| George Brunet | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1935-06-08)June 8, 1935 Houghton, Michigan, U.S. | |
| Died: October 25, 1991(1991-10-25) (aged 56) Poza Rica, Veracruz,Mexico | |
Batted: Right Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 14, 1956, for the Kansas City Athletics | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 28, 1971, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 69–93 |
| Earned run average | 3.62 |
| Strikeouts | 921 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Member of the Mexican Professional | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1999 |
George Stuart Brunet (June 8, 1935 – October 25, 1991) was an American professionalbaseballpitcher who also went on to aMexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame career inMexico. Brunet pitched for nine different Major League clubs during his career in the U.S.[1]
Brunet was born inHoughton, Michigan, and attendedCalumet High School inCalumet, Michigan. He was originally signed byDetroit Tigers scout and former pitcherSchoolboy Rowe in 1952. Brunet pitched three seasons in theSooner State League before being released. He caught on with theKansas City Athletics in 1955, and received his first call up to the majors in 1956. Brunet made his major league debut on September 14, 1956, against theWashington Senators, tossing a scoreless inning in a 4–1 loss.[2] His second Major League appearance came against theBoston Red Sox with thebases loaded, andTed Williams standing in thebatter's box. Brunet got Williams to bounce into adouble play.[3] Brunet made six appearances (one start) in 1956, recording a 7.00ERA.[4]
Brunet spent the next three seasons in the minors, making brief call ups in 1957 and 1959. Brunet was 14–15 with a 3.42 ERA and a league-leading 235strikeouts in 33 games (31 starts) for the Double-ALittle Rock Travelers in 1957.[5] At one point, his record stood at 10–3, but over a stretch of over fifty innings in which his team failed to give him a single run of support, his record fell to 10–11.[6]
One of the two games Brunet appeared in during 1959 was against theChicago White Sox on April 22. He entered in the seventh inning with the bases loaded, and fiveruns already scored due to poor pitching and even worse fielding (fivewalks and threeerrors). Brunet walked the first two batters he faced,hit the next batter, then walked three more beforeJim Landis grounded back to the mound. The ChiSox scored eleven runs that inning on just one hit.[7]
Brunet finally made it onto Kansas City's opening day roster in 1960, but was traded to theMilwaukee Braves a month into the season forBob Giggie.[4]
The Braves originally assigned Brunet to theLouisville Colonels upon acquiring him, but he was quickly called up after going 4–1 with a 0.78 ERA in seven games (five starts).[5][8] Brunet went 2–0 with a 5.07 ERA in 17 games (six starts) in his first season with the Braves.[4] He again started 1961 in the majors, but was sidelined by anappendectomy after just one appearance.[9] Brunet made four appearances when he returned that June, but was reassigned to the Triple-AVancouver Mounties by the end of the month, and remained there for the rest of the season.[10] On May 16, 1962, he was traded to theHouston Colt .45's for minor league pitcherBen Johnson.[4]
Brunet was terrible in his first two starts with Houston. He lasted a total of one inning, and was charged with six earned runs.[11][12] He settled in for his next start, pitching acomplete game against theChicago Cubs in which he gave up just oneunearned run.[13] Brunet ended the season with a record of 2–4 and a 4.50 ERA in 17 games (11 starts).[4]
The1963 Baltimore Orioles were in theAmerican Leaguepennant race, but followingDean Stone's retirement, they had only one left hander in their bullpen,Pete Burnside. The team purchased Brunet's contract from Houston on July 14, 1963, and in his third appearance with the Orioles on July 18, he earned his first careersave.[14]
Brunet began the 1964 season assigned to the Orioles' Triple-A affiliate, theRochester Red Wings, then was reacquired by the Colts on May 12. He was 10–6 with a 3.00 ERA in 21 games (18 starts) for the Colts' Triple-A affiliate, theOklahoma City 89ers.[5]
On August 18, 1964, Brunet's contract was again sold, this time to theLos Angeles Angels. After eleven seasons of bouncing around, Brunet seemed to have finally found a home in Los Angeles. He was immediately promoted to the Major Leagues upon his acquisition by the Angels. Brunet went 2–2 with a 3.61 ERA in 10 games (seven starts).[4] One of those victories came on September 5 against his former club, the Orioles.[15] He held the Orioles to fourhits over seven innings before handing the ball over toBob Lee for the save. The 1–0 victory knocked the Orioles out of first place.[16]
Brunet's finest season in the majors was 1965, when he finished 9–11 with two saves and a 2.56 ERA in 41 appearances (26 starts).[4] He split fourth starter duties for the newly renamed California Angels withRudy May. The .209batting average he held opposing batters to was the fourth-lowest in the league. By 1967, he was the Angels' top starter, but was a victim of hard luck. After a complete game victory in the season opener,[17] Brunet lost his next nine decisions, a span during which the Angels only scored eighteen runs.[18] In 1967 and 1968, he led the AL in losses with 19 and 17, respectively, despite relatively modest ERAs both seasons (3.31 and 2.86, respectively).[4] He pitched back-to-back shutouts to earn his last two wins with the Angels on July 9[19] and July 14, 1969.[20] On July 31, his contract was sold to theSeattle Pilots. Brunet's career with the Angels spanned over six seasons, his longest tenure with any club.
Brunet went 2–5 with a 5.37 ERA in 12 games (11 starts) for the Pilots in their only season in existence,[4] however, he earns mention inJim Bouton's account of the Seattle Pilots,Ball Four. Upon learning that the Pilots acquired Brunet, Bouton wrote, "The Pilots have just bought George Brunet from the Angels for something just over the waiver price. He'll fit right in on this ballclub. He's crazy."
The depth of his craziness is later revealed when Bouton discovers that Brunet doesn't wear underwear. He explains, "This way I don't have to worry about losing them."[21]
On December 4, 1969, Brunet was traded to theWashington Senators forDave Baldwin.[4] He went 8–6 with a 4.42 ERA in 24 games (20 starts) for the Senators before a trade deadline deal brought him to thePittsburgh Pirates forDenny Riddleberger.[4] After finishing out the season in Pittsburgh, Brunet andMatty Alou were traded to theSt. Louis Cardinals forNelson Briles andVic Davalillo.[22] He appeared in seven games for the Cardinals, posting a 5.79 ERA before he was released.[4] He caught on with theSan Diego Padres shortly afterwards, and went 18–13 with a 4.02 ERA in two seasons with the Triple-AHawaii Islanders.[5] While withHawaii, he received an offer to pitch in Japan, but declined, waiting on a call from theMinnesota Twins which never materialized. He spent one last season with thePhiladelphia Phillies'Pacific Coast League affiliate, theEugene Emeralds before retiring.
Brunet's minor league totals are 112 wins against 115 losses. He holds the minor league record for strikeouts with 3,175.[23]
Nicknamed "Lefty" and "Red" during his Major League career, he was known as "El Viejo" or "the Old Man" inMexico as he pitched well into his fifties. His first stop in Mexico wasPoza Rica, with Petroleros de Poza Rica. At 42 years old, on June 20, 1977, he pitched ano-hitter. He pitched for them through 1978, going 62–55 with a 2.55 ERA and actually spending part of the 1977 season as manager.
He split the 1979 season between the expansion Blue Coatzacoalcos and theDiablos Rojos del México. He was traded toRojos del Águila de Veracruz before the start of the 1980 season, however, he returned to Blue Coatzacoalcos during the baseball strike that interrupted play for two weeks (Coatzacoalcos was one of six teams to play through the strike). He returned to Veracruz after the strike.[24]
On June 10, 1984, he set the Mexican record for shutouts with 55.[25] Brunet pitched until he was 54 years old, giving him a record 36 years of pitching in organized baseball. On October 25, 1991, Brunet died of aheart attack inPoza Rica, Veracruz, Mexico at the age of 56. In 1999, he was elected to theMexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame.[26]
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