| Chuck Churn | |
|---|---|
 Churn with theHollywood Starsc. 1957 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1930-02-01)February 1, 1930 Bridgetown, Virginia, U.S. | |
| Died: October 21, 2017(2017-10-21) (aged 87) Lady Lake, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 18, 1957, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 29, 1959, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 3–2 |
| Earned run average | 5.10 |
| Strikeouts | 32 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Clarence Nottingham "Chuck"Churn (February 1, 1930 – October 21, 2017) was an American professionalbaseball player. The native ofBridgetown, Virginia, was arelief pitcher inMajor League Baseball who appeared in 25games for thePittsburgh Pirates,Cleveland Indians andLos Angeles Dodgers between 1957 and 1959. He threw and battedright-handed and was listed as 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and 205 pounds (93 kg).
Churn was signed as an amateur free agent by the Pirates before the start of the 1949 season. After seven years inminor league baseball and one in military service, Churn was finally called up to the majors when he made the Pirates' pitching staff at the outset of the1957 season. He made his debut on April 18, 1957, against theBrooklyn Dodgers, and gave up twohits and two runs in oneinning pitched. Churn appeared in five games for the Pirates before being returned to the minors at the May cutdown, recording nodecisions and a 4.32earned run average, having given up four runs in8+1⁄3 innings of work.[1]
He was selected by theBoston Red Sox from Pittsburgh in the 1957Rule 5 draft held on December 2. But the Red Sox placed Churn onwaivers duringspring training, and he was acquired on March 26, 1958, by the Cleveland Indians. He pitched in six games, all in relief, for the Indians during the early weeks of the1958 season, with no decisions and a 6.23 ERA in8+2⁄3 innings pitched. Then, in early May, he was purchased by theCincinnati Redlegs[1] and sent back to theTriple-ASeattle Rainiers for the rest of the season.
TheLos Angeles Dodgers acquired Churn in a trade with the Reds on May 6, 1959, in exchange for Dick Hanlon[1] and Churn was recalled from the Triple-ASpokane Indians in August.
After going unscored upon in his first three appearances coming out of the Los Angeles bullpen, Churn earned his first-ever victory in the major leagues on September 2, 1959, when the Dodgers defeated theSt. Louis Cardinals 9–6. Churn pitched one-run ball over the final4+2⁄3 innings to get the win.[2] Churn got his second victory on September 11 in the first game of adoubleheader against his original team, the Pirates. He came into the game in the eighth inning in relief ofSandy Koufax with the Dodgers down, 4–2. Los Angeles scored its third run in the eighth and then tallied twice offElroy Face in the bottom of the ninth. Churn pitched1+2⁄3 scoreless innings to get the 5–4 win. The loss was charged to Face, his only defeat in a season in which he finished with an 18–1 record.[3][4][5]
With the Dodgers involved in a desperatepennant race with theMilwaukee Braves andSan Francisco Giants, Churn's September wins—along with his only MLBsave on September 19 against the Giants—were priceless. On the season's final day, Sunday, September 27, 1959, the Dodgers and Braves finished in flat-footed tie at 86–68, necessitating a best-of-threetie-breaker series to resolve the deadlock. After the Dodgers won Game 1, Churn appeared in the pivotal Game 2 on September 29. He relievedJohnny Podres with the bases loaded and two out in the top half of the seventh inning and Milwaukee ahead 4–2. He retiredpinch hitterEnos Slaughter to quell the threat, but then surrendered what appeared to be an insurance run to Milwaukee in the eighth inning. He left the game for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the eighth with the Braves leading 5–2. However, in the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers rallied for three runs to tie Game 2 and forceextra innings. Three innings later, they won the game and theNational League championship, sending them to the1959 World Series.[6]
Churn finished the 1959 season with a 3–2 record and one save to along with a 4.99 ERA in 14 appearances.[1] He came on in relief ofRoger Craig in the third inning of Game 1 of the 1959 Fall Classic, giving up six runs (two of themearned) in only two-thirds of an inning as the Dodgers lost to theChicago White Sox 11–0. It was Churn's only World Series appearance as the Dodgers went on to win the world title in six games.[7]
The 1959 season was Churn's last in the majors. Along with the five decisions and the save he posted for the Dodgers that season, he ended his career with 32strikeouts in47+2⁄3 total innings pitched, allowing 49 hits and 19bases on balls.
Churn pitched full-time in the minor leagues through 1962, then became a playing coach and player-manager in theHouston Astros'farm system through 1967.
Churn, whose nickname was "Slim," died inLady Lake, Florida on October 21, 2017, at age 87.[8]