| Bob Anderson | |
|---|---|
 Anderson with theDes Moines Bruins, circa 1955 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1935-09-29)September 29, 1935 East Chicago, Indiana, U.S. | |
| Died: March 12, 2015(2015-03-12) (aged 79) Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 31, 1957, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 25, 1963, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 36–46 |
| Earned run average | 4.26 |
| Strikeouts | 502 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Robert Carl Anderson (September 29, 1935 – March 12, 2015) was an American professionalbaseball player andright-handedpitcher who appeared in 246games inMajor League Baseball (MLB) between1957 and1963 for theChicago Cubs andDetroit Tigers. Born inEast Chicago, Indiana, he graduated fromHammond High School and attended bothMichigan State University andWestern Michigan University. He stood 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and weighed 210 pounds (95 kg) during his active career.
Anderson signed with Chicago in 1954 and reached the Open-ClassificationPacific Coast League in 1956 as a member of the Cubs' topfarm team, theLos Angeles Angels. He had a stellar season as arelief pitcher, working in 70 games and winning a dozen, for the PCL champion Angels. The following year, he was recalled by the Cubs in midyear and spent parts of 1957 and1958 as a member of the Cubs'bullpen corps and spotstarter. In1959, he made the Cubs' staff for good and became a full-time starting pitcher, posting a 21–24record over the next two seasons in 66 assignments, with 12complete games and his only MLBshutout, a 3–0six-hit triumph against the pennant-contendingMilwaukee Braves on August 24, 1959.[1]
In 1961, he transitioned back to a bullpen role, and received only 19 more starting assignments over the rest of his MLB career. He was traded to Detroit after the1962 season. Reunited withBob Scheffing, his manager with the PCL Angels and the 1957–1959 Cubs, Anderson got into 32 games for the1963 Tigers and posted the only winning season of his career, as he captured three of fourdecisions. He was dealt along withRocky Colavito and $50,000 from theTigers to theKansas City Athletics forJerry Lumpe,Dave Wickersham andEd Rakow on November 18,1963.[2] He did not make the 1964 Athletics' roster and spent the year back in minor league baseball before leaving the game.
During his MLB career, he won 36 games, lost 46, and compiled anearned run average of 4.26. He was credited with 15 complete games. In 8402⁄3innings pitched, he allowed 858 hits and 319bases on balls with 502strikeouts.
Anderson was involved in one of Major League Baseball's most unusual and weirdest plays of all time in its long history, which occurred during a game played on June 30, 1959, atWrigley Field between the Cubs andSt. Louis Cardinals.
Anderson was pitching andStan Musial was at the plate with a count of 3–1. Anderson's next pitch was errant, evading catcherSammy Taylor and rolling all the way to the backstop. The home plate umpireVic Delmore called ball four, however Anderson and Taylor contended Musial hadfoul tipped the ball and because the ball was still in play, and due to Delmore being embroiled in an argument with the catcher and pitcher, Musial took it upon himself to try for second base. Seeing that Musial was breaking for second, Cubs third basemanAlvin Dark ran to the backstop to retrieve the ball, however that ball wound up in the hands of field announcerPat Pieper, but Dark ended up getting it back anyway.
Absentmindedly, however, Delmore pulled out a new ball and gave it to Taylor. Anderson finally noticed that Musial was trying for second, took the new ball, and threw it to second basemanTony Taylor at which Anderson's throw flew high over Tony Taylor's head into centerfield. Dark, at the same time that Anderson threw the new ball, threw the original ball to shortstopErnie Banks. Musial, though, did not see Dark's throw and only noticing Anderson's ball fly over the second baseman's head then tried to go to third base, however, on his way over there, was tagged by Banks, and after a delay was ruled out. Oddly, in the final accounting, this most unusual and different play made no difference in the result, a 4–1 victory for the visiting Cardinals.[3]
