| Al Downing | |
|---|---|
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| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1941-06-28)June 28, 1941 (age 84) Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 19, 1961, for the New York Yankees | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 13, 1977, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 123–107 |
| Earned run average | 3.22 |
| Strikeouts | 1,639 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Alphonso Erwin Downing (born June 28, 1941) is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher. He played inMajor League Baseball for theNew York Yankees,Oakland Athletics,Milwaukee Brewers, andLos Angeles Dodgers from 1961 through 1977. Downing was anAll Star in 1967 and theNational League'sComeback Player of the Year in 1971. Downing allowedHank Aaron's record breaking 715thhome run on April 8, 1974.[1]
Downing was born inTrenton, New Jersey. He participated in thePolice Athletic League. Downing attendedTrenton Central High School,Muhlenberg College inAllentown, Pennsylvania, andRider College inLawrenceville, New Jersey.[2] He also played baseball as asemi-professional.[3]
Downing signed with theNew York Yankees as an amateurfree agent in 1961, and was promoted to the major league roster by July of that season. In 1963, his first full major league season, Downing had a 13–5win–loss record with a 2.56earned run average (ERA) for a Yankee team that went 104–57, but were swept by theLos Angeles Dodgers in the1963 World Series. In 1964, he went 13–8 with a 3.47 ERA, and led the league with 217strikeouts.
Downing was 9–5 with a 2.66 ERA when he made his onlyAll-Star team in 1967. He pitched two innings, giving up noearned runs while striking out two.[4] On August 11, 1967, Downing struck out all three batters on nine total pitches in the second inning of a game against theCleveland Indians; it was the firstimmaculate inning in the major leagues since 1964.[5]
Injuries limited Downing to only twelve starts in 1968. In 1969, Yankees managerRalph Houk began using Downing out of thebullpen more, as he made fifteen starts and fifteenrelief appearances. He was traded to theOakland Athletics prior to the 1970 along withcatcherFrank Fernández forDanny Cater andOssie Chavarria.
Oakland traded Downing andTito Francona to theMilwaukee Brewers on June 11, 1970, forSteve Hovley.[6] Despite a respectable 3.34 ERA, Downing's record was 2–10 for a Brewers team that narrowly escaped losing 100 games (97). For the season, Downing went 5–13 with a 3.52 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 27 games and 22 starts between his two teams.
Prior to the start of the 1971 season, the Brewers traded Downing to theLos Angeles Dodgers forAndy Kosco.[7] In his first season in theNational League (NL), Downing won twenty games, and pitched a league-leading fiveshutouts. He earnedNL Comeback Player of the Year honors as well as finishing third in NLCy Young Award balloting behindFerguson Jenkins andTom Seaver.[8]
On April 8, 1974, Downing allowed ahome run toHank Aaron that was the 715th of his career, breaking the all-time record set byBabe Ruth.[9] Downing made his third, and final post-season appearance that season. His Dodgers lost four games to one to the Oakland A's. Downing played two more full seasons with the Dodgers, and was released during the 1977 season with a 0–1 record and 6.75 ERA.
Downing served as acolor analyst on Dodgers cable-TV broadcasts from 1980 to 1987[10] and on Dodgers radio in 2005. He also broadcast forCBS Radio in the 1990s,[11] and theAtlanta Braves in 2000. As of 2006, he remains on the Dodgers Speaker's Bureau.
· Baseball Almanac
