| Ron Piché | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Relief pitcher | |
| Born:(1935-05-22)May 22, 1935 Verdun, Quebec, Canada | |
| Died: February 3, 2011(2011-02-03) (aged 75) Montreal,Quebec, Canada | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 30, 1960, for the Milwaukee Braves | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 26, 1966, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 10–16 |
| Earned run average | 4.19 |
| Strikeouts | 157 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Member of the Canadian | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 1988 |
Ronald Jacques Piché (May 22, 1935 – February 3, 2011) was a Canadian professionalbaseballpitcher who played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theMilwaukee Braves,Los Angeles Angels andSt. Louis Cardinals. A native ofVerdun, Quebec, he threw and batted right-handed and was listed as 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and 165 pounds (75 kg).
Piché's professional pitching career lasted for 17 seasons between 1955 and 1972 (sitting out the 1971 campaign), and included 134games played in the majors. Only in 1963, when he worked in 37 games for Braves, all but one of them out of thebullpen, did he spend a full campaign at the major league level. All told, Piché had a 10–16win–loss record with 12saves.[1] Although hestarted only 11 of his 134 career MLBgames pitched, he threw threecomplete games. In221+1⁄3innings pitched, he allowed 216hits and 123bases on balls, with 157strikeouts, while posting a career 4.19earned run average (ERA).
Piché appeared in 500minor league baseball games, compiling a 130–65 career record (.667winning percentage) with an ERA of 2.96. After retiring from the mound, he served in theMontreal Expos organization as a minor league coach, an administrator in their ticket office, and as the Expos'bullpen coach in 1976 undermanagersKarl Kuehl andCharlie Fox.
One of Piché's best days in the major leagues occurred on May 30, 1962. He was the starting pitcher for the Braves in the first game of adoubleheader against theCincinnati Reds. He pitched a complete game, allowing six hits, and also got his first and only major league hit. In the last of the fourth inning, with two outs and runners on first and second, he hit a single to shortstopLeo Cárdenas, driving in two runs and reaching second on an error by Cárdenas. The Braves won the game, 4–3.[2]
During his time in the major leagues, Piché was a teammate of at least eightNational Baseball Hall of Fame players:Hank Aaron,Eddie Mathews,Red Schoendienst,Warren Spahn,Lou Brock,Steve Carlton,Orlando Cepeda andBob Gibson.
Piché was also a volunteerfirefighter with the Montreal Auxiliary Firemen. He was inducted to theCanadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988.[3] He died of cancer on February 3, 2011, at age 75.[4][5]