| Ken Hunt | |
|---|---|
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| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1938-12-14)December 14, 1938 Ogden, Utah, U.S. | |
| Died: January 27, 2008(2008-01-27) (aged 69) Morgan, Utah, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 16, 1961, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 30, 1961, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 9–10 |
| Earned run average | 3.96 |
| Strikeouts | 75 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Kenneth Raymond Hunt Jr. (December 14, 1938 – January 27, 2008) was an Americanstarting pitcher who played one fullMajor League Baseball season for the1961Cincinnati Reds. Listed at 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and 200 pounds (91 kg), Hunt batted and threwright-handed. He overcame control problems to reach the major leagues with the Reds in 1961, starting games for theNational League champions. He wonThe Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award and appeared in theWorld Series, which the Reds lost in five games to theNew York Yankees. However, his control problems resurfaced in the minor leagues after that, and he never appeared in another major league game. Following his career, he coached baseball and basketball atMorgan High School inUtah for 20 years.
Hunt was born to Kenneth Sr. and Wanda Hunt inOgden, Utah. He grew up in that city, getting named to the All-Statebaseball andbasketball teams while attendingOgden High School. After high school, he received baseball and basketball scholarships toBrigham Young University but only went to the institution for a year at the time before starting his professional baseball career.[1][2] He would later become the firstCougar to make it to the major leagues.[3]
Hunt signed a contract with theCincinnati Redlegs before the 1958 season after getting spotted by one of thescouts for Redlegs'general managerGabe Paul.[4] He began his minor league career that year with theClass CVisalia Redlegs of theCalifornia League. Hunt struggled with control, prompting Visalia managerDave Bristol to phone the Redlegs' front office and ask, "Do I really have to pitch this guy that often? They're gonna run me out of town." The front office told him to keep it up, believing the solution to Hunt's control problems was experience.[4] He spent the whole year with Visalia but did not stick in the starting rotation, only starting seven of his 21 games. 75walks in 54innings pitched contributed to a 2–5record and anearned run average (ERA) of 9.00.[5] Next season, Hunt remained with Visalia. Once again, he had more walks (185) than innings pitched (150), and his record was 4–14. However, he lowered his ERA to 6.66 andstruck out 160 batters.[5] Sometime in 1959, he married Carol Nelson; later, the couple had their marriagesolemnized at theSalt Lake Temple.[1]
The repeated use began to pay off with theColumbia Reds of theClass ASouth Atlantic League in 1960. Hunt shoved his walk total down to 134, even as his innings pitched rose to 211, in 30 starts. He spent the whole year in Columbia's rotation, winning 16 games (to only six losses) and striking out 221.[5] This earned him a spot atspring training for the Reds in 1961.[4]
Despite his improvement, Hunt was not expected to make the Reds' roster in 1961.Fred Hutchinson, the manager, did not even bother to mention Hunt in a pre-season news release where he discussed rookies to watch. However, Hunt's improved control helped him win a spot in the Reds' starting rotation.[4] His first game actually was not a start, but a relief outing in which he filled in for Reds' aceJim O'Toole, in a 5–3 loss to theSt. Louis Cardinals on April 16.[6] Three days later, he made his first start and got his first career win, giving up two runs (oneearned) in eight innings in a 4–2 victory over theSan Francisco Giants.[7] On May 23, despite allowing five hits and six walks in7+2⁄3 innings, he held theLos Angeles Dodgers scoreless, beatingDon Drysdale in a 2–0 victory.[8] Hunt got off to a fast start, sporting an 8–3 record and a 2.73 ERA through his first 14 games (13 as a starter). However, after that, he struggled to a 1–7 record and a 6.27 ERA over the rest of the season (though he only walked 22 in47+1⁄3 innings over that time).[9] He started only one game after August 5 as the Reds went to a four-man rotation down the stretch.[10] Despite his late fade, Hunt wonThe Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award after going 9–10 with 75 strikeouts in 136⅓ innings of work.[11][12] The Reds surprised experts (Sports Illustrated said they had 25–1 odds of winning the pennant before the season) by finishing in first place in theNational League, earning a trip to theWorld Series against theNew York Yankees.[4] Not needed as a starter, Hunt made only one appearance, striking out one and walking one in the ninth inning of the fifth and final game, a blowout 13–5 loss.[13]
Hunt was mentioned inSports Illustrated's preview of the 1962 Reds as a backup for the Big Three starters ofJoey Jay, O'Toole, andBob Purkey.[14] However, he did not pitch for the Reds that year. In fact, he never pitched in the major leagues again. Hunt did throw in the minor leagues, pitching 16 games (14 starts) between the Reds' Class A affiliate (now theMacon Peaches) and theSan Diego Padres of theClass AAAPacific Coast League. He had a 2–8 record between those teams, with a 7.67 ERA, and his control problems returned, as he walked 80 in 61 innings. Strangely, he gave up fewer earned runs per game at San Diego (3.46 ERA) than at Macon (10.80 ERA).[5]
In 1963, Hunt again split the season between Macon (now aClass AA affiliate) and San Diego, though he only pitched two games for the Padres. In 19 games (18 starts), he had a 7–9 record, a 4.50 ERA, 56 strikeouts, and 89 walks in 88 innings.[5] He spent all of 1964 with Macon, which switched to theSouthern League. In 25 games (14 starts), he had a 7–6 record, a 4.59 ERA, 69 strikeouts, and 63 walks in 98 innings.[5]
Cincinnati switched its AA affiliate to theKnoxville Smokies of the Southern League in 1965, and Hunt pitched one final season for them, losing two games and posting a 6.92 ERA in 12 games (four starts). He also got spent time with theBaltimore Orioles' organization that season, giving up five runs in three innings of three games for the Class AAARochester Red Wings of theInternational League that year. His career ended at the age of 26, with him having pitched one season in the major leagues.[5]
Following his baseball career, Hunt earned hisbachelor's degree from Brigham Young University, then taught English and coached basketball and baseball atMorgan High School in Utah from 1983 through 2003. As a basketball coach, he was twice named Utah's 2A coach of the year.[1][15] In 2004, he was grateful to be inducted into theUtah Sports Hall of Fame. He and his wife had three children: Ken III, Jennifer, and Adam. An avid sportsman, he liked to fish, hunt and camp. Hunt also was an enthusiasticUtah Jazz fan who would shout at the TV while watching their games. Hunt died in Morgan at age 69 while inhospice.[1]
· Baseball Almanac