Danny McDevitt
Encyclopedia
Daniel Eugene "Danny" McDevitt (November 18, 1932 - November 20, 2010) was a pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played from 1957 through 1962 for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers
, New York Yankees
, Minnesota Twins
and Kansas City Athletics
. He was born in New York City
.
McDevitt was born in 1932 in Manhattan
. He relocated together with his family to Hallstead, Pennsylvania
, where he was a star player on his high school baseball team. He attended St. Bonaventure University
in Olean, New York
, but dropped out after he was signed by the New York Yankees
as an amateur free agent in September 1951. He was released by the Yankees and served in the United States Army
during the Korean War
before being signed by the Dodgers after the completion of his military service.
McDevitt is most remembered as the starting pitcher for the Dodgers last home game at Ebbets Field
in Brooklyn on September 24, 1957, during his first season in the major leagues, in which McDevitt pitched a 2–0 complete game
shutout
victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates
in front of a crowd of 6,702, in a game in which he threw nine strikeouts and gave up five hits. He finished the 1957 season with a 7-4 record, to go along with 90 strikeouts and an earned run average
of 3.25. The Dodgers finished the season with a three-game series on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies
, and ended the year in third place. In October, just weeks after what turned out to be the team's final game in Brooklyn, owner Walter O'Malley
announced that the Dodgers would be moving to Los Angeles
.
He pitched three more seasons with the Dodgers, achieving a career-best 10 wins against eight losses in 1959, when the Dodgers would go on to win their first World Series championship
in California
, defeating the Chicago White Sox
in six games, though McDevitt did not appear in the series. He played for both the Yankees and the Minnesota Twins
during the 1961 season, and ended his major league career with the Kansas City Athletics in 1962.
McDevitt lived in Social Circle, Georgia
, but died in Covington, Georgia
, aged 78.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in Major League Baseball
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...
who played from 1957 through 1962 for the Brooklyn/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...
, New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
and Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
. He was born in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
McDevitt was born in 1932 in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. He relocated together with his family to Hallstead, Pennsylvania
Hallstead, Pennsylvania
Hallstead is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,216 at the 2000 census. Hallstead was founded in 1787 and was named in honor of William F...
, where he was a star player on his high school baseball team. He attended St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University
St. Bonaventure University is a private, Franciscan Catholic university, located in Allegany, Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It has roughly 2,400 undergraduate and graduate students....
in Olean, New York
Olean, New York
Olean is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. Olean is the largest city in Cattaraugus County, and serves as the financial, business, transportation and entertainment center of the county. It is one of the principal cities of the Southern Tier region of New York.The city is...
, but dropped out after he was signed by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
as an amateur free agent in September 1951. He was released by the Yankees and served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
before being signed by the Dodgers after the completion of his military service.
McDevitt is most remembered as the starting pitcher for the Dodgers last home game at Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, USA, on a city block which is now considered to be part of the Crown Heights neighborhood. It was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League. It was also a venue for professional football...
in Brooklyn on September 24, 1957, during his first season in the major leagues, in which McDevitt pitched a 2–0 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...
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....
victory over 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...
in front of a crowd of 6,702, in a game in which he threw nine strikeouts and gave up five hits. He finished the 1957 season with a 7-4 record, to go along with 90 strikeouts and an 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...
of 3.25. The Dodgers finished the season with a three-game series on the road 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...
, and ended the year in third place. In October, just weeks after what turned out to be the team's final game in Brooklyn, owner Walter O'Malley
Walter O'Malley
Walter Francis O'Malley was an American sports executive who owned the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers team in Major League Baseball from to . He served as Brooklyn Dodgers chief legal counsel when Jackie Robinson broke the racial color barrier in...
announced that the Dodgers would be moving to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
He pitched three more seasons with the Dodgers, achieving a career-best 10 wins against eight losses in 1959, when the Dodgers would go on to win their first World Series championship
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, four games to two. It was the first pennant for the White Sox in 40 years . They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, defeating the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
in six games, though McDevitt did not appear in the series. He played for both the Yankees and the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
during the 1961 season, and ended his major league career with the Kansas City Athletics in 1962.
McDevitt lived in Social Circle, Georgia
Social Circle, Georgia
Social Circle is a city in Walton County, extending into Newton County, in the U.S. state of Georgia, approximately 45 miles east of Atlanta, and approximately four miles due north of access to Interstate 20....
, but died in Covington, Georgia
Covington, Georgia
Covington is a city in Newton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 13,118. The city is the county seat of Newton County...
, aged 78.