Bo McLaughlin
Encyclopedia
Michael Duane "Bo" McLaughlin (born October 23, 1953 in Oakland, California
) was a Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
from 1976 to 1982 for the Houston Astros
, Atlanta Braves
, and Oakland Athletics
. He is currently the pitching coordinator for the Colorado Rockies
. McLaughlin is best known for being hit by a pitch that almost ended his career.
On May 26, , McLaughlin was pitching in the eighth inning of a game against the Chicago White Sox
. He threw a sinker
to Harold Baines
, who hit it directly to McLaughlin face. The pitch broke his left cheekbone, and his eye socket in five different places. Vomiting blood and going into shock, doctors feared that he wouldn't last the night. He recovered to play a few games in September that year. McLaughlin was demoted to the Minors the next year, played three seasons of Triple-A baseball and went into the real estate business. He later coached in the minor leagues for the Chicago Cubs
and Baltimore Orioles
systems before moving on to his current job with the Rockies.
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
) was a Major League Baseball
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...
relief pitcher
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...
from 1976 to 1982 for the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
, Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, and 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....
. He is currently the pitching coordinator for the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
. McLaughlin is best known for being hit by a pitch that almost ended his career.
On May 26, , McLaughlin was pitching in the eighth inning of a game against the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. He threw a sinker
Sinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
to Harold Baines
Harold Baines
Harold Douglas Baines is a former right fielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for five American League teams from 1980 to 2001. He is best known for his three stints with the Chicago White Sox, the team on which he now serves as coach...
, who hit it directly to McLaughlin face. The pitch broke his left cheekbone, and his eye socket in five different places. Vomiting blood and going into shock, doctors feared that he wouldn't last the night. He recovered to play a few games in September that year. McLaughlin was demoted to the Minors the next year, played three seasons of Triple-A baseball and went into the real estate business. He later coached in the minor leagues for the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
systems before moving on to his current job with the Rockies.