| Buzz Capra | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1947-10-01)October 1, 1947 (age 78) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 15, 1971, for the New York Mets | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 26, 1977, for the Atlanta Braves | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 31–37 |
| Earned run average | 3.87 |
| Strikeouts | 362 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Lee William Capra (born October 1, 1947), is an American former professionalbaseballpitcher, who played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theNew York Mets andAtlanta Braves, from1971 to1977. Nicknamed"Buzz", by a neighbor as a child,[1] Capra was aNational League (NL)All-Star and the NLearned run average (ERA) leader, in1974.
Capra was ashortstop atLane Technical College Prep High School in theRoscoe Village neighborhood on the Northside ofChicago. Besides playing shortstop, he began pitching atIllinois State University, and compiled a 17–5 record & 1.58 ERA. Capra was a team co-captain his senior year, and led the Redbirds to the1969NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.[2]
Capra was selected late in the1969 Major League Baseball draft, by the New York Mets. Though primarily a pitcher, he played some shortstop andsecond base with thePompano Beach Mets in 1969. He went 33–10 with a 2.49 ERA & 367strikeouts, over three seasons in the Mets'farm system, to earn a September call-up in1971.
In1971, Capra made three appearances out of thebullpen, and did not allow an earned run in his first two big league appearances. However, he was not so lucky in his third appearance: Facing theSt. Louis Cardinals atShea Stadium, Capra entered the game in the tenthinning, and retired only one of the seven batters he faced,Jorge Roque, whobuntedJoe Torre to second after Torre had led off the inning with asingle), on his way to allowing fiveruns and taking his first major league loss.[3]
Capra won his first major leaguestart, over theSan Diego Padres, on April 25, 1972;[4] however, he found himself back in the minors by the All-Star break.[5] Capra also split the1973 season between the Mets & the Triple-ATidewater Tides. While all ten of his Tidewater appearances were starts, he was used exclusively inrelief at the major league level. Capra earned his first major leaguesave, on June 27, 1973, against thePhiladelphia Phillies, pitching four innings of no-hit ball.[6] Although he was on the Mets’1973 World Series roster, he did not appear in the1973 National League Championship Series orWorld Series.
Duringspring training in 1974, the Mets sold Capra's contract to the Atlanta Braves. His record as a reliever stood at 0–2, with one save (earned the eveningHank Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th home run, on April 8, 1974),[7] and a 3.06 ERA, when he replaced an injuredRon Reed, in the first inning, on May 15, against the Padres. Capra pitched six innings of one-hit ball to earn the win[8] — and Reed's spot in thestarting rotation.[9]
Over his next three games, Capra went 2–0, with a 1.00 ERA. He allowed just three walks, while striking out fifteen, and began a Braves-record streak of 26innings pitched without allowing anearned run. Over the month of June, Capra went 6–0 with a 1.05 ERA, threeshutouts, and anothercomplete game, to set a team record with nine consecutive wins, on his way to earning NLPlayer of the Month honors, and selection to the NL All-Star team by his formermanager with the Mets,Yogi Berra.[10] (He did not make an appearance in the game.)[11]
During his winning streak Capra became a sensation in Atlanta. In a season in which the Braves averaged 12,112 attendance per home game, Capra's home starts in June and July averaged over 39,000.[12] Capra cooled off during July and August (3-5, 4.43 ERA), but reverted to form in September, to end the season with a major league-best 2.28 ERA, 0.10 better than teammate,Phil Niekro (who finished second in the NL), and .21 better thanAmerican League (AL) leader,Catfish Hunter of theOakland A's.[13] He also held opposing batters to an NL-leading .208batting average against (BAA).
Capra won his first two starts of the1975 season; however, a twinge in his pitching arm — that he had begun feeling toward the end of the previous season — worsened.[14] Capra lost his next four starts, and was shut down for the season on June 8, with a 4–7 record and 4.25 ERA.
Capra did not return to the Braves until September 1, 1976, and was roughed up by theChicago Cubs, in his first game back.[15] He was relegated to mop-up duty over his next four appearances, and ended the season 0–1 with an 8.68 ERA.
Capra's first game of the1977 season also went poorly,[16] but he pitched effectively enough in his next four appearances (3 earned runs in 11.1 innings, while holding opposing batters to a .179batting average), to be placed in the starting rotation when an injury toAndy Messersmith opened a spot. He went 0–4 with an 8.55 ERA in four starts, before reverting to relief. Capra won his first game back in the bullpen,[17] for his first win since he beat the Mets on May 25, 1975 (two days shy of two years earlier).[18]
Messersmith suffered a second injury (on July 3), shutting him down for the season, and gave Capra a second shot at starting. He beat theCincinnati Reds' "Big Red Machine," on July 13,[19] then, on August 10, showed his old form against the Padres, allowing only two hits in nine innings, in an extra-inning game, where he was credited with a no-decision.[20] Capra notched a win in the final game of his career, against theHouston Astros, September 26, 1977.[21]
From the time Capra had re-entered the starting rotation, he had gone 2–4, with a 5.02 ERA, in sixteen starts over the remainder of the 1977 season. Overall, that season, Capra was 2–8, with a 5.84 ERA as a starter, and 4–3, with a 4.58 ERA in relief.
The Braves released Capra at the end of spring training,1978,[22] and he retired as a player, shortly thereafter. He then returned to Illinois State aspitching coach for the Redbirds; Capra went on to become a pitching coach and manager, in the Mets’, Phillies’, and Braves' respective farm systems.[23]
While attending Illinois State, Capra earned his degree in teaching, and taught ceramics at aChicago high school during the offseasons while still a player.[9] He is a member of the Illinois State Athletics Percy Family Hall of Fame.[2]
| W | L | PCT | ERA | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BF | H | ER | R | HR | BAA | K | BB | BB/9 | WP | HBP | Fld% | Avg. |
| 31 | 37 | .456 | 3.87 | 142 | 61 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 544.1 | 2338 | 479 | 234 | 256 | 60 | .237 | 362 | 258 | 4.3 | 18 | 10 | .962 | .135 |
As a batter, Capra had only fiveruns batted in (RBI), in his playing career, the first coming on May 13, 1972, offHall of FamerJuan Marichal, of theSan Francisco Giants. That day, his second inning single drove inCleon Jones, with the only run of the game.[24] Capra's second RBI was also a game-winner, against theLos Angeles Dodgers, on June 24, 1974.[25]
| Preceded by | National LeaguePlayer of the Month June, 1974 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | NL Player of the Week June 30, 1974 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Major League BaseballERA leader 1974 | Succeeded by |