Bob Forsch
Encyclopedia
Robert Herbert Forsch was an American
right-handed
starting pitcher
who spent most of his sixteen years in Major League Baseball (MLB)
with the St. Louis Cardinals
(1974–1988) before finishing his playing career with the Houston Astros
(1988–1989). He was a member of the 1982 World Series Champions
and National League (NL)
pennant winners in 1985
and 1987
.
A twenty-game winner in 1977
, he is third amongst all Cardinals pitcher in victories with 163. He is also the only player in team history to pitch more than one no-hitter
, achieving it twice in 1978
and 1983
. Along with Ken Forsch
, they are the only brother
s to have each performed the feat in the majors.
, and attended Sacramento City College
. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals
in the 26th round of the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft
as a third baseman
, eight rounds after his brother was selected by the Houston Astros
. He compiled a .223 batting average
with four home runs before he was converted to a pitcher with the Cards' low A affiliate, the Lewiston Broncs, in . Forsch went 41-37 with a 3.96 earned run average
over four and a half seasons pitching in their farm system.
at Riverfront Stadium, he lost a pitchers' duel with Tom Carroll
and the Cincinnati Reds
. He shut out the Atlanta Braves
in his second start to earn his first major league victory, but perhaps his most memorable pitching performance of the season came on September 30 against the Montreal Expos
. In the second to last game of the Cardinals' season, needing a win to remain tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates
atop the National League East
, Forsch carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He ended up with a complete game
three-hitter for his fourth consecutive win.
Forsch was a twenty game winner in . He pitched his first career no-hitter on April 16, against the Philadelphia Phillies
with the help of a questionable ruling by official scorer Neal Russo of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
on a Ken Reitz
error
off the bat of Gary Matthews
. Regardless, his record stood at 3-0 with a 0.71 ERA following the game, however, things began to unravel for Forsch shortly afterwards. After a May 11 three hit shutout
against the Los Angeles Dodgers
improved his record to 6-2, Forsch went 5-15 with a 4.07 ERA the rest of the way to end the season at 11-17.
After nine seasons in the majors, Forsch made it to the postseason for the first time in his career in . He also earned his first career save on May 15 against the Atlanta Braves. He got the game one start in the 1982 National League Championship Series
, and held the Atlanta Braves to three hits
while striking out six. He also went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. He lost both of his World Series
starts against the Milwaukee Brewers
, however, the Cardinals still won the series in seven games.
After going 15-9 with a 3.48 ERA in 1982, his record fell to 10-12 with a 4.28 ERA the following season as the defending World Champions dipped to 79-83 and fourth place in the NL East. One of the few bright spots for his club came on September 26, , when Forsch pitched his second career no-hitter, this time against the Montreal Expos. He became, at the time, just the 25th pitcher to throw more than one career no-hitter, and the only Cardinals pitcher to accomplish the feat. His career nearly came to an end when he required back surgery during the season to relieve pressure on a nerve on his lower back, however, after sitting out three months, he was able to return to the mound.
Forsch's final win of the season was a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs
on October 4 to clinch a first place tie with the New York Mets
, as they and the Mets battled for first place in the NL East all season. The Cards ended up winning the division by three games, and defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers
in the 1985 National League Championship Series
. With the Kansas City Royals
representing the American League
in the World Series, was the first time two teams from the same state faced off in a World Series since , and the first time two teams from Missouri
faced each other since the World Series. The Royals beat the Cardinals in seven games for the franchise's first World Series title. Forsch went 0-1 with a 8.53 ERA in his second postseason.
Forsch made headlines during the 1987 National League Championship Series
, which pitted the Cards against the San Francisco Giants
. The Giants led the series after Game 2, owing in part to the batting prowess of outfielder Jeffrey Leonard
, who scored nine runs and five RBIs during the series. The Cardinal fans were enraged with Leonard's "one-flap down" routine of running the bases, and his "Cadillac" home run trot. While pitching to Leonard in the fifth inning, Forsch famously hit Leonard in the back with a fastball. This created a stir in the St. Louis press, which began calling Leonard "both flaps down". Forsch unconvincingly commented, "Just trying to come inside"
Forsch was 9-4 with a 3.73 ERA in when he was traded just before the waiver trade deadline to the Houston Astros, who were making a playoff push in the National League West
. Forsch pitched poorly for the Astros, going 1-4 with a 6.51 ERA. Forsch re-signed with the Astros for , and went 4-5 with a 5.32 ERA splitting his time as a starter and relief pitcher
in his final season before retiring.
. His 163 career wins with the Cardinals is the franchise's third highest total.
from until his passing. He also wrote a book titled Bob Forsch's Tales from the Cardinals Dugout, with Tom Wheatley.
Forsch died suddenly from an thoracic aortic aneurysm
on November 3, 2011. Less than a week before his death, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game seven of the World Series at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right-handed
Handedness
Handedness is a human attribute defined by unequal distribution of fine motor skills between the left and right hands. An individual who is more dexterous with the right hand is called right-handed and one who is more skilled with the left is said to be left-handed...
starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
who spent most of his sixteen years in Major League Baseball (MLB)
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1974–1988) before finishing his playing career with the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
(1988–1989). He was a member of the 1982 World Series Champions
1982 World Series
-Game 1:Tuesday, October 12, 1982 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Brewers' left-hander Mike Caldwell pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits. The Brewers' offense was led by Paul Molitor, who had a World Series-record five hits and two RBIs...
and National League (NL)
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
pennant winners in 1985
1985 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals' 1985 season was the team's 104th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 94th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 101-61 during the season and finished in first place in the National League East division by three games over the New York Mets...
and 1987
1987 St. Louis Cardinals season
The 1987 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 106th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 96th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95-67 during the season and finished first in the National League East Division for the third and last time before moving to the NL Central in 1994....
.
A twenty-game winner in 1977
1977 St. Louis Cardinals season
The 1977 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 96th season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 86th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 83-79 during the season and finished third in the National League East, 18 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies.Vern Rapp took over as the...
, he is third amongst all Cardinals pitcher in victories with 163. He is also the only player in team history to pitch more than one no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
, achieving it twice in 1978
1978 St. Louis Cardinals season
The 1978 St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 97th season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 87th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 69-93 during the season and finished fifth in the National League East, 21 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies.- Offseason :* October 25, 1977:...
and 1983
1983 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals 1983 season was a season in American baseball. It was the team's 102nd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 92nd season in the National League...
. Along with Ken Forsch
Ken Forsch
Kenneth Roth Forsch is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Forsch graduated from Hiram Johnson High School and played in college ball at Oregon State University through the 1967-1968 seasons. While at Oregon State University, he was an active member in Beta Theta Pi fraternity...
, they are the only brother
Sibling
Siblings are people who share at least one parent. A male sibling is called a brother; and a female sibling is called a sister. In most societies throughout the world, siblings usually grow up together and spend a good deal of their childhood socializing with one another...
s to have each performed the feat in the majors.
Early years
Forsch graduated from Hiram Johnson High School in Sacramento, CaliforniaSacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, and attended Sacramento City College
Sacramento City College
Sacramento City College is a two-year community college located in Sacramento, California. SCC is part of the Los Rios Community College District and had an enrollment of 25,307 in 2009. Sacramento City College is officially accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges , offering...
. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in the 26th round of the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft
1968 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The Los Angeles Dodgers laid the groundwork for their championship clubs of the 1970s with an outstanding draft...
as a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, eight rounds after his brother was selected by the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. He compiled a .223 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with four home runs before he was converted to a pitcher with the Cards' low A affiliate, the Lewiston Broncs, in . Forsch went 41-37 with a 3.96 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
over four and a half seasons pitching in their farm system.
Career
Forsch was called up to St. Louis midway through the season. Making his major league debut in the first game of a doubleheaderDoubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
at Riverfront Stadium, he lost a pitchers' duel with Tom Carroll
Tom Carroll (pitcher)
Thomas Michael Carroll is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds.The Reds selected Carroll in the sixth round of the June 1970 Major League Baseball Draft out of North Allegheny High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at just seventeen years old...
and the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. He shut out the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in his second start to earn his first major league victory, but perhaps his most memorable pitching performance of the season came on September 30 against the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. In the second to last game of the Cardinals' season, needing a win to remain tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
atop the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
, Forsch carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He ended up with a complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
three-hitter for his fourth consecutive win.
Forsch was a twenty game winner in . He pitched his first career no-hitter on April 16, against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
with the help of a questionable ruling by official scorer Neal Russo of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
on a Ken Reitz
Ken Reitz
Kenneth John Reitz is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. A right-handed hitter, Reitz played for the St...
error
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
off the bat of Gary Matthews
Gary Matthews
Gary Nathaniel Matthews Sr. , nicknamed Sarge, is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball. He now serves as a color commentator for the Philadelphia Phillies. From through , Matthews played for the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Seattle...
. Regardless, his record stood at 3-0 with a 0.71 ERA following the game, however, things began to unravel for Forsch shortly afterwards. After a May 11 three hit shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
improved his record to 6-2, Forsch went 5-15 with a 4.07 ERA the rest of the way to end the season at 11-17.
After nine seasons in the majors, Forsch made it to the postseason for the first time in his career in . He also earned his first career save on May 15 against the Atlanta Braves. He got the game one start in the 1982 National League Championship Series
1982 National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series was played between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Atlanta Braves from October 6 to October 10.-Background:...
, and held the Atlanta Braves to three hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
while striking out six. He also went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. He lost both of his World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
starts against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, however, the Cardinals still won the series in seven games.
After going 15-9 with a 3.48 ERA in 1982, his record fell to 10-12 with a 4.28 ERA the following season as the defending World Champions dipped to 79-83 and fourth place in the NL East. One of the few bright spots for his club came on September 26, , when Forsch pitched his second career no-hitter, this time against the Montreal Expos. He became, at the time, just the 25th pitcher to throw more than one career no-hitter, and the only Cardinals pitcher to accomplish the feat. His career nearly came to an end when he required back surgery during the season to relieve pressure on a nerve on his lower back, however, after sitting out three months, he was able to return to the mound.
Forsch's final win of the season was a 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
on October 4 to clinch a first place tie with the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, as they and the Mets battled for first place in the NL East all season. The Cards ended up winning the division by three games, and defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in the 1985 National League Championship Series
1985 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 9, 1985 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe opening contest in Los Angeles pitted Dodgers screwballer Fernando Valenzuela against the Cardinals' twenty-game winner, John Tudor. The pitchers matched zeroes through the first three innings, but in the bottom of...
. With the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
representing the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
in the World Series, was the first time two teams from the same state faced off in a World Series since , and the first time two teams from Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
faced each other since the World Series. The Royals beat the Cardinals in seven games for the franchise's first World Series title. Forsch went 0-1 with a 8.53 ERA in his second postseason.
Forsch made headlines during the 1987 National League Championship Series
1987 National League Championship Series
- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 6, 1987 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Giants struck first on an RBI groundout by Candy Maldonado, but the Cardinals tied it in the third on Vince Coleman's RBI single...
, which pitted the Cards against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. The Giants led the series after Game 2, owing in part to the batting prowess of outfielder Jeffrey Leonard
Jeffrey Leonard
Jeffrey N. Leonard is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball with a 14-year career from to...
, who scored nine runs and five RBIs during the series. The Cardinal fans were enraged with Leonard's "one-flap down" routine of running the bases, and his "Cadillac" home run trot. While pitching to Leonard in the fifth inning, Forsch famously hit Leonard in the back with a fastball. This created a stir in the St. Louis press, which began calling Leonard "both flaps down". Forsch unconvincingly commented, "Just trying to come inside"
Forsch was 9-4 with a 3.73 ERA in when he was traded just before the waiver trade deadline to the Houston Astros, who were making a playoff push in the National League West
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
. Forsch pitched poorly for the Astros, going 1-4 with a 6.51 ERA. Forsch re-signed with the Astros for , and went 4-5 with a 5.32 ERA splitting his time as a starter and relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
in his final season before retiring.
Career stats
Forsch was one of the better hitting pitchers of his era. He hit twelve career home runs, batted over .300 in 1975, won the inaugural Silver Slugger Award for NL pitchers in and a second Silver Slugger award in . Forsch's no-hitters were the only two ever thrown at Busch Memorial StadiumBusch Memorial Stadium
Busch Memorial Stadium, also known as Busch Stadium, was a multi-purpose sports facility in St. Louis, Missouri that operated from 1966 to 2005....
. His 163 career wins with the Cardinals is the franchise's third highest total.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
Death
Forsch was a Minor League pitching coach for the Reds' Rookie League affiliate, the Billings MustangsBillings Mustangs
The Billings Mustangs are a minor league baseball team based in Billings, Montana. The Mustangs are the Pioneer League Rookie affiliate of the Major League Cincinnati Reds. The team has been a part of the Pioneer League since 1948 with a five-year gap between 1964 and 1968, and has been affiliated...
from until his passing. He also wrote a book titled Bob Forsch's Tales from the Cardinals Dugout, with Tom Wheatley.
Forsch died suddenly from an thoracic aortic aneurysm
Thoracic aortic aneurysm
A thoracic aortic aneurysm is an aortic aneurysm that presents primarily in the thorax.It is less common than an abdominal aortic aneurysm. However, a syphilitic aneurysm is more likely to be a thoracic aortic aneurysm than an abdominal aortic aneurysm....
on November 3, 2011. Less than a week before his death, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game seven of the World Series at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.