Jerry Robertson (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Jerry Lee Robertson was a Major League Baseball
pitcher. Born in Winchester, Kansas
, the right-hander was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals
in the 27th round of the 1965 amateur draft, and later drafted by the Montreal Expos
from the Cardinals
as the 38th pick in the 1968 expansion draft
. He played for the Expos
(1969) and Detroit Tigers
(1970).
Robertson started 27 of the 49 games he appeared in during his short MLB career. He pitched in the very first game in Montreal Expos
history, contributing 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to an 11-10 victory over the New York Mets
. (April 8, 1969) He also had the best earned run average
(3.96) of any of the Expos pitchers who started 15 or more games during that inaugural season.
After being used in relief during the early part of the season, Robertson joined the starting rotation on May 23. He pitched six or more innings in 17 of his 27 starts, but did not get much run support from his teammates. In his 16 losses, the Expos
scored a total of just 20 runs, and were victims of a shutout
in seven of those games.
Robertson was traded by the Expos
to the Detroit Tigers
on December 3, 1969, for veteran right-handed pitcher Joe Sparma
. In 1970, he appeared in 11 games for the Tigers
, all in relief, with an ERA
of 3.68. He also spent time with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens
that year. On March 30, 1971, the Tigers
traded him to the New York Mets
, and he never again made it back to the big leagues.
Robertson died in an automobile accident in 1996 in Burlington, Kansas
.
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. Born in Winchester, Kansas
Winchester, Kansas
Winchester is a city in Jefferson County, Kansas, United States. The population was 579 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Winchester is located at...
, the right-hander was drafted by the 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...
in the 27th round of the 1965 amateur draft, and later drafted by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
from the 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...
as the 38th pick in the 1968 expansion draft
Expansion draft
An expansion draft, in professional sports, occurs when a sports league decides to create one or more new expansion teams or franchises. This occurs mainly in North American sports. One of the ways of stocking the new team or teams is an expansion draft...
. He played for the Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
(1969) and 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...
(1970).
Robertson started 27 of the 49 games he appeared in during his short MLB career. He pitched in the very first game in Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
history, contributing 1.1 innings of scoreless relief to an 11-10 victory over 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...
. (April 8, 1969) He also had the best 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...
(3.96) of any of the Expos pitchers who started 15 or more games during that inaugural season.
After being used in relief during the early part of the season, Robertson joined the starting rotation on May 23. He pitched six or more innings in 17 of his 27 starts, but did not get much run support from his teammates. In his 16 losses, the Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
scored a total of just 20 runs, and were victims of a shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
in seven of those games.
Robertson was traded by the Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
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...
on December 3, 1969, for veteran right-handed pitcher Joe Sparma
Joe Sparma
Joseph Blase Sparma was a quarterback in collegiate football and a pitcher in Major League Baseball .-Quarterback at Ohio State:...
. In 1970, he appeared in 11 games for the 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...
, all in relief, with an ERA
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...
of 3.68. He also spent time with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
that year. On March 30, 1971, the 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...
traded him to 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...
, and he never again made it back to the big leagues.
Robertson died in an automobile accident in 1996 in Burlington, Kansas
Burlington, Kansas
Burlington is a city in and the county seat of Coffey County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,674.-Geography:Burlington is located at...
.