Mickey McDermott
This article includes a improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (March 2016) ) |
Mickey McDermott | |
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Pitcher | |
Born: Poughkeepsie, New York, U.S. | April 29, 1929|
Died: August 7, 2003 Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. | (aged 74)|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
April 24, 1948, for the Boston Red Sox | |
Last MLB appearance | |
August 10, 1961, for the Kansas City Athletics | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 69–69 |
Earned run average | 3.91 |
Strikeouts | 757 |
Teams | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Maurice Joseph "Mickey" McDermott Jr. (April 29, 1929 – August 7, 2003) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.
Pre-professional career
Mickey McDermott was the third son of Maurice McDermott Sr., a police officer and former minor league baseball player. Maurice, replaced at first base on the
McDermott started playing first base, his father's position, until his coach at St. Mary's Grammar School noticed that his ball had a natural curve when thrown. By the time he was playing in the parochial school league for St. Patrick's High, he was averaging twenty strikeouts per game. McDermott played for the semi-pro Ferrara Trucking Company at the age of 13 against adults and some major league baseball players moonlighting to pick up some extra money. He went to his first tryout, also at the age of 13, with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Professional career
Minor leagues
McDermott was assigned to the Red Sox'
The following season, McDermott was promoted to Boston's Triple-A affiliate, the Louisville Colonels, where he struggled with his control. Subsequently, he was sent back to Scranton to work on his mechanics. In Scranton, he discovered his form, going 12–4 with four shutouts for the rest of the season, averaging almost one strikeout per inning. During the playoffs, McDermott, threw his second minor league no-hitter. Playing at home against the Utica Blue Sox, McDermott walked Richie Ashburn in the ninth inning. Ashburn took second on a fielders's choice and reached third on a sacrifice fly. With two outs, the catcher called for a curve, but McDermott missed the sign and threw a fastball. The catcher, expecting a curve, failed to catch the ball as it went sailing past him. Ashburn scored the only run of the game to give Utica the victory and McDermott the no-hit loss.
Major leagues
McDermott made it onto the Red Sox roster for the beginning of the 1948 season, appearing in seven games during the first two months of the season, mostly in lopsided losses. In 23 innings, he had 16 strikeouts and 35 walks, thus was returned to Scranton for more seasoning. After the minor league season ended, he was recalled when the major league roster expanded for the playoff run. While with Scranton, McDermott threw his third career minor league no-hitter.
After 1949 spring training, McDermott was assigned to the Louisville Colonels. On May 24, he struck out 20
McDermott got his first big league win after Ellis Kinder left the game in the first inning. McDermott pitched eight innings of shutout baseball before being lifted for a reliever. He finished the season with a 5–4 record and two shutouts.
On May 29, 1952, McDermott faced 27 batters and fired a one-hitter to beat the
While playing winter ball in Cuba in 1959, McDermott's team was at bat when Fidel Castro led the 26th of July Movement that overthrew the regime of Fulgencio Batista. Several people on the field and in the stands were shot, including McDermott's teammate and future Cincinnati Reds shortstop Leo Cárdenas.
McDermott was an excellent hitting pitcher in his 12-year major league career, posting a .252
Before 1961, Detroit gave McDermott his unconditional release. He signed with the
Post-playing career
As McDermott's baseball career started winding down, he began to drink more. Eventually, he was drinking every night even when he was scheduled to pitch the next day. After pitching in the minor leagues for a while and taking odd jobs to make ends meet, McDermott's second wife, fed up with his
McDermott, along with business partner Tino Barzie, started representing baseball players as agents. McDermott would recruit the players, and Barzie would negotiate the contracts. They ended up representing Tony Armas, Mario Guerrero, Alejandro Peña, Candy Maldonado and Marty Barrett. Barzie finally had to end his business relationship with McDermott due to the latter's heavy drinking. McDermott became close friends and drinking companions with Paul Gleason and Jack Kerouac.
In 1991, after getting into a car wreck and being sentenced to 60 days in jail for numerous
Note
- ISBN 978-1-57243-532-2. p. 178
References
- Mickey McDermott (2003). A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to Cooperstown. Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-57243-532-2.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors) or Venezuelan Professional Baseball League statistics