Mike DeGerick
Encyclopedia
Michael Arthur DeGerick is a retired American professional baseball
pitcher
. The 6 inch, 178 lb (80.7 kg) right hander appeared in two Major League Baseball
games
for the Chicago White Sox
— one in and one in . But his career was shortened in April 1963 when he was struck in the head by a line drive
while pitching during spring training
drills for the Lynchburg White Sox of the Class AA Sally League
. The injury cost DeGerick the entire 1963 season and he only pitched in three more minor league
games in 1964 before leaving baseball.
DeGerick signed a contract with the White Sox in June 1961 after graduation from Teaneck High School
in Teaneck, New Jersey
in which he received a $50,000 bonus. He won nine of 11 decisions
in the Class D Appalachian League
during his rookie
campaign, then was recalled to the White Sox in September 1961. In his MLB debut against the Minnesota Twins
, DeGerick relieved
Russ Kemmerer
in the fourth inning with the Twins in the midst of a six-run
rally. DeGerick surrendered only one earned run
and two hits
in 1⅔ innings of work. It was his last action of the season. The following year, after a solid season in Class A (a 12–8 record with a 2.89 earned run average
), DeGerick was recalled again for a late-season look and, again facing the Twins, he allowed one hit and no runs in an inning of relief.
He was in Sarasota, Florida
, preparing to start the 1963 season in Double-A for the White Sox when he was injured by the line drive and underwent surgery. He did not play in 1963 and pitched only 1⅔ innings in Class A ball in 1964 before his comeback was halted.
All told, as a Major Leaguer, Degerick pitched in 2⅔ innings, gave up three hits, one run, with three bases on balls and a wild pitch
.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
pitcher
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...
. The 6 inch, 178 lb (80.7 kg) right hander appeared in two 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...
games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
for 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...
— one in and one in . But his career was shortened in April 1963 when he was struck in the head by a line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
while pitching during spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
drills for the Lynchburg White Sox of the Class AA Sally League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
. The injury cost DeGerick the entire 1963 season and he only pitched in three more minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
games in 1964 before leaving baseball.
DeGerick signed a contract with the White Sox in June 1961 after graduation from Teaneck High School
Teaneck High School
Teaneck High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school, which is part of the Teaneck Public Schools district in Teaneck, New Jersey, United States...
in Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck, New Jersey
Teaneck is a township in Bergen County, New Jersey, and a suburb in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 39,776, making it the second-most populous among the 70 municipalities in Bergen County....
in which he received a $50,000 bonus. He won nine of 11 decisions
Decision (baseball)
A decision is a statistical credit given to a baseball pitcher.There are two types of decisions: win and loss.In order to receive a win, the starting pitcher must complete at least five innings and leave with the lead. If the pitcher's lead is preserved by the bullpen, he is credited with a win...
in the Class D Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
during his rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
campaign, then was recalled to the White Sox in September 1961. In his MLB debut against 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...
, DeGerick relieved
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...
Russ Kemmerer
Russ Kemmerer
Russell Paul Kemmerer is an American retired professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox , the Washington Senators , the Chicago White Sox , and the Houston Colt .45s to finish his career.He attended the University of Pittsburgh.He debuted for the...
in the fourth inning with the Twins in the midst of a six-run
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
rally. DeGerick surrendered only one earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
and two 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....
in 1⅔ innings of work. It was his last action of the season. The following year, after a solid season in Class A (a 12–8 record with a 2.89 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...
), DeGerick was recalled again for a late-season look and, again facing the Twins, he allowed one hit and no runs in an inning of relief.
He was in Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
, preparing to start the 1963 season in Double-A for the White Sox when he was injured by the line drive and underwent surgery. He did not play in 1963 and pitched only 1⅔ innings in Class A ball in 1964 before his comeback was halted.
All told, as a Major Leaguer, Degerick pitched in 2⅔ innings, gave up three hits, one run, with three bases on balls and a wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
.