Mike Blyzka
Encyclopedia
Michael John Blyzka was a pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for the St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles
(-). Listed at 5' 11", 190 lb., Blyzka batted and threw right-handed. A native of Hamtramck, Michigan
, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II
.
In a two-season-career, Blyzka posted a 3-11 record with 58 strikeout
s and a 5.58 ERA
in 70 appearances, including nine start
, one save, and 180⅓ innings of work.
Before the 1955 season, in the largest transaction in major league history, Baltimore sent Blyzka along Jim Fridley
, Billy Hunter
, Darrell Johnson
, Dick Kryhoski
, Don Larsen
and Bob Turley
to the Yankees, in exchange for Harry Byrd
, Don Leppert
, Jim McDonald, Bill Miller
, Willy Miranda
, Kal Segrist
, Hal Smith, Gus Triandos
, Gene Woodling
and Ted Del Guercio. Del Guercio played 12 seasons in the minor leagues and was the only member of the group not to make the Majors.
Blyzka died in Cheyenne, Wyoming
at age 75.
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...
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...
who played for the St. Louis Browns/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...
(-). Listed at 5' 11", 190 lb., Blyzka batted and threw right-handed. A native of Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 22,423. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit except for a small portion of the western border that touches the similarly surrounded city of Highland Park...
, he served in the U.S. Army during 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...
.
In a two-season-career, Blyzka posted a 3-11 record with 58 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s and a 5.58 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...
in 70 appearances, including nine start
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
, one save, and 180⅓ innings of work.
Before the 1955 season, in the largest transaction in major league history, Baltimore sent Blyzka along Jim Fridley
Jim Fridley
James Riley Fridley was an American professional baseball player. During his Major League Baseball career, he was backup outfielder, playing mostly at left field for three different teams between 1952 and 1958. Nicknamed "Big Jim," Fridley was listed at and and batted and threw right-handed...
, Billy Hunter
Billy Hunter (baseball)
Gordon William Hunter is a retired American shortstop, coach and manager in Major League Baseball.A slick-fielding, light-hitting shortstop from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the right-handed-batting Hunter was originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers. With his path to the majors blocked by Pee Wee...
, Darrell Johnson
Darrell Johnson
Darrell Dean Johnson was an American Major League Baseball catcher, coach, manager and scout.-Playing career:...
, Dick Kryhoski
Dick Kryhoski
Richard David Kryhoski was a first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for five different teams between 1949 and 1955. Listed at 6' 2", 200 lb., Kryhoski batted and threw left-handed. He was born and raised in Leonia, New Jersey.Kryhoski attended at Upsala College in East Orange, New...
, Don Larsen
Don Larsen
Donald James Larsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953-67 for seven different teams. Larsen is best known for pitching the sixth perfect game in baseball history, doing so in game 5 of the 1956 World Series...
and Bob Turley
Bob Turley
Robert Lee Turley was a Major League Baseball pitcher.Turley was signed as an amateur free agent by the St. Louis Browns in . He played his first game on September 29, 1951 for the Browns and moved with them to Baltimore in...
to the Yankees, in exchange for Harry Byrd
Harry Byrd (baseball)
Harry Gladwin Byrd was an American Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics , New York Yankees , Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers...
, Don Leppert
Don Leppert (second baseman)
Don Eugene Leppert is an American former professional baseball second baseman. Nicknamed "Tiger," Leppert stood 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighed 175 pounds , batted left-handed and threw right-handed.Leppert attended Christian Brothers High School in Memphis and signed his first pro contract...
, Jim McDonald, Bill Miller
Bill Miller (left-handed pitcher)
William Paul Miller was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from through for the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles . Listed at 6' 0", 175 lb., Miller batted and threw left-handed...
, Willy Miranda
Willy Miranda
Guillermo "Willy" Miranda Perez was a Cuban-born professional baseball player who played shortstop in the Major Leagues from 1951–1959...
, Kal Segrist
Kal Segrist
Kal Hill Segrist is a former utility infielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles . Listed at 6' 0", 180 lb., Segrist batted and threw right-handed...
, Hal Smith, Gus Triandos
Gus Triandos
Gus Triandos is a Greek-American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball mostly as a catcher but also played as a first baseman for the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and the Detroit Tigers of the American League and the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros...
, Gene Woodling
Gene Woodling
Eugene Richard Woodling was a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Cleveland Indians , Pittsburgh Pirates , New York Yankees , Baltimore Orioles , Washington Senators , and the New York Mets in their expansion year of 1962...
and Ted Del Guercio. Del Guercio played 12 seasons in the minor leagues and was the only member of the group not to make the Majors.
Blyzka died in Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
at age 75.