| Jim McGlothlin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1943-10-06)October 6, 1943 Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
| Died: December 23, 1975(1975-12-23) (aged 32) Union, Kentucky, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 20, 1965, for the California Angels | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 28, 1973, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 67–77 |
| Earned run average | 3.61 |
| Strikeouts | 709 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
James Milton McGlothlin (October 6, 1943 – December 23, 1975), nicknamed"Red", was anAmericanMajor League Baseballpitcher. During a nine-yearMLB career, he pitched for theCalifornia Angels (1965–1969),Cincinnati Reds (1970–73) andChicago White Sox (1973).
He died of a rare type of leukemia at age 32.
McGlothlin was born on October 6, 1943, inLos Angeles.[1] When he was in his early teens, McGlothlin's father died, and he worked nightly at a gas station to help support his mother.[2] He graduated fromReseda High School in 1961, where he was a standout pitcher on the baseball team, winning All-Valley honors.[3][4] He met his future wife Janice at Reseda High.[3] He was signed as an amateur free agent the following year by theLos Angeles Angels.[5]
McGlothlin threw and batted right-handed and was listed as 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and 185 pounds (84 kg).[1]
McGlothlin played in the Angels' minor league system for all or parts of the 1962-66 seasons. In 1965, playing for theSeattle Angels of theTriple-APacific Coast League (PCL), he had a 14–8 record, with a 2.55earned run average (ERA), and 180strikeouts in 205innings.[6] He was second in the PCL in strikeouts and fifth in wins. He was one win behind future major league pitcher and NBA hall of fame playerDave DeBusschere, and was one place ahead of him in strikeout ranking.[7]
McGlothlin made his major league debut at age 21 on September 20, 1965, allowing fourearned runs in fiveinnings pitched in a 4–2 home loss against theBaltimore Orioles.[1][8] He split the 1966 season between Seattle and Los Angeles, starting 11 games, with a 3–0 record in theAmerican League (AL) that year.[1]
He joined Los Angeles full time in 1967. He was named to theAmerican LeagueAll-Star team in1967, a season in which he tied for the AL lead inshutouts (with six), had a career-high ninecomplete games and posted a 12–8record and a 2.96earned run average.[1][9] He pitched two innings in the All Star game, giving up only one hit, allowing no runs, and striking out two.[10] After having already started in 29 games that season, McGlothlin pitched in relief in the second games of both doubleheaders versus theDetroit Tigers on the final weekend of that season, and was the winning pitcher in the final game, which eliminated the Tigers from the American Leaguepennant race.[11][12][13]
The Angels had been one of five contenders in the 1967 race until a disastrous, mid-August stretch saw them lose 12 out of 15 games and drop from 11⁄2 games behind to 81⁄2 lengths out of the league lead.[14][15][13][16] They finished 1967 at 84–77,[17] but then slumped to losing marks in both1968 (67–95) and1969 (71–91).[18][19] McGlothlin's record suffered with his team's, as he dropped 31 of 49decisions and posted above-3.00 earned run averages.[1] On November 25, 1969, he was included in one of the off-season's high profile interleague trades when the Angels sent him and fellow pitchersPedro Borbón andVern Geishert to the Cincinnati Reds for hard-hittingoutfielderAlex Johnson andutility infielderChico Ruiz.[20]
In his first season in theNational League, McGlothlin proceeded to win a career-high 14 games for thepennant-winning 1970 "Big Red Machine", leading the staff with three shutouts and finishing third on the Reds in innings pitched (2101⁄3).[1][21] McGlothlin did not pitch in the1970 National League playoffs against thePittsburgh Pirates, and started Game 2 of the1970 World Series against theBaltimore Orioles. In Game 2, he did not earn a decision after working 41⁄3 innings. The Reds dropped that game, 6–5, en route to a five-game Series loss.[22][23][24][25]
In1971, he lowered his earned run average from 3.59 to 3.22 and remained on the team's top ten players inwins above replacement,[26] but he dropped 12 of 20 decisions as Cincinnati won 23 fewer games than in 1970 and fell back in the standings.[27] Instrike-shortened1972, McGlothlin's final full season with the Reds, he started 21 regular-season games and posted a winning record (9–8) for a pennant-winning club.[28] But his effectiveness diminished: his ERA rose to 3.91 and, for the first time as an MLB starting pitcher, he allowed morehits (165) than innings pitched (145).[1]
He also started a game in the1972 World Series. In Game 5, he allowed four earned runs in three full innings against theOakland Athletics andCatfish Hunter. The Reds would win the game in the ninth, 5–4. McGlothlin received a no decision.[29]
Used sparingly in1973, he made nine starts among his 24 appearances and split six decisions, but his ERA ballooned to 6.68 in 631⁄3 innings pitched.[1]
McGlothlin was traded back to the American League, to theChicago White Sox, on August 29, 1973.[5] He last pitched for the White Sox at age 29 on September 28, 1973. His final game was the only game he started in a Chicago uniform, and he absorbed a 4–1 defeat at the hands of the Oakland Athletics.[30][1] The White Sox released McGlothlin in March 1974, ending his baseball career.[5]
In 256 regular-seasongames pitched, including 201starts, McGlothlin compiled a 67–77won–lost mark, with 36complete games, 11 shutouts, and a 3.61 earned run average. In 1,3001⁄3 career innings pitched, he permitted 1,247 hits and 418bases on balls, striking out 709. He earned three careersaves.[1] In the postseason, he went unscored upon in one inning pitched during the1972 National League Championship Series (his only LCS appearance),[31] and in his two World Series starts, he allowed eight hits, four bases on balls, and eight earned runs in 81⁄3 innings pitched without earning a decision.[24][32]
In 1973, McGlothlin purchased a two-story home with 12 acres of farmland (for the family's two horses) inUnion, Kentucky, nearCincinnati.[3][33]
Less than a year after leaving the game, McGlothlin became gravely ill. Although an initial diagnosis of late-stagestomach cancer was incorrect, he proved to have an untreatable form ofleukemia.[2] Jim McGlothlin died at age 32 on December 23, 1975, at his home in Union, Kentucky, near Cincinnati.[34] He was survived by his wife and three children.[35]