitched poorly afterwards and was released on June 17 with a 6.55 ERA. The highlight of his 1985 season was when he pulled off an unassisted double play against the Seattle Mariners on May 6. He became the first pitcher to pull off this feat since Jim Umbarger in 1975.[24]
Kern returned to the Cleveland Indians as a non-roster invitee to spring training in February 1986.[25] Kern made the opening day roster but on May 12, Kern suffered one of the worst outings of his career against the Texas Rangers. In a little over an inning pitched, Kern gave up eight runs (seven earned) to see his ERA balloon from 3.46 to 7.53. On his way off the field, frustrated Indians fans began throwing garbage on the field, just missing Kern with a bottle.[26] Kern's response was, "I knew they couldn't hit me as they were one of my fans". Kern was released and retired on June 17.[27]
Retirement
Kern is an outdoor enthusiast, and in 1987, he started the Emu Outfitting Company, which was named after his major league nickname, the "Amazing" Emu [28] in Arlington, Texas, an outdoor adventure company that books and operates hunting, fishing, and photographic trips in North and South America.[29] From 1998 to 2014, he was general manager of the American offices of two peacock bass fishing operations in Brazil's Amazon and general manager of three fishing and hunting lodges in Southwestern Alaska.[30]
Kern also did color commentary for college and Major League Baseball games for Fox Sports, Home Sports Entertainment, and Prime Sports. In 1994, he created and hosted Nolan Ryan's First Spring Turkey Hunt for Fox Sports.
In 2006, Kern was named as one of the greatest Texas Rangers pitchers of all time.[31]
In 2013,
References
- ^ "1977 Topps Baseball #41 – Jim Kern". 1977 Baseball Blogspot. December 16, 2011.
- ^ "all time minor league records". us.alhea.com. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
- ^ "Baltimore Orioles 1, Cleveland Indians 0". Baseball-Reference.com. September 6, 1974.
- Youngstown Vindicator.
- ^ By AncientMariner Sep 14, 2010, 6:15pm CDT (2010-09-14). "Top-Five: Indians' Relief Pitchers For A Single Season Since 1960 - SB Nation Cleveland". Cleveland.sbnation.com. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Toledo Blade. May 12, 1977.
- ^ "1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game". Baseball-Reference.com. July 19, 1977.
- ^ "1978 Major League Baseball All-Star Game". Baseball-Reference.com. July 11, 1978.
- Montreal Gazette. October 4, 1978.
- ^ "National League Wins All-Star Squeaker". Bangor Daily News. July 18, 1979.
- ^ "1979 Texas Rangers Statistics".
- ^ Patrick Mondout. "The Sporting News All-Stars". Baseball Chronology. Archived from the original on 2011-10-03.
- ^ "MLB Major League Baseball Pitchers of the Month".
- ^ a b "1979 Awards Voting".
- ^ a b "Season Records | Texas Rangers". Texas.rangers.mlb.com. 2018-05-24. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
- ^ Family, Dean (2016-06-20). "1980 Topps Baseball: #369 Jim Kern". 1980toppsbaseball.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
- Milwaukee Sentinel. December 12, 1981.
- ^ Hal Bock (February 5, 1982). "Reds, Mets Agree In Principle to Foster Trade". Daily Times.
- ^ "Chisox Get Jim Kern". The Bryan Times. August 24, 1982.
- Wilmington Morning Star. April 7, 1983.
- ^ "Waived Kern Blasts Chisox for Treatment". Warsaw, Indiana Times-Union. March 2, 1984.
- ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates 12, Philadelphia Phillies 6". Baseball-Reference.com. June 10, 1984.
- ^ "Oakland A's 5, Milwaukee Brewers 3". Baseball-Reference.com. May 2, 1985.
- Palm Beach Post. May 9, 1985.
- Lewiston Journal. March 28, 1986.
- ^ Ross Newhan (May 18, 1986). "Wally World Goes Crazy Over Joyner". Anchorage Daily News.
- ^ "Indians Sweep A's". Bryan Times. June 12, 1986.
- ^ Chris Connor (2015-05-22). "Friday Flashback – 1979: The Year of the Emu |". Shutdowninning.com. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
- ^ "Jim Kern "Emu"". JimKernPhotography.com.
- ^ Benjamin Pomerance (March 9, 2011). "Where Are They Now? Jim Kern". BaseballSavvy.com.
- ^ Adam J. Morris (January 9, 2006). "#50 The Greatest Rangers of All Time: Jim Kern". Lone Star Ball.
- ^ "Jim Kern's Four Incredible Seasons | FanGraphs Baseball". Fangraphs.com. 2013-01-25. Retrieved 2019-05-25.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)