.gif)
Al Downing (baseball player)
Encyclopedia
Alphonso Erwin Downing is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
. An All Star
in 1967 and NL Comeback Player of the Year in 1971, Downing surrendered Hank Aaron's record breaking 715th home run
on April 8, .
as an amateur free agent
in , and was already on the major league roster by July of that season. In his first full major league season, , Downing went 13-5 with a 2.56 earned run average
for a Yankee team that went 104-57, but were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers
in the 1963 World Series
. In , he went 13-8 with a 3.47 earned run average
, and led the league with 217 strikeouts.
Downing was 9-5 with a 2.66 ERA when he made his only All-Star team
in . He pitched two innings, giving up no earned run
s while striking out two. On August 11, he struck out three batters (Tony Horton, Don Demeter
and Duke Sims
) on nine pitches in the second inning of a 5-3 win over the Cleveland Indians
. Downing became the sixth American League pitcher and the 13th pitcher in Major League history to accomplish this feat.
Injuries limited Downing to only twelve starts in . In , Yankees manager Ralph Houk
began using Downing out of the bullpen
more, as he made fifteen starts and fifteen relief appearances
. He was traded to the Oakland Athletics
prior to the along with catcher
Frank Fernández
for Danny Cater
and Ossie Chavarria
.
on June 11, 1970 with Tito Francona
for Steve Hovley
. Despite a respectable 3.34 ERA, Downing's record was 2-10 for a Brewers team that narrowly escaped losing 100 games (97). For the season, Downing went 5-13 with a 3.52 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 27 games and 22 starts between his two teams.
Prior to the start of the season, Downing was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Andy Kosco
. Downing turned things around in his first season in the National League
, winning twenty games, including a league-leading five shutouts. He earned NL Comeback Player of the Year honors as well as finishing third in NL Cy Young award
balloting behind Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins
and Tom Seaver
.
Despite giving up Hank Aaron's famous 715th home run on April 8, 1974, Downing made his third, and final post-season appearance that season. His Dodgers lost four games to one to the Oakland A's. Downing played two more full seasons with the Dodgers, and was released during the season with a 0-1 record and 6.75 ERA.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. An All Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
in 1967 and NL Comeback Player of the Year in 1971, Downing surrendered Hank Aaron's record breaking 715th home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
on April 8, .
New York Yankees
Downing signed with the New York YankeesNew York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in , and was already on the major league roster by July of that season. In his first full major league season, , Downing went 13-5 with a 2.56 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
for a Yankee team that went 104-57, but were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in the 1963 World Series
1963 World Series
The 1963 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Dodgers sweeping the Series in four games to capture their second title in five years, and their third in franchise history....
. In , he went 13-8 with a 3.47 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, and led the league with 217 strikeouts.
Downing was 9-5 with a 2.66 ERA when he made his only All-Star team
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
in . He pitched two innings, giving up no earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s while striking out two. On August 11, he struck out three batters (Tony Horton, Don Demeter
Don Demeter
Donald Lee "Don" Demeter is a former outfielder, third baseman, and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians...
and Duke Sims
Duke Sims
Duane B. Sims was a Major League Baseball catcher who played from 1964 to 1974 with the Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers....
) on nine pitches in the second inning of a 5-3 win over the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. Downing became the sixth American League pitcher and the 13th pitcher in Major League history to accomplish this feat.
Injuries limited Downing to only twelve starts in . In , Yankees manager Ralph Houk
Ralph Houk
Ralph George Houk , nicknamed The Major, was an American catcher, coach, manager, and front office executive in Major League Baseball...
began using Downing out of the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
more, as he made fifteen starts and fifteen relief appearances
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
. He was traded to the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
prior to the along with catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Frank Fernández
Frank Fernández (baseball)
Frank Fernández is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He signed as an amateur free agent with the New York Yankees upon graduation from Curtis High School in Staten Island in . He spent six seasons in their minor league system before debuting with the Yankees as a September call-up in...
for Danny Cater
Danny Cater
Danny Anderson Cater is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, third baseman, and outfielder. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies at the age of 18 on June 8,...
and Ossie Chavarria
Ossie Chavarria
Osvaldo Chavarria is a former Major League Baseball player. When he made his major league debut with the Kansas City Athletics on April 14, , he became the thirteenth Panamanian born baseball player to make it to the majors.-Career:Chavarria lied about his age, claiming to have been born in when...
.
NL Comeback Player of the Year
Downing's stay in Oakland was short lived, as he was dealt to the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on June 11, 1970 with Tito Francona
Tito Francona
John Patsy "Tito" Francona is a former outfielder/first baseman in professional baseball. He is the father of former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona.-Career:...
for Steve Hovley
Steve Hovley
Stephen Eugene Hovley is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played from 1969-1973 for four different teams....
. Despite a respectable 3.34 ERA, Downing's record was 2-10 for a Brewers team that narrowly escaped losing 100 games (97). For the season, Downing went 5-13 with a 3.52 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 27 games and 22 starts between his two teams.
Prior to the start of the season, Downing was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Andy Kosco
Andy Kosco
Andy Kosco is a former Major League Baseball player who was affiliated at various times with the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels, Boston Red Sox, and Cincinnati Reds....
. Downing turned things around in his first season in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
, winning twenty games, including a league-leading five shutouts. He earned NL Comeback Player of the Year honors as well as finishing third in NL Cy Young award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
balloting behind Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Jenkins
Ferguson Arthur "Fergie" Jenkins, CM, is a Canadian former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He was a three-time All-Star and the 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner. In 1991, Jenkins was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. During a 19-year career, he pitched for four different teams,...
and Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
.
Despite giving up Hank Aaron's famous 715th home run on April 8, 1974, Downing made his third, and final post-season appearance that season. His Dodgers lost four games to one to the Oakland A's. Downing played two more full seasons with the Dodgers, and was released during the season with a 0-1 record and 6.75 ERA.
Broadcasting career
Downing was a radio broadcaster for the Dodgers in 2005. As of 2006, he remains on the Dodgers Speaker's Bureau.See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- List of Major League Baseball pitchers who have struck out three batters on nine pitches