Michael Stephen Lolich (born September 12, 1940 in
Portland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the state of Oregon. As of July 2008, it has an estimated population of 575,930, making it the 29th most populous in the United States. It has been referred to as the most...
) is a former
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
pitcherIn 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 it or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is...
from
1962The 1962 season is perhaps most notable for the dismal 40-120 record of the New York Mets, which has been a continuing source of humor among baseball fans, as well as comedians such as Dennis Miller.-Major League Baseball:...
until
1979-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles ; Willie Stargell, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None.*National League Championship Series MVP: Willie Stargell...
, playing the majority of his career with the
Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in . The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant 10 times...
.
Lolich is best known for his performance in the
1968 World SeriesThe 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
, when he allowed just five runs in three
complete gameIn baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game himself, without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A complete game can be either a win or a loss....
s, winning all three including the final and decisive game. Mickey also helped himself at the plate in game 2 when he hit the first and only home run of his 16 year career.
Michael Stephen Lolich (born September 12, 1940 in
Portland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the state of Oregon. As of July 2008, it has an estimated population of 575,930, making it the 29th most populous in the United States. It has been referred to as the most...
) is a former
Major League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
pitcherIn 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 it or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is...
from
1962The 1962 season is perhaps most notable for the dismal 40-120 record of the New York Mets, which has been a continuing source of humor among baseball fans, as well as comedians such as Dennis Miller.-Major League Baseball:...
until
1979-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles ; Willie Stargell, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None.*National League Championship Series MVP: Willie Stargell...
, playing the majority of his career with the
Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in . The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant 10 times...
.
Lolich is best known for his performance in the
1968 World SeriesThe 1968 World Series featured the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Tigers winning in seven games for their first championship since 1945, and the third in their history...
, when he allowed just five runs in three
complete gameIn baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game himself, without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A complete game can be either a win or a loss....
s, winning all three including the final and decisive game. Mickey also helped himself at the plate in game 2 when he hit the first and only home run of his 16 year career. He remains the last pitcher to win three
complete gameIn baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game himself, without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A complete game can be either a win or a loss....
s in a single World Series, and was the last to win three at all until Randy Johnson did that in
2001The 2001 World Series took place between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the New York Yankees. The Diamondbacks won the best-of-seven series four games to three. The Series featured two extra-inning games and three late-inning comebacks...
. Lolich was given the
World Series MVP AwardThe final round of the Major League Baseball postseason is known as the World Series. This series has a best-of-seven playoff format, and currently follows the Division Series and the League Championship Series , The World Series is played by the winners of the National League Championship Series...
for his superb performance.
Lolich was a picture of consistency, winning 14 or more games for ten consecutive seasons, including 25 in
1971-Major League Baseball:National League: Pittsburgh PiratesAmerican League: Baltimore Orioles1971 World Series: Pittsburgh def. Baltimore , 4 games to 3.Inter-league playoff: Pittsburgh declined challenge by Tokyo Yomiuri Giants....
and 22 in
1972-Labor strife and more moving:1972 was tainted by a players' strike over pension and salary arbitration. The strike erased the first week and a half of the season, and the Leagues decided to just excise the lost portion of the season with no makeups. As a result, an uneven number of games were...
. He also struck out 200 or more batters seven times during his career, and ranks third among left-handers (behind
Steve CarltonSteven Norman Carlton is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, from to . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in . He was affectionately known to Philadelphia fans as "Lefty". He played the greatest number of years for the Philadelphia Phillies, receiving his greatest...
and Randy Johnson) in career
strikeoutIn baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters. Pitchers with a greater number of strikeouts are often praised, while batters with a greater number of...
s with 2,832.
After suffering through the
1975-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Boston Red Sox ; Pete Rose, MVP*All-Star Game, July 15 at County Stadium: National League, 6-3; Bill Madlock and Jon Matlack, MVPs-Other champions:...
season, in which he lost 18 games, the Tigers traded him to the
New York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. The Mets are a member of the East Division of Major League Baseball's National League....
with
outfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
Billy Baldwin in exchange for star outfielder
Rusty StaubDaniel Joseph "Rusty" Staub is a retired Major League Baseball player who played 23 seasons, from 1963 to 1985, for the Houston Colt .45s and Astros, Montreal Expos, New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers. He batted left-handed, and threw right-handed...
and pitcher Bill Laxton. In
1976-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over New York Yankees ; Johnny Bench, MVP*All-Star Game, July 13 at Veterans Stadium: National League, 7-1; George Foster, MVP-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Naranjeros de Hermosillo...
, Lolich's slump continued with the Mets, as he won just 8 games while losing 13, leading him to retire. He returned to his home in
suburbSuburbs are defined in various different ways around the world. They can be the residential areas of a large city, or separate residential communities within commuting distance of a city. Some suburbs have a degree of political autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city...
an
DetroitDetroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Wayne County. Detroit is a major port city on the Detroit River, in the Midwest region of the United States. Located north of Windsor, Ontario, Detroit is the only major U.S. city that looks south to Canada. It was founded...
, opened a
doughnutA doughnut is a sweet, deep-fried piece of dough or batter. The two most common types are the torus-shaped ring doughnut and the filled doughnut, a flattened sphere injected with jam, jelly, cream, custard, or other sweet filling. A small spherical piece of dough may be cooked as a doughnut hole...
shop, and skipped the
1977-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers ; Reggie Jackson, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None*National League Championship Series MVP: Dusty Baker...
season. He eventually re-entered the
free agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player, whose contract with a team has expired, who's eligible to sign with another franchise. The term came into wide use in North America after sports leagues stopped using a "reserve clause" after much acrimonious collective bargaining, which provided a...
market, signed a contract with the
San Diego PadresThe San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times.The Padres are one of four teams...
, and pitched for them during the
1978-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Los Angeles Dodgers ; Bucky Dent, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None*National League Championship Series MVP: Steve Garvey...
and
1979-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles ; Willie Stargell, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None.*National League Championship Series MVP: Willie Stargell...
seasons before permanently retiring. At the time of his retirement, he held the Major League Baseball record for most career strike-outs by a left-handed pitcher.
Lolich was deemed to be right-handed, but a
tricycleA tricycle is a three-wheeled vehicle. While tricycles are often associated with the small three-wheeled vehicles used by pre-school age children, they are also used by adults for a variety of purposes. In the...
accident that occurred while Lolich was young forced him to adapt to using his left hand. This would come to include baseball, once he began to play it. Although he became a left-handed pitcher, Lolich still writes right-handed.
After Lolich's career ended, he continued to run his doughnut shop in
Lake Orion, MichiganLake Orion is a village in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,715 at the 2000 census. "Lake Orion" is often used to describe both the village and the much larger Orion Township, of which the village is a part.The village and township are home to Lake Orion High...
(20 minutes South of Lapeer, Michigan) for several years before he sold the business and retired. Today, he is active in charitable work and serves as a coach at the Detroit Tigers' fantasy camp in
LakelandLakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2006 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 89,108. Lakeland is a principal city of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida...
,
FloridaFlorida is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the north. It was the 27th state admitted to the United States...
.
In
2003-Headline event of the year:*The Florida Marlins become World Series champions, holding off a dynastic New York Yankees team, 4 games to 2.-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion - Florida Marlins...
, Lolich was one of the 26 players selected to the final
ballotA ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
by the Baseball Hall of Fame's Veterans Committee. He received only 13 votes, placing him far below the 75% required for
electionAn election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the executive and...
. Lolich has often said the fact that he never won the
Cy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
was a factor in not receiving sufficient votes to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
Detroit Tigers Records
Lolich ranks among the Tigers' all time leaders in many categories, including the following:
- 2,679 strikeouts is #1 on the Tigers all time list
- 39 shutouts is #1 on the Tigers all time list
- 459 games started is #1 on the Tigers all time list
- 329 home runs allowed is #1 on the Tigers all time list
- 109 wild pitches is #2 on the Tigers all time list (behind Jack Morris
John Scott "Jack" Morris is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played in 18 big league seasons between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers, and won 254 games throughout his career...
)
- 207 wins is #3 on the Tigers all time list (behind Hooks Dauss
George August "Hooks" Dauss was a Major League pitcher who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. Nicknamed 'Hooks' or 'Hookey' because of his hard-to-hit curveball...
and George MullinGeorge Joseph Mullin was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played fourteen seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators of the American League and the Indianapolis Hoosiers/Newark Pepper of the Federal League.-Career Overview:Mullin holds the Detroit Tigers...
)
- 508 games is #3 on the Tigers all time list (behind John Hiller
John Frederick Hiller is a former left-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Detroit Tigers. After suffering a heart attack in 1971, he returned to the team and recorded 38 saves in – a major league record until 1983, and a team record until 2000...
and Hooks DaussGeorge August "Hooks" Dauss was a Major League pitcher who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. Nicknamed 'Hooks' or 'Hookey' because of his hard-to-hit curveball...
)
- 3,361 innings pitched is #3 on Tigers all time list (behind George Mullin
George Joseph Mullin was a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played fourteen seasons with the Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators of the American League and the Indianapolis Hoosiers/Newark Pepper of the Federal League.-Career Overview:Mullin holds the Detroit Tigers...
and Hooks DaussGeorge August "Hooks" Dauss was a Major League pitcher who played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. Nicknamed 'Hooks' or 'Hookey' because of his hard-to-hit curveball...
)
Accomplishments
- Lolich holds the record in the MLB
Major League Baseball is the highest level of play in North American professional baseball. Specifically, Major League Baseball refers to the organization that operates the National League and the American League, by means of a joint organizational structure that has developed gradually between...
for strike outs by a left-hander in the American LeagueThe 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, that eventually aspired to major league...
.
- Lolich is the only left-hander to start, finish and win three complete World Series games.
- Lolich appeared as a security guard in the 1977 horror film, 'The Incredible Melting Man
The Incredible Melting Man is a 1977 science fiction horror film written and directed by William Sachs. The film was lampooned on the popular television show Mystery Science Theater 3000...
'.
See also
- 1968 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers won the 1968 World Series, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 4 games to 3. The 1968 baseball season, known as the "Year of the Pitcher," was the Tigers' 68th since they entered the American League in 1901, their eighth pennant, and third World Series championship...
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen List
This is a list of Major League Baseball pitchers who have the most hit batsmen of all time. The data are given as of June 15, 2009.There is an of hitters who have been hit by pitch the most times.Active players are denoted in bold text.-External links:...
- Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time
In baseball, a strikeout occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and failure on the part of the batter....
External links