| Bob Forsch | |
|---|---|
 Forsch in 1983 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1950-01-13)January 13, 1950 Sacramento, California, U.S. | |
| Died: November 3, 2011(2011-11-03) (aged 61) Weeki Wachee, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 7, 1974, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 25, 1989, for the Houston Astros | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 168–136 |
| Earned run average | 3.76 |
| Strikeouts | 1,133 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Robert Herbert Forsch (January 13, 1950 – November 3, 2011) was an American professionalbaseball player who spent most of his sixteen years inMajor League Baseball (MLB) with theSt. Louis Cardinals (1974–1988) before finishing his playing career with theHouston Astros (1988–1989). He was a member of the1982 World Series Champions andNational League (NL)pennant winners in1985 and1987.
A twenty-game winner in1977, he is fourth amongst all Cardinals pitcher in victories with 163. He is also the only player in team history to pitch more than oneno-hitter, achieving it twice in1978 and1983. He andKen Forsch are the onlybrothers to have each performed the feat in the majors.[1]
Forsch graduated fromHiram Johnson High School inSacramento, California, and attendedSacramento City College. He was drafted by theSt. Louis Cardinals in the 26th round of the1968 Major League Baseball draft as athird baseman, eight rounds after his brother was selected by theHouston Astros. His batting records as an infielder-outfielder were .224 for the Sarasota Cards in 1968, .203 for Lewiston in 1969, .235 for Modesto also in 1969, .149 for Modesto in 1970, .133 for Lewiston also in 1970, and .088 for Cedar Rapids also in 1970.[2] He compiled a .223batting average with fourhome runs before he was converted to a pitcher with the Cards' low A affiliate, theLewiston Broncs, in 1970. Forsch went 41–37 with a 3.96earned run average over four and a half seasons pitching in theirfarm system.
Forsch was called up to St. Louis midway through the 1974 season. Making his major league debut in the first game of adoubleheader atRiverfront Stadium, he lost a pitchers' duel withTom Carroll and theCincinnati Reds.[3] He shut out theAtlanta Braves in his second start to earn his first major league victory,[4] but perhaps his most memorable pitching performance of the season came on September 30 against theMontreal Expos. In the second to last game of the Cardinals' season, needing a win to remain tied with thePittsburgh Pirates atop theNational League East, Forsch carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He ended up with acomplete game three-hitter for his fourth consecutive win.[5]
Forsch was a twenty-game winner in 1977. He pitched his first career no-hitter on April 16, 1978 against thePhiladelphia Phillies[6] with the help of a questionable ruling by official scorerNeal Russo of theSt. Louis Post-Dispatch on aKen Reitzerror off the bat ofGarry Maddox.[7] Regardless, his record stood at 3–0 with a 0.71 ERA following the game. Things, however, began to unravel for Forsch shortly thereafter. After a May 11 three hitshutout against theLos Angeles Dodgers improved his record to 6–2,[8] 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 1982. He also earned his first careersave on May 15 against the Atlanta Braves.[9] He got the game one start in the1982 National League Championship Series, and held the Atlanta Braves to threehits while striking out six.[10] He also went 2-for-3 with an RBI and arun scored. He lost both of hisWorld Series starts against theMilwaukee Brewers, but the Cardinals won the series in seven games.[11]
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, 1983, when Forsch pitched his second career no-hitter, this time against the Montreal Expos.[12] 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.[13] His career was threatened when he required back surgery during the 1984 season to relieve pressure on a nerve on his lower back. After sitting out three months, however, he was able to return to the mound.[14]
Forsch's final win of the 1985 season was a 4–2 victory over theChicago Cubs on October 4 to clinch a first place tie with theNew 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 theLos Angeles Dodgers in the1985 National League Championship Series. With theKansas City Royals representing theAmerican League in the World Series,1985 was the first time two teams from the same state faced off in a World Series since1974, and the first time two teams fromMissouri faced each other since the1944 World Series. The Royals beat the Cardinals in seven games for the franchise's first World Series title.[15] Forsch went 0–1 with an 8.53 ERA in his second postseason.
Forsch made headlines during the1987 National League Championship Series, which pitted the Cards against theSan Francisco Giants. The Giants led the series after Game 2, owing in part to the batting prowess of outfielderJeffrey Leonard, who scored nine runs and drove in 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".[16]
Forsch was 9–4 with a 3.73 ERA in 1988 when he was traded just before the waiver trade deadline to the Houston Astros, who were making a playoff push in theNational League West.[17] Forsch pitched poorly for the Astros, going 1–4 with a 6.51 ERA. Forsch re-signed with the Astros for 1989, and went 4–5 with a 5.32 ERA while splitting his time as a starter andrelief pitcher. He retired after the season.
| W | L | PCT | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | K | WP | HBP | Fld% | BA | RBI |
| 168 | 136 | .553 | 3.76 | 498 | 422 | 67 | 19 | 3 | 2,794.2 | 2,777 | 1,169 | 1,319 | 216 | 832 | 1,133 | 93 | 45 | .973 | .213 | 84 |
Forsch was one of the better hitting pitchers of his era. He hit 12 career home runs, batted .308 (24-for-78) in 1975, won the inauguralSilver Slugger Award for NL pitchers in 1980 and a second Silver Slugger award in 1987. Forsch's no-hitters were the only two ever thrown atBusch Memorial Stadium.[18] His 163 career wins with the Cardinals is the franchise's fourth highest total.
In 1971, while Forsch was playing at Cedar Rapids, he struck up a conversation with Mollie Jane Knaau at a local restaurant. They married in June 1972. The couple had two daughters, Amy and Kristin. Forsch's first marriage ended in divorce after 30 years. He remarried thereafter to his second wife, Janice.[19]
Forsch was a Minor League pitching coach for the Reds' Rookie League affiliate, theBillings Mustangs from 2009 until his death. He also wrote a book titledBob Forsch's Tales from the Cardinals Dugout, with Tom Wheatley.[20]
Forsch died suddenly from athoracic aortic aneurysm on November 3, 2011.[21] Less than a week before his death, he threw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game Seven of the2011 World Series at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.[22][23]
| Preceded by | No-hitter pitcher April 16, 1978 September 26, 1983 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | NLSilver Slugger Award pitcher 1980 1987 | Succeeded by |