Clem Labine
Encyclopedia
Clement Walter Labine was an American
right-handed relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
best known for his years with the Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodgers
from 1950 to 1960. As a key member of the Dodgers in the early 1950s, he helped the team to its first-ever World Series
title in 1955
with a win
and a save in four games.
He held the National League
record for career saves from 1958 until 1962; his 96 career saves ranked fourth in Major League history when he retired. He also set a Dodgers franchise record of 425 career games pitched
. Labine is prominently featured in Roger Kahn's classic book The Boys of Summer and in Carl Erskine
's autobiography, Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings
.
, grew up in nearby Woonsocket
, and served as a paratrooper
in World War II
. After compiling a 5-1 record for Brooklyn as a rookie in , he shut out the New York Giants
in Game 2 of the National League pennant playoff, 10-0. He was almost summoned to relieve in the ninth inning of Game 3, but reportedly was having trouble harnessing his curveball
in the bullpen
; Dodger manager
Chuck Dressen
called on Ralph Branca
instead. Branca soon threw the pitch that Bobby Thomson
hit for a pennant-winning, three-run home run
that brought the Giants back from a 4-1 deficit - labeled as baseball's "Shot Heard 'Round the World
." Labine finished third in voting for the NL Rookie of the Year Award
, won by the Giants' Willie Mays
.
Labine went on to enjoy several stellar seasons for the Dodgers as a relief pitcher. In , the year the Dodgers finally brought a world championship to Brooklyn, he led the NL with 60 games pitched and 10 relief victories and earned a career-best 13 wins overall. Although the save was not yet an official statistic, he has been retroactively credited with leading the NL twice (1956–57) in that category, with 19 and 17 respectively, and was an All-Star
both years.
when they relocated after the season, and in surpassed Al Brazle
's NL record of 60 career saves. In he broke Brickyard Kennedy
's franchise record of 381 games pitched; the Dodgers won the World Series
again that year, defeating the Chicago White Sox
, although Labine pitched only one inning in Game 1's blowout loss. His career appeared to be in jeopardy in 1960 when the Dodgers traded him to the Detroit Tigers
in June after Labine had compiled an earned run average of 5.82. The Tigers subsequently released him on August 15, 1960 after he pitched 14 games for them, going 0-3, with an earned run average of 5.12. The Pittsburgh Pirates
signed Labine the following day. The Pirates were in the National League pennant race and needed another right-handed reliever to complement Roy Face
. Labine proved to be a valuable addition to the Pirates' bullpen. In 15 games for the Pirates through the remainder of the season, he compiled a record of 3-0 with 3 saves and an earned run average of 1.48 as he helped the Pirates win the National League pennant and go on to the 1960 World Series
. But Labine appeared only in three blowout losses during the Series win over the New York Yankees
. After remaining with the Pirates in , he ended his career with - very briefly - the New York Mets
, pitching in three games during the Mets' debut season, including an inning in the Mets' first game ever. Later that year, the Pirates' Roy Face
passed Labine's NL mark of 94 career saves. Over all or parts of 13 seasons, Labine appeared in 513 games, winning 77 and losing 56 (.579) with a 3.63 earned run average
. He appeared in 13 World Series games, winning two and losing two, with a 3.16 ERA. His 96 career saves then trailed only Johnny Murphy
(107), Ellis Kinder
(102) and Firpo Marberry
(101) in major league history. In , Labine's Dodger career records of 425 games pitched and 83 saves were broken by Don Drysdale
and Ron Perranoski
respectively.
, one week after undergoing exploratory brain surgery following a bout with pneumonia
; he had been serving as an instructor at the Dodgers' adult fantasy camp at their Dodgertown headquarters. Vin Scully
, the longtime Dodger announcer, said upon learning of Labine's death that he had a heart of a lion and the smarts of a wily fox, and was very likable.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
right-handed 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...
in 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...
best known for his years with the Brooklyn & 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...
from 1950 to 1960. As a key member of the Dodgers in the early 1950s, he helped the team to its first-ever World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
title in 1955
1955 World Series
The 1955 World Series matched the Brooklyn Dodgers against the New York Yankees, with the Dodgers winning the Series in seven games to capture their first championship in franchise history. It would be the only Series the Dodgers won in Brooklyn . The last time the Brooklyn franchise won a World...
with a win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
and a save in four games.
He held 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...
record for career saves from 1958 until 1962; his 96 career saves ranked fourth in Major League history when he retired. He also set a Dodgers franchise record of 425 career games pitched
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
. Labine is prominently featured in Roger Kahn's classic book The Boys of Summer and in Carl Erskine
Carl Erskine
Carl Daniel Erskine is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire career for the Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodgers from 1948 through 1959...
's autobiography, Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings
Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings
Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout: Extra Innings is a book by former Major League Baseball All-Star pitcher Carl Erskine. It is a compilation of short stories about life in the glory days of Major League Baseball. The forward was penned by Hall of Fame announcer Vin...
.
Youth and early career
Labine was born in Lincoln, Rhode IslandLincoln, Rhode Island
Lincoln is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 21,105 at the 2010 census. Lincoln is located in northeastern Rhode Island, north of Providence....
, grew up in nearby Woonsocket
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border....
, and served as a paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After compiling a 5-1 record for Brooklyn as a rookie in , he shut out the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in Game 2 of the National League pennant playoff, 10-0. He was almost summoned to relieve in the ninth inning of Game 3, but reportedly was having trouble harnessing his curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
in 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"...
; Dodger manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Chuck Dressen
Chuck Dressen
Charles Walter Dressen , known as both "Chuck" and "Charlie," was an American third baseman, manager and coach in professional baseball during a career that lasted almost fifty years, and was best known as the manager of the powerful Brooklyn Dodgers of 1951–1953...
called on Ralph Branca
Ralph Branca
Ralph Theodore Joseph Branca is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball.From 1944 through 1956, Branca played for the Brooklyn Dodgers , Detroit Tigers , and New York Yankees...
instead. Branca soon threw the pitch that Bobby Thomson
Bobby Thomson
Robert Brown "Bobby" Thomson was a Scottish-born American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "The Staten Island Scot", he was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants , Milwaukee Braves , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles .His season-ending three-run...
hit for a pennant-winning, three-run 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...
that brought the Giants back from a 4-1 deficit - labeled as baseball's "Shot Heard 'Round the World
Shot Heard 'Round the World (baseball)
In baseball, the "Shot Heard 'round the World" is the term given to the walk-off home run hit by New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson off Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds to win the National League pennant at 3:58 p.m...
." Labine finished third in voting for the NL Rookie of the Year Award
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
, won by the Giants' Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
.
Labine went on to enjoy several stellar seasons for the Dodgers as a relief pitcher. In , the year the Dodgers finally brought a world championship to Brooklyn, he led the NL with 60 games pitched and 10 relief victories and earned a career-best 13 wins overall. Although the save was not yet an official statistic, he has been retroactively credited with leading the NL twice (1956–57) in that category, with 19 and 17 respectively, and was 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...
both years.
Move to Los Angeles and late career
Labine accompanied the Dodgers to Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
when they relocated after the season, and in surpassed Al Brazle
Al Brazle
Alpha Eugene Brazle was a Major League Baseball pitcher. The left-hander was signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent in 1936, and later traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitcher Mike Ryba in September, 1940. He played his entire MLB career for the Cards...
's NL record of 60 career saves. In he broke Brickyard Kennedy
Brickyard Kennedy
William Park Kennedy was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1892 through , he played for the Brooklyn Grooms/Superbas , New York Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates . Kennedy batted and threw right-handed...
's franchise record of 381 games pitched; the Dodgers won the World Series
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, four games to two. It was the first pennant for the White Sox in 40 years . They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship...
again that year, defeating 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...
, although Labine pitched only one inning in Game 1's blowout loss. His career appeared to be in jeopardy in 1960 when the Dodgers traded him to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in June after Labine had compiled an earned run average of 5.82. The Tigers subsequently released him on August 15, 1960 after he pitched 14 games for them, going 0-3, with an earned run average of 5.12. The Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
signed Labine the following day. The Pirates were in the National League pennant race and needed another right-handed reliever to complement Roy Face
Roy Face
Elroy Leon Face is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953–1969, pitching primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates...
. Labine proved to be a valuable addition to the Pirates' bullpen. In 15 games for the Pirates through the remainder of the season, he compiled a record of 3-0 with 3 saves and an earned run average of 1.48 as he helped the Pirates win the National League pennant and go on to the 1960 World Series
1960 World Series
The 1960 World Series was played between the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League and the New York Yankees of the American League from October 5 to October 13, 1960...
. But Labine appeared only in three blowout losses during the Series win over the New York Yankees
New 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...
. After remaining with the Pirates in , he ended his career with - very briefly - the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, pitching in three games during the Mets' debut season, including an inning in the Mets' first game ever. Later that year, the Pirates' Roy Face
Roy Face
Elroy Leon Face is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher. During a 17-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953–1969, pitching primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates...
passed Labine's NL mark of 94 career saves. Over all or parts of 13 seasons, Labine appeared in 513 games, winning 77 and losing 56 (.579) with a 3.63 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...
. He appeared in 13 World Series games, winning two and losing two, with a 3.16 ERA. His 96 career saves then trailed only Johnny Murphy
Johnny Murphy
John Joseph Murphy was an All-Star American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who later became a front office executive in the game.-Formative relief pitcher:...
(107), Ellis Kinder
Ellis Kinder
Ellis Raymond Kinder , also nicknamed "Old Folks", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played for the St. Louis Browns , Boston Red Sox , St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago White Sox...
(102) and Firpo Marberry
Firpo Marberry
Frederick "Firpo" Marberry was an American right-handed starting and relief pitcher in Major League Baseball from to , most notably with the Washington Senators...
(101) in major league history. In , Labine's Dodger career records of 425 games pitched and 83 saves were broken by Don Drysdale
Don Drysdale
Donald Scott "Don" Drysdale was a Major League Baseball player and Hall of Fame right-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was one of the dominant starting pitchers of the 1960s, and became a radio and television broadcaster following his playing career...
and Ron Perranoski
Ron Perranoski
Ronald Peter Perranoski is a former left-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher, having played from through ....
respectively.
Post-baseball life
Following his retirement from baseball, Labine settled again in the Woonsocket area, where he became a designer of men's athletic wear, serving as general manager for the sporting goods division of the Jacob Finklestein's & Sons manufacturing company. Labine died at age 80 in Vero Beach, FloridaVero Beach, Florida
Vero Beach is a city in Indian River County, Florida, USA. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 16,939. It is the county seat of Indian River County...
, one week after undergoing exploratory brain surgery following a bout with pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
; he had been serving as an instructor at the Dodgers' adult fantasy camp at their Dodgertown headquarters. Vin Scully
Vin Scully
Vincent Edward Scully is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV and KABC radio...
, the longtime Dodger announcer, said upon learning of Labine's death that he had a heart of a lion and the smarts of a wily fox, and was very likable.
See also
External links
- BaseballLibrary - career highlights