| Jim Maloney | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1940-06-02)June 2, 1940 (age 85) Fresno, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 27, 1960, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 21, 1971, for the California Angels | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 134–84 |
| Earned run average | 3.19 |
| Strikeouts | 1,605 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
James William Maloney (born June 2, 1940) is an American former professionalbaseball pitcher who played inMajor League Baseball for theCincinnati Reds (1960–1970) andCalifornia Angels (1971). One of the hardest-throwing pitchers of the 1960s, Maloney threw twono-hitters, won ten or more games from 1963 to 1969, and recorded over 200strikeouts for four consecutive seasons.
Born and raised inFresno, California, his parents were Earl and Marjorie (née Kickashear) Maloney, and he has a sister, Jeanne. His father was a sandlot and semi-professional baseball player on the west coast in the 1930s, who later opened one of the largestused cardealerships in Fresno. After playingLittle League andBabe Ruth baseball, Maloney earned a reputation as one of the finest athletes in the history ofFresno High School.[1]
Though he starred on thebasketball andfootball teams, his passion was baseball. As a shortstop, he batted .310, .340, and .500 in his sophomore through senior seasons while leading the team to three consecutive undefeated seasons and Northern Yosemite League championships from 1956 to 1958. He was scouted by all 16 Major League teams as a shortstop. After briefly attendingUC Berkeley, Maloney attendedFresno City College where he pitched for the baseball team at the urging of scout Bobby Mattick; he eventually signed with the Cincinnati Reds in 1959 for a reported $100,000.[1]
In1963, Maloney was 23–7 and struck out 265 batters; in1965, he was 20–9 and struck out 244; in1966, he was 16–8 and struck out 216; and in1968, he was 16–10 and struck out 181. At age 21 in1961, Maloney had one appearance in relief in theWorld Series, hurling2⁄3 of an inning early in the fifth and final game as the Reds fell to theNew York Yankees.[2][3]
Injuries shortened his career, robbing him of the chance to pitch for the "Big Red Machine"—the fabled Cincinnati NL dynasty from1970–79. Maloney ruptured his Achilles tendon in the 1970 preseason and tried to pitch through it, but was ineffective. He pitched in only seven games for the Reds and he was winless in three starts.[4] He was traded from the Reds to the Angels forGreg Garrett on December 15, 1970.[5] With the Angels in1971, he was winless in four starts and made nine other appearances in relief.
Over his career, he won 134 games (all with the Reds) and lost 84, with anERA of 3.19. In1973, he was elected to theCincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.[6] As a hitter, Maloney was better than average, posting a .201batting average (126-for-628) with 51runs, 7home runs, 53RBI and 33bases on balls. Defensively, he was about average, recording a .957fielding percentage.[3]
Maloney pitched two games in which he gave up no hits through nine innings in1965, while going on to win 20 games that year. His first hitless nine-inning performance was on June 14 against theNew York Mets. This Monday night game lasted through ten scoreless innings, with Maloney striking out 18 with just one walk.[7][8] But rookie right fielderJohnny Lewis led off with a home run to center in the top of the 11th and Maloney lost the game 1–0.[9][10] At the time, that game was officially recognized as a no-hitter, but the rules were later changed to omit no-hit games that were broken up in extra innings. Maloney had given up a second hit in the 11th inning; at the time he had three one-hitters to his credit.[7]
His second no-hitter (and first official no-hitter under current rules), was two months later on August 19 and also required ten innings, but he won that one 1–0 over theChicago Cubs. In the first game of a Thursday doubleheader, Maloney out-dueledLarry Jackson, with the Reds winning on aLeo Cárdenas home run with one out in the top of the tenth, which struck the left field foul pole. This was only the third no-hitter since 1901 in which the pitcher who threw it went more than nine innings.[11] Maloney gave up 10 walks and hit a batter, the most baserunners allowed in a no-hitter since 1901.[12] He threw 187 pitches in the game while striking out 12.[13][14] With the win, he got another raise of a thousand dollars.[15]
His second official no-hitter was on April 30,1969, in which he beat theHouston Astros 10–0 atCrosley Field in Cincinnati, caught by 21-year-oldJohnny Bench.[16] Maloney's pitching line that night included 13 strikeouts and five walks.[17][18] Incidentally, the next nightDon Wilson of the Astros returned the favor to the Reds, pitchinghis second career no-hitter in a 4–0 Astros victory.[19][20] The double no-hitters in consecutive games was the second such occurrence in major league history.Gaylord Perry andRay Washburn had accomplished the same feat several months earlier in September1968.[21]
Maloney and his wife Lyn reside in Fresno, where he served as director of the city's Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Council. He has three children with his first wife Carolyn.[1]
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | No-hitter pitcher August 19, 1965 April 30, 1969 | Succeeded by |
