Lew Burdette

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Lew Burdette
Burdette in 1954
Pitcher
Born: (1926-11-22)November 22, 1926
Nitro, West Virginia, U.S.
Died: February 6, 2007(2007-02-06) (aged 80)
Winter Garden, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 26, 1950, for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
July 16, 1967, for the California Angels
MLB statistics
Win–loss record203–144
Earned run average3.66
Strikeouts1,074
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Selva Lewis Burdette, Jr. (November 22, 1926 – February 6, 2007) was an American right-handed

Most Valuable Player of the 1957 World Series, leading the franchise to its first championship in 43 years, and the only title in Milwaukee history.[2] An outstanding control pitcher, his career average of 1.84 walks per nine innings pitched places him behind only Robin Roberts (1.73), Greg Maddux (1.80), Carl Hubbell, (1.82) and Juan Marichal
(1.82) among pitchers with at least 3,000 innings since 1920.

Major League career

Born in

shutouts (Games 5 and 7), starting Game 7 after Games 1 and 4 starter Warren Spahn was stricken by the flu.[5][6] In the 1958 Series, however, the Yankees defeated Burdette twice in three starts. The final setback came in Game 7, which he again started on only two days' rest, a decision for which manager Fred Haney was widely criticized.[7] In addition to winning 20 games in 1958 and tying Spahn for the National League lead with 21 victories in 1959, Burdette won 19 in 1956 and 1960, 18 in 1961, and 17 in 1957.[1][8]

Burdette was the winning pitcher on May 26, 1959 when the Pittsburgh Pirates' Harvey Haddix pitched a perfect game against the Braves for 12 innings, only to lose in the 13th.[9] Burdette threw a 1–0 shutout, scattering 12 hits. In the ensuing offseason, he joked, "I'm the greatest pitcher that ever lived. The greatest game that was ever pitched in baseball wasn't good enough to beat me, so I've got to be the greatest!"

On August 18 of the following year, facing the minimum 27 batters, Burdette no-hit the Philadelphia Phillies 1–0 at Milwaukee County Stadium.[10] Tony González, the only opposing batter to reach base after being hit by a pitch in the fifth inning, was retired on a double play. Burdette helped himself by scoring the only run of the game; after doubling to lead off the eighth inning, he scored on Bill Bruton's double one batter later. Following up his no-hitter, five days later he pitched his third shutout in a row.[11]

In

California Angels, he pitched exclusively in relief for the team in 1966 and 1967
before retiring.

Career statistics

In an 18-year career, Burdette posted a 203–144 record with 1,074

NL Player of the Month award in August 1958 (7–1, 1.89 ERA, 38 SO); teammate pitcher Joey Jay had won the award the month previous. As a hitter, he compiled a .183 batting average (185-for-1,011) with 75 RBI and 12 home runs;[1] his first two home runs came in the same 1957 game, and he later had two more two-homer games.[14][15] He also hit a home run in Game 2 of the 1958 World Series, being the first pitcher to do so since Bucky Walters
in 1940.

Pitching style

Burdette was a very fidgety pitcher, constantly scratching himself and fussing with his uniform before pitches. Former manager

sportswriter Red Smith wrote, "There should be 3 pitching statistics for Burdette: Wins, Losses, and Relative Humidity." Burdette himself referenced this reputation, saying he retired because "they were starting to hit the dry side of the ball."[19]

Personal life

Burdette was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.[20] He died of lung cancer at age 80 in Winter Garden, Florida.[5]

In 1958, a reference to Burdette appeared in an episode of Leave It to Beaver. The text "Lew Burdette just hit a home run and Milwaukee leads seven to one in the series," appears briefly in a few frames showing a letter from the principal to Beaver's parents.[21] Burdette also released a single in 1958 with two Rockabilly songs "Three Strikes and You're Out" on the A side, and "Mary Lou" on the B side.[22]

Burdette's grandson, Nolan Fontana, is a professional baseball player.[23]

Highlights

  • Two-time All-Star (1957, 1959)
  • Third in Cy Young Award voting (1958)
  • Led league in wins (1959)
  • Led league in games started (1959)
  • Led league in complete games (1960)
  • Twice led league in shutouts (1956, 1959)
  • 5 times in top 4 in wins (1956–58, 1960–61)
  • World Series MVP (1957)
  • Player of the Month for August 1958

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Lew Burdette Stats - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. ^ "1957 World Series - Milwaukee Braves over New York Yankees (4-3) - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  3. ^ a b Inc., Baseball Almanac. "Lew Burdette Trades and Transactions by Baseball Almanac". www.baseball-almanac.com. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ "1956 National League Pitching Leaders - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  5. ^
    New York Times. Archived
    from the original on June 5, 2011.
  6. ^
    ISSN 0005-609X
  7. ^ "1958 World Series - New York Yankees over Milwaukee Braves (4-3) - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  8. ^ "1959 National League Pitching Leaders - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  9. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee Braves Box Score, May 26, 1959 - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  10. ^ "Philadelphia Phillies at Milwaukee Braves Box Score, August 18, 1960 - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  11. ^ "Milwaukee Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score, August 23, 1960 - Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  12. ^ "1957 All-Star Game Box Score, July 9 – Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  13. ^ "1959 All-Star Game box score at Baseball Reference".
  14. ^ "Milwaukee Braves at Cincinnati Redlegs Box Score, August 13, 1957 – Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  15. ^ "Milwaukee Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers Box Score, July 10, 1958 – Baseball-Reference.com". Baseball-Reference.com.
  16. ISSN 0024-3019
  17. ^ a b c Wilks, Ed (April 19, 1957). "Birdie Says Burdette Is 'Cheating Spitballer'; Warren Giles Demands Proof Before Any Action". Times Daily. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  18. ^ a b c "The Infamous Spitter". Sports Illustrated. July 31, 1967. Retrieved January 22, 2020.
  19. ^ Baehler, James R. (18 November 2014). Unbreakable: The 25 Most Unapproachable Records in Baseball.
  20. ^ Lew Burdette at the Florida Sports Hall of Fame Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ "All of this is nonsense". Letters of Note. Archived from the original on 2009-09-27. Retrieved 2009-10-13.
  22. ^ "Lew Burdette - Three Strikes and You're Out / Mary Lou". Discogs. 1958.
  23. ^ Fowler, Jeremy (May 20, 2010). "Gators star Nolan Fontana paying tribute to his late grandfather, former pitcher Lew Burdette". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved October 31, 2013.

External links

Awards
Preceded by
Major League Player of the Month

August 1958 		Succeeded by
Achievements
Preceded by No-hitter pitcher
August 18, 1960 		Succeeded by
Sporting positions
Preceded by Atlanta Braves pitching coach
1972–1973 		Succeeded by
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