| Jack Sanford | |
|---|---|
 Sanford in 1958. | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1929-05-18)May 18, 1929 Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, U.S. | |
| Died: March 7, 2000(2000-03-07) (aged 70) Beckley, West Virginia, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 16, 1956, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 6, 1967, for the Kansas City Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 137–101 |
| Earned run average | 3.69 |
| Strikeouts | 1,182 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
John Stanley Sanford (May 18, 1929 – March 7, 2000)[1] was an American professionalbaseballpitcher who played 12 seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB).[2] Sanford was notable for the meteoric start to his career when, he led theNational League with 188strikeouts as a 28-year-old rookie for thePhiladelphia Phillies in 1957.[1] He later became a 20-game-winner and made his onlyWorld Series appearance as a member of theSan Francisco Giants.[1] He also played for theCalifornia Angels and theKansas City Athletics.
Sanford was born inWellesley Hills, Massachusetts.[1] After playing in theminor leagues for seven seasons, he made his major league debut with the Phillies on September 16, 1956 at the age of 27.[2] Sanford made an immediate impact the following season when, he began the year with a 10–2 win–loss record to earn a spot on the National League team in the1957 All-Star Game on July 9, 1957.[3][4] He ended the season with a 19–8 win–loss record and a 3.08earned run average along with a league-leading 188 strikeouts.[2][5] His 19 victories were second only to the 21 wins byWarren Spahn.[5] He also had 15complete games on the season, including threeshutouts.[2] For his impressive performance, he was named the National LeagueRookie of the Year in1957.[6]
His next seven years would be extremely solid, but never quite as impressive as his rookie season; or according to some, he never improved much after it. After being traded to the Giants for the1959 season, Sanford went 15-12 with a 3.16 ERA in 2221⁄3innings pitched and completed 10 games.[2] That year, he started 31 games and made 36 appearances, 5 out of the bullpen.[2]
Sanford led the Giants to the 1962National League pennant with 24 victories, second only to the 25 victories byDon Drysdale.[7] He won 16 consecutive decisions from mid-June to mid-September and was namedPlayer of the Month in August for his second straight 6-0 month (he also posted a 3.55 ERA, and 31 SO).[1] OnlyRube Marquard, who won 19 straight games for the1912 New York Giants, andRoy Face, who won 17 straight for the1959 Pittsburgh Pirates have won more consecutive games in a single season during the modern era.[1] Six pitchers have matched Sanford's 16-game streak.[1]
The Giants would face theNew York Yankees in theWorld Series in the only post-season appearance of Sanford's career.[1] Sanford made three starts for the club in the World Series. In Game 2, he pitched a three-hit shutout as the Giants beat the Yankees 2-0.[8] He was supposed to start Game 5 October 9, but rain pushed it back a day, which bothered Sanford, who had psyched himself to pitch that day.[9] Sanford gave up a three-run home run toTom Tresh and a total of five runs (four earned) in7+1⁄3 innings as the Giants lost 5-3.[10] He pitched better in Game 7, allowing just one run in seven innings against the Yankees whenBill Skowron scored asTony Kubek hit into a double play in the fifth inning. That run was enough, though, for the Yankees to win 1-0, behind aRalph Terry shutout.[11] Sanford finished second toDon Drysdale in the voting for the 1962Cy Young Award.[12] After he left the Giants, his best seasons were behind him. He ended his playing career with theKansas City Athletics on August 6,1967 at the age of 38.[2]
However, Sanford remained in the major leagues for two more seasons as thepitching coach of the1968–1969Cleveland Indians. Working on the staff ofAlvin Dark, hismanager with the 1962 Giants and 1967 Athletics, Sanford's first season saw the1968 Indians compile a staff earned run average of 2.66. Throughout baseball, 1968 was known as "The Year of the Pitcher", and two of Cleveland's starters,Luis Tiant (1.60 in 2581⁄3 innings pitched) andSam McDowell (1.81 in 269 innings), finished first and second in ERA in theAmerican League.
Sanford's best pitch was hisfastball. When he was with the Giants in 1961, Dark andLarry Jansen had him practice throwing acurveball orslider on the first pitch to every batter. This was because Dark believed that it was better to be able to throw a pitch that might not be a pitcher's best if a hitter was particularly good at hitting a pitcher's best pitch.[13]
In a twelve-year major league career, Sanford played in 388games, accumulating a 137-101win–loss record along with a 3.69earned run average in 2,0491⁄3 innings pitched.[2] He accumulated 1,182 strikeouts and gave up only 840earned runs.[2] He also finished in the Top 10 inMVP Award voting twice in his career (1957, 1962).[2] He finished second in the league in wins twice, losing in 1957 to onlyWarren Spahn and in 1962 to Cy Young Award winner Don Drysdale.
After retiring from baseball, Sanford was a golf director at country clubs.[1] Sanford died of abrain tumor at age 70 inBeckley, West Virginia.[1]
· Baseball Almanac| Preceded by | Major League Player of the Month August, 1962 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Cleveland Indianspitching coach 1968–1969 | Succeeded by |
