Jack Spring
Encyclopedia
Jack Russell Spring is an American
former Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
. The 6 inch, 175 lb (79.4 kg) left-hander
played for the Philadelphia Phillies
(1955), Boston Red Sox
(1957), Washington Senators
(1958), Los Angeles Angels (1961–64), Chicago Cubs
(1964), St. Louis Cardinals
(1964), and Cleveland Indians
(1965).
Spring pitched in a total of six major league games for three clubs before being acquired by the expansion
Los Angeles Angels in 1961. He started four games for L.A. and won three of them in September, then pitched exclusively in relief beginning in 1962. That season, his 57 appearances ranked third in the American League
. He, along with Art Fowler
, Tom Morgan
, and later Julio Navarro
, were the Angels' most reliable pitchers out of the bullpen
during their second and third seasons. Spring's combined record for 1962 and 1963 was 7-2 with 8 saves
and a 3.66 ERA in 102 games. He was traded by the Angels on May 15, 1964 and pitched for three more clubs before making his last major league appearance on August 31, 1965.
Career totals include a 12-5 record in 155 games pitched
, 5 games started
, 51 games finished
, 8 saves, and an ERA of 4.26. He was part of one of the most famous trades in MLB history, when on June 15, 1964, he accompanied Lou Brock
in moving from the Cubs to the Cardinals in the Brock for Broglio
deal; Brock led the Cardinals to the pennant and World Series
championship, but Spring appeared in only four games for the Cardinals before being sent to the minor leagues
.
Spring once went 19 consecutive outings without recording a strikeout, which is the longest such streak since 1957.
He was inducted into the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 alongside former Utah Jazz
basketball
player John Stockton
at a ceremony in Spokane, WA.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former 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...
. The 6 inch, 175 lb (79.4 kg) left-hander
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
played for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1955), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1957), Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(1958), Los Angeles Angels (1961–64), 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...
(1964), St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1964), and 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...
(1965).
Spring pitched in a total of six major league games for three clubs before being acquired by the expansion
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
Los Angeles Angels in 1961. He started four games for L.A. and won three of them in September, then pitched exclusively in relief beginning in 1962. That season, his 57 appearances ranked third in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. He, along with Art Fowler
Art Fowler
John Arthur Fowler was an American pitcher and pitching coach in Major League Baseball. The 5'11", 180 lb. right-hander was signed by the New York Giants as an amateur free agent before the 1944 season...
, Tom Morgan
Tom Morgan (baseball)
Tom Stephen Morgan was a Major League Baseball pitcher. A native of El Monte, California, the 6'2", 195 lb. right-hander was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before the 1949 season...
, and later Julio Navarro
Julio Navarro
Julio Navarro Ventura is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He played for the Los Angeles Angels , Detroit Tigers , and Atlanta Braves ....
, were the Angels' most reliable pitchers 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"...
during their second and third seasons. Spring's combined record for 1962 and 1963 was 7-2 with 8 saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
and a 3.66 ERA in 102 games. He was traded by the Angels on May 15, 1964 and pitched for three more clubs before making his last major league appearance on August 31, 1965.
Career totals include a 12-5 record in 155 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...
, 5 games started
Games started
In baseball statistics, games started indicates the number of games that a pitcher has started for his team. A pitcher is credited with starting the game if he faces the first opposing batter...
, 51 games finished
Games finished
In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game...
, 8 saves, and an ERA of 4.26. He was part of one of the most famous trades in MLB history, when on June 15, 1964, he accompanied Lou Brock
Lou Brock
Louis Clark "Lou" Brock is an American former professional baseball player. He began his Major League Baseball career with the Chicago Cubs but, spent the majority of his career as the left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Brock was best known for breaking Ty Cobb's all-time major league...
in moving from the Cubs to the Cardinals in the Brock for Broglio
Brock for Broglio
The phrase Brock for Broglio is sometimes used in the sport of baseball to signify a trade that in hindsight, turns out to be a ridicuously lopsided transaction....
deal; Brock led the Cardinals to the pennant and World Series
1964 World Series
The 1964 World Series pitted the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals against the American League champion New York Yankees, with the Cardinals prevailing in seven games. St...
championship, but Spring appeared in only four games for the Cardinals before being sent to the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
.
Spring once went 19 consecutive outings without recording a strikeout, which is the longest such streak since 1957.
He was inducted into the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 alongside former Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player John Stockton
John Stockton
John Houston Stockton is a retired American professional basketball player who spent his entire career as a point guard for the Utah Jazz of the NBA from 1984 to 2003. Stockton is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, holding the NBA records for most career assists and steals by...
at a ceremony in Spokane, WA.